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"The ancient Greeks believed that music had a direct and profound influence on character. This theory is called the
doctrine of ethos."
-- Hugh M. Miller, The History of Music
Ethos West is a professional orchestra dedicated to performing chamber music of all styles and periods, from renaissance and baroque to jazz, third-stream, and world music. Led by Dr. Ron Holleman, this ensemble is made up of some of northern Colorado's finest musicians (see the Musicians page for more).
What makes Ethos West different is its repertoire – no one else performs such a wide variety of music. Running the gamut of musical styles challenges the musicians to be extremely versatile, and also challenges the audience to approach the concerts with an open mind and a willingness to stretch their taste. Each Ethos West concert features related but distinctly different musical selections from different genres, chosen to be like an interesting menu, from appetizer to dessert. (For representative concert programs, see the Concert Schedule and Program Archives pages.)
Ethos West is a northern Colorado reincarnation of the highly successful Chicago-area Ethos Chamber Orchestra, founded by Ron Holleman in 1982. During its first ten years, the Chicago-based Ethos premiered 22 new works and developed a uniquely wide-ranging repertoire.
Like its predecessor, Ethos West plays a range of music designed to appeal to fans of classical music, jazz aficionados, and people who are simply looking for new musical experiences. We hope you'll come to our concerts and see for yourself.
In addition to formal concerts, a subset of the full orchestra called the Portable Ethos is available to play for events outside the concert hall.
Organizationally, the orchestra is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt entity governed by a board of directors and sponsored by a number of area charitable and civic organizations as well as private donations.
If you're interested in learning more about Ethos West, feel free to contact us. We'd welcome your involvement, whether as a musician, board member, volunteer, or audience member.
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