A Brief Review of our History....
The Evergreen Chamber Orchestra was formed in 1981 by local musicians who had been playing together informally. Dr. William Morse of Metropolitan State College of Denver was selected as music director and principal conductor, a Board of Directors was formed from musicians and local business members, and the non-profit Evergreen Chamber Orchestra Society was created.
Early rehearsals and concerts were held in a number of local schools and churches, with the orchestra moving to Rockland Community Church near Genessee which was its home for more than 20 years. The orchestra quickly attracted a loyal following of enthusiastic supporters and as of this season is now doubling all their concerts to include concerts in both Evergreen and the SW suburbs of Denver.
ECO’s Music Director William Hill is now in his eighth season with the orchestra. Under his baton, ECO has grown into much more than “just a community orchestra”. Mr. Hill is critically-acclaimed as a composer, soloist, visual artist, recording artist, and conductor. He is Principal Timpanist and Composer with the Colorado Symphony and teaches composition and counterpoint at Denver University’s Lamont School of Music. Bill is also an accomplished jazz musician and his Grammy-nominated band “Bill Hill and Friends” have been featured at ECO’s annual Jazz Gala the past several seasons.
ECO has performed a number of Bill’s compositions in the past seasons – join us for our performance of his “Three Tangos” at our Season Finale Concert – as well as new works by other contemporary composers. Bill was also recently commissioned to write an orchestral piece commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Denver International Airport, which you’ll hear played over the loudspeakers at the airport!
ECO has performed continuously in Jefferson County for the past 41 years and has grown from a local community orchestra to a valued cultural asset in our communities. Come to a concert or event, and we guarantee you’ll have a great time!
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