Cordancia Chamber Orchestra

Cordancia is a chamber orchestra based in Rochester, NY. The orchestra's award-winning programming blends eclectic, vibrant, lesser-known music with traditional classic repertoire. Cordancia was formed in 2009 by violinist Pia Liptak and oboist Kathleen Suher who are both members of the University of Rochester Symphony Orchestra; Kathleen as the principal oboist and Pia as the concertmaster. Cordancia is a versatile ensemble. Its array of performance groups span from small chamber ensembles to full chamber orchestra of around 40 players. The members of Cordancia are brought together from many areas of the Rochester community. The players are professional performers, music teachers, college students, and musicians whose primary occupations are in other fields of work. Cordancia's season includes chamber orchestra concerts, chamber music performances, and educational programs in collaborations with schools in the Rochester area. The ensemble currently collaborates with conductor Rachel Lauber, Casey Springstead, narrator Jay Stetzer. Soloists from the ensemble and guest soloists perform with Cordancia. In 2016, the Cordancia Concerto Competition for Young Performers was launched and, in 2017, renamed the Nico Toscano Concerto Competition. This competition supports young performers ages 16-22 and offers an award and a chance to perform as a soloist with the orchestra. ​ The name Cordancia is combined from the Italian words for string, corda, and reed, ancia, respectively representing the violin and the oboe, the instruments of the founders of this ensemble. In a broader sense, the name represents the entire ensemble of strings and winds, piano and percussion.