Vicente Chamber Orchestra

The Vicente Chamber Orchestra (VCO) is an American orchestra based in Santa Monica, founded in 2016 by conductor and violist Zain Khan. The orchestra regularly performs at concert venues in Los Angeles, including the The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica, and has accompanied numerous soloists, including violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, pianist Wendy Chen, violinist Michelle Kim, pianist Alessandro Deljavan, and cellists Julian Schwarz and Han Bin. The orchestra works with local art schools to showcase and support young music talent. 
== History ==
The Vicente Chamber Orchestra was founded by Zain Khan in 2016. Called the Vicente Chamber Orchestra (named after a street close to the orchestra's rehearsal location), it was a group of musicians without an organizational structure or external funding. With the help of Khan's close friends who were interested in starting a new orchestra on the Westside, the Vicente Chamber Orchestra was formed.
The VCO gave its first performance on Saturday, November 16, 2016, featuring violinist Irina Tseitlin in a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven’s Beethoven violin concerto|Violin Concerto and a performance of Franz Schubert|Schubert’s Symphony No. 3. Later that year, the orchestra performed at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, featuring young pianist Noah Simon in a performance of Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor.
The orchestra often works with professional performers, including members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who provide support and mentoring to non-professional members. 
== Seasons ==
=== 2019 - 2020 ===
In the 2019-2020 season, VCO performed three concerts: 
* June 8-9, 2019: Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture, Brahms: Double Concerto, Mozart: Symphony No. 40. Soloists: Michelle Kim (violin, New York Philharmonic) and Han Bin (cello).
* October 5, 2019: Beethoven: Triple Concerto, Symphony No. 4, Coriolan Overture. Soloists: violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, pianist Wendy Chen and cellist Julian Schwarz.
* February 22, 2020: Beethoven: Piano Concertos 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Soloists: Robert Thies, Tae Yeon Lim, Sung Chang, Talon Smith and Brendan White.
==Principal conductors==
VCO has been founded and is currently led by violist and conductor Zain Khan. 
==== Zain Khan ====
Before earning an MBA and launching his career in digital technology, Zain Khan studied music in college (USC School of Music) and played viola in the American Youth Symphony under the direction of Mehli Mehta, who was his mentor. After graduation from USC, he studied with Yehudi Menuhin while he toured with the Sinfonia Varsovia. He gradually left music to pursue other ambitions. In 2016, he set out to form his own chamber orchestra. 
==Assistant Conductors==
* Tae Yeon Lim (2019 -)
==Artists in Residence==
Beginning 2020, the Vicente Chamber Orchestra has hosted Artists in Residence. The program consists of emerging music talents who are expected to perform in the Vicente Chamber Orchestra, mentor other VCO musicians and perform chamber music under the auspices of the orchestra. The Residency is allotted to a maximum of ten select musicians annually. 
In 2020, the following Artists in Residence were named: pianist and conductor Tae Yeon Lim, cellist Ben Fried, and bassoonist Daniel Goldblum.
==Artistic Committee==
As of September 2020, VCO's Artistic Committee consists of the following members of the orchestra: 
* Zain Khan, MBA, Chair - CEO (conductor, violist)
* Ingrid Burger, MD PhD - Radiologist (violinist)
* Caroline Coward - Librarian (cellist)
* Susan Greenberg - Professional Flutist, Professor (flutist)
* Jakub Hlávka, PhD - Research Professor (violinist)
* Larry Kohorn, JD - Lawyer (violinist)
* Lisa Kohorn, MD - Pathologist (clarinetist)
* Tom Lloyd, PhD - Asset Manager (cellist)
* Phillip Ong, MArch - Architect (violist)
==In the media==
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==References==
==External links==
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* Vicente Chamber Orchestra Events | Eventbrite
* Vicente Chamber Orchestra Annual Gala Concert at the Broad Stage
* Vicente Chamber Orchestra — Los Angeles — Classical Voice
* Vicente Chamber Orchestra - Performing Arts Live
* My plans for the Vicente Chamber Orchestra (at 50). | by Zain Khan
* [https://patch.com/california/santamonica/calendar/event/1517704200/279645/vicente-chamber-orchestra?utm_source=amp&utm_campaign=amp_reply_top&utm_medium=mobile 
* Vicente Chamber Orchestra | Santa Monica, CA Patch]
* José Vicente Castelló - Musician - Mahler Chamber Orchestra
* Vicente Chamber Orchestra | Fulcrum Arts
* Meet Zain Khan of Vicente Chamber Orchestra in Santa Monica
Category:Music of California
Category:Orchestras based in California
Category:American orchestras
Category:Musical groups established in 2016
Category:Organizations based in Santa Monica