Community Connections

CONNECTICUT (February 25, 2026) — Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra will join orchestras across Connecticut this March to celebrate Connecticut Orchestra Month, a statewide initiative highlighting the depth and accessibility of live orchestral music throughout the state.

Taking place throughout March 2026, Connecticut Orchestra Month showcases performances, education programs, and community events presented by 22 orchestras in 19 towns, offering 48 concerts and events across Connecticut. From professional symphonies to community, collegiate, youth, and chamber ensembles, participating organizations reflect Connecticut’s extraordinary concentration of orchestras—one of the highest per capita in the nation.

Connecticut Orchestra Month was launched in 2025 as a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort to raise awareness, break down barriers to attendance, and invite new audiences to experience live orchestral music close to home. 

Connecticut’s orchestras collectively represent a major cultural and educational resource, engaging thousands of musicians and reaching audiences of all ages. Together, orchestras across the state annually contribute:

• 2,400 musicians performing in orchestras statewide
• 282 performances each year, reaching more than 186,000 audience members
• 350 community and educational events, serving 45,000 students at 230 schools

SECCO’s Dr. Hilarie Clark Moore says: “I’m passionate about creating a musical community within Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra as well as offering orchestra concerts in our community. It is exciting that SECCO is part of this statewide community through the Connecticut Orchestra Month Initiative to promote live orchestra music throughout the state.”

As part of the musical celebration, SECCO presents Spring Awakenings on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 3:00 pm at Connecticut College’s Evans Hall, featuring Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture, Salieri’s Concerto for Flute & Oboe in C Major featuring Theresa Mazzeferro and Susan Butler, and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6 in D.

Audiences of all backgrounds – first-time concertgoers and longtime classical music lovers alike – are encouraged to attend and experience the power of live orchestral music. A complete calendar of Connecticut Orchestra Month events is available at CTOrchestraMonth.org.

About Connecticut Orchestra Month

Connecticut Orchestra Month is a statewide celebration of the vibrant orchestral scene across Connecticut. With 22 participating orchestras performing 48 concerts, new and returning audience members can experience and enjoy concerts all month long. Learn more and view the concert calendar at CTOrchestraMonth.org. 

Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra is a non-profit orchestra connecting and supporting volunteer musicians, inspiring them to share their joy of music through the practice and performance of symphonic concerts in community spaces for the cultural benefit of the general public.

We aspire to perform all our activities in alignment with the shared values of accountability, respect, transparency, teamwork, inclusion, and community.

CONNECTICUT (February 12, 2025) — Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra will join 28 other orchestras this March to celebrate Connecticut Orchestra Month, a statewide initiative that highlights the joy and accessibility of live orchestral music.

Connecticut Orchestra Month spotlights the vital role that orchestras in Connecticut play in the state’s cultural life and in the arts education of students across the state. The 29 orchestras which are participating in Connecticut Orchestra Month illustrate the richness of Connecticut’s orchestral resources. Together, they represent:

• 2,400 musicians performing in orchestras across Connecticut
• 282 performances taking place each year, reaching audiences of over 186,000 people
• 350 community and educational events engaging 45,000 student participants, including students at 230 schools

Audiences across Connecticut and in Waterford can experience a wide variety of performances, from classic masterpieces and live film scores to diverse musical styles and exciting new works. With 29 participating orchestras offering captivating concerts and educational programs, the month promises something for everyone—whether it’s an inspiring evening out, a dazzling date night, or a fun-filled family outing.

As part of the musical celebration, SECCO will present:
Musical Sampler on March 15, 2025, an exciting introduction (or re-introduction!)  to orchestral music. First-time concertgoers and seasoned audience members alike are encouraged to attend and experience the power of live orchestral music.

SECCO’s Dr. Hilarie Clark Moore says: “I’m passionate about creating a musical community within the Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra as well as offering orchestral concerts in our community. It is exciting that SECCO is now part of a statewide community through the Connecticut Orchestra Month initiative to promote orchestra live music throughout the state.”

About Connecticut Orchestra Month: Connecticut Orchestra Month is a statewide celebration of the vibrant orchestral scene across Connecticut. With 29 participating orchestras performing 48 concerts, new and returning audience members can experience and enjoy concerts all month long. Learn more and view the concert calendar at CTOrchestraMonth.org.

About SECCO: Southeastern Connecticut Community Orchestra is a nonprofit orchestra connecting and supporting volunteer musicians, inspiring them to share their joy of music through the practice and performance of symphonic literature in community spaces.

SECCO’s bass trombonist Molly James helped organize a music experience called Harmony of Nature II, Waves. The project Harmony of Nature is an international science and music collaboration aiming to communicate natural phenomena to audiences through an emotional connection to music. Molly’s collaborators are South Korean pianist Hea Youn “Sophy” Chung and composer Maxwell Lu. Molly is the scientist of the group. The works were produced with support from the 2023 Arts Support Award by the Connecticut Sea Grant.

Molly and her colleagues are debuting four original pieces for piano and electronics. The concert series will be performed at: