Throughout history, composers have turned to music in the face of hardship—to find light in darkness, to hold fast to truth, to rise up, and to offer comfort, courage, and strength. Join this free presentation with educator Matt LaRocca, Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s Artistic Advisor and Project Conductor, as he investigates the power of music that’s been created as a form of sonic resistance, listening to and singing songs both old and new.
Participants are encourage to bring their own songs to the discussion. A community playlist will be created with the group for this program.
About the Speaker
Matt LaRocca is a cross-genre composer, performer, and educator who likes making beautiful sounds – you’re just as likely to see him playing with a rock band as conducting an orchestra. He is the Artistic Advisor and Special Project Conductor for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra where he works with all things non-traditional, a professor of composition/theory at the University of Vermont, and the Music Director of the Champlain Philharmonic Orchestra.
Matt performs on the electric viola (through an array of guitar pedals) with Michael Chorney’s psych-rock improvisation ensemble Freeway Clyde and is a frequent collaborator with rock, folk, and electronic musicians. He has written string and orchestral arrangements for and performed with artists such as Guster (his music can be heard on their OMAGAH! album), Grace Potter, Henry Jamison, Francesca Blanchard, and more. With a love of improvisation and crossing disciplines, Matt is a regular in the dance world and his collaborators include Jessie Owens and Paul Besaw.
LaRocca holds degrees in chemistry and music from Middlebury College and a doctorate in music composition from Boston University. He lives in Waterbury Center with his wife Heather and their children Jasper, Sawyer, and Macy. Learn more on his website here.
About the Fall Festival 2025
Our Vermont Reads 2025 book, The Light Pirate, raises the question of how we choose to adapt and grow after experiencing climate related crisis and trauma. In a flooding world, Wanda finds solace and hope in building community.
For this year’s Fall Festival, we want to highlight similar stories of hope as Vermont cities, towns, and villages face interrelated, complex problems such as climate change and the housing crisis.
Please contact us at info@vermonthumanities.org for information on disability services. To request a specific accommodation, contact us at least three weeks prior to the event. Vermont Humanities strives to provide accommodations whenever possible. All event locations are ADA accessible.
