Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the Reston Community Orchestra will be making beautiful music in 2012 and beyond.

The Arts Council of Fairfax County offers grant programs for arts organizations and individual artists, awarding over $500,000 each year. RCO is the recipient of two grants this year; one for operational support, and a second for organizational development.

The purpose of the Council’s Grant program is to encourage the development of the arts in Fairfax County.  In prior years, RCO has used grant monies to commission original works, showcase the talent of local musicians, and build a new generation of music lovers with its annual Youth Concert.

This year, the orchestra is undertaking an ambitious program featuring soloists from the orchestra itself, demonstrating the depth of talent within the Reston community, as well as building a long term strategy to ensure the organization’s continued growth.

The Reston Community Orchestra was established in 1988 as the resident orchestral ensemble of the greater Reston area. Under the able direction of Maestro Fleary, over 40 professional and amateur level musicians perform four free concerts per season, spanning both traditional repertoire and selections from Contemporary and Americana literature. RCO players represent all ages and professions, and include retirees, advanced high school students and recent graduates.

The Reston Community Orchestra will offer its Fifth Annual Musical Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 14.  A spirited kick-off to Reston’s MLK weekend celebration, the concert features orchestral works by African American composers and choral selections inspired by the civil rights movement. 

This year’s concert will include the Petite Suite de Concert, by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, and A Dream of Conscience, a work by Maryland composer, Eric Lacy. The concert will be held at the Reston Community Center Hunters Woods.  Admission is free. For further information, call 449-7095, or visit restoncommunityorchestra.org.