The health and safety of our membership is our utmost priority. The ROS Health and Safety Committee will continually monitor COVID information and guidelines from reliable sources including: the CDC, the NYS Health Department, and the Monroe County Health Department, and will make adjustments to ROS COVID policies as needed.

ROS members are strongly encouraged to be conscientious about following all cdc.gov Covid prevention measures, to ensure the health and safety of us all. The CDC recommends that people remain up to date with their vaccines, which includes booster doses at regular time points. A new booster shot should become available in the Fall.

If you feel sick with possible symptoms of COVID-19:

• Don’t come to an ROS chorus rehearsal or performance
• Talk to a healthcare provider.
• Get tested for COVID-19.

If you test positive or if you know you have had a significant exposure to covid, follow the guidelines at cdc.gov/coronavirus for when and how (e.g. masked or unmasked) you can safely return to large group activities such as ROS chorus rehearsals/performances.

Our first ROS Symphonic Choir performance will be on:

October 17, 2025 at 7:30 P.M.,

Hochstein Performance Hall, 50 Plymouth Avenue North, Rochester 14614

Featuring the Rochester Oratorio Society Chorus and Orchestra

1. Ron Nelson: “Fanfare for a Festival”
2. Jeff Tyzik: “Psalm 150”
3. Will Todd: “Mass in Blue”

Our Holiday concert is on:

December 19, 2025 at 7:30 P.M.,

Hochstein Performance Hall, 50 Plymouth Avenue North, Rochester 14614

Featuring the Hochstein Youth Singers & the Rochester Oratorio Society Chorus and Orchestra

1. Camille Saint-Saens: “Christmas Oratorio”
2. William Grant Still: “Christmas in the Western World”
3. G. F. Handel: “Messiah,” excerpts

Our Spring concert is on:

March 20, 2026, at 7:30 P.M.,

Hochstein Performance Hall, 50 Plymouth Avenue North, Rochester 14614

Featuring the Rochester Oratorio Society Chorus and Orchestra

1. Felix Mendelssohn: “Christus,” Part II
2. Rosephanye Powell: “The Cry of Jeremiah”

Additional ROS Events planned in 2025-2026

May 16, 2026

The Rochester International Vocal Competition returns – Stay tuned for more info!

May 30 and May 31, 2026

The Rochester Oratorio Society sings with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra:

“The season reaches a thrilling climax as Andreas Delfs leads the RPO, the Rochester Oratorio Society, a children’s choir, and powerhouse soloists in Carl Orff’s electrifying Carmina Burana—a choral spectacle of fate, fortune, and unrelenting rhythm.” (RPO).

The ROS board has set membership fees for the 25-26 season at $100. We are not asking for a ticket commitment this year. Rather, we are asking all ROS members to help build our audience using the Tool Kit section of the Member Page. Please encourage friends, family and co-workers to attend our wonderful choral programs. Our tickets are reasonably priced. A large and diverse audience provides much needed revenue for ROS, and is very important to funders when they consider ROS requests for grant support.

Please mark your calendar for these important upcoming dates:

Registration for the 25-26 season is open now.

August 25: First regular ROS rehearsal 7:00pm-9:30pm Fellowship Hall, Asbury First United Methodist Church

August 26: In-person auditions, 6:30pm Wesley Hall at Asbury First United Methodist Church

Sept 13: ROS fall double rehearsal and annual meeting, Asbury Fellowship Hall 10am – 2pm

Most rehearsals are on Monday evenings, 7:00-9:30 P.M. in Fellowship Hall,  Asbury First United Methodist Church, unless otherwise noted.

Yes, we want to hear from you!

Please email ROS Registrar, Jo Ann Lampman at jlampman@rossings.org, or call the ROS office (585-473-2234) with your questions. Board members are always happy to talk with ROS singing members at Asbury on ROS rehearsal days.

Fellowship Hall at Asbury First United Methodist Church has been remodeled. It has fully modern air handling equipment along with several lighting, technology and security improvements. The piano has been upgraded, too.