The mission of the Keene Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1990 by Eric Stumacher, is to provide performances, recordings, and rehearsals of the orchestral repertoire at the highest artistic, expressive, and technical standard. Its personnel combines Monadnock Region of New Hampshire and Greater New England resources ranging from professional musicians to skilled and enthusiastic student musicians of all ages. There is no age or background restriction. Our focuses are: love of music, craft, enthusiasm, constancy of commitment and effort, the highest possible artistic excellence, and a desire to share the joy of orchestral music.

The Orchestra will always strive to create an atmosphere of accessibility, warmth, challenge and encouragement for its participants, audience, and community, at the same time that it vigorously pursues artistic excellence. It's musical approach aspires to kinship with chamber music, with special emphases on specific listening, texture, blends of sound, phrasing, and expressive character.

The Keene Chamber Orchestra is committed to expanding our community outreach by providing chamber and small orchestra concerts in retirement homes, schools, businesses, and for shut-ins. As part of our community outreach, we invite retirement home residents, children accompanied by an adult, and all those unable to afford tickets, to attend KCO's Colonial Theatre and Summerfest concerts our guests.

The First KCO Summerfest, in a tent on the grounds of Peerless Insurance on Maple Avenue in Keene on August 23 and 24, 2008, was proclaimed a huge success, and plans are proceeding to make the KCO Summerfest an annual summer festival.

We invite all who love intensely inspiring and expressive live orchestra music to join us in our pursuits.