ROCHESTER MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA
RMO in Concert
Jun 17, 2026 | Wednesday 7 PM
Tunes by the Tracks, Clifton Springs, NY
Jul 9, 2026 | Thursday 2 PM
Private Event, Fairport, NY
Sep 27, 2026 | Sunday 4 PM
First Congregational United Church of Christ, Fairport, NY
The 2024 Classical Mandolin Society of America's 2024 Convention in Rochester, NY is in the books!
Thanks to all who participated and to all volunteers who made it such a success.
We deeply appreciate all our sponsors and vendors, especially Visit Rochester, Bernunzio Uptown Music, Lehmann Stringed Instruments, and WXXI Classical.
Catch us at our upcoming performances listed on our home page!
The Rochester Mandolin Orchestra is a community orchestra that promotes and features the mandolin family of instruments, guitars, and other plucked-string instruments in an orchestral setting. Our music ranges from classical to modern with world influences.
Check out these performances and all the videos posted on our YouTube channel.
2024 - Kilbourn Hall - Tredici
2024 - CMSA Convention - Amor de Loca Juventud
INSTRUMENTATION
Mandolins
A relative of the violin, mandolins are featured across a variety of genres.
Mandola, Mandocello
The mandola and mandocello are the plucked-string cousins of the viola and cello providing a rich mid-to-low range.
Guitar and Bass
Acoustic guitars and bass round-out the core of the mandolin orchestra.
Do you play a plucked-string instrument?
If you play mandolin, octave mandolin, mandola, mandocello, acoustic guitar or bass, and are curious to see what we’re about, contact us to chat, attend a rehearsal or an upcoming performance. We are currently looking for new members.
New to the Mandolin or Guitar?
We are fortunate to have the following members offering lessons on instruments used in the orchestra today.
Get connected and make some music!
Michael Hardy – mandolin/guitar/and more
Fret & Bow Music Academy, Rochester
Ken Luk – mandolin/guitar
Eastman Community School of Music, Rochester
Contact the RMO
The 5 Members of the Mandolin Family
The mandolin family is related to the violin family, with basically the same assortment of various-sized instruments intended to be played together to form a single harmonious sound. The mandolin family includes the mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin, mando-cello, and mando-bass.
Mandolin
Mandolins come in many varieties, but in all cases, they are the soprano voice of the mandolin family, while the others are progressively lower. The strings are tuned to the notes G, D, A and E (the same as a violin), and mandolins have pairs of strings for each note. The mandolin is primarily responsible for melody and is the most common member of the mandolin family.
Mandola
The mandola is a sister to the viola from the violin family. The mandola can play melody but often supplies support and harmony. It has a rich voice and is tuned to the notes C, G, D and A, placing it in the alto range of the ensemble.
Octave Mandolin
The octave mandolin (or the octave mandola as it’s sometimes called) is tuned to G, D, A and E, one full octave lower than the mandolin, placing it somewhere between the mandola and the mando-cello.
Mando-cello
The mando-cello, much like its cousin the violin-cello, can provide rich low notes to fill out the bottom register of the family. It has a deep voice, providing a strong foundation for other mandolins. The mando-cello is tuned to C, G, D and A like the mandola, but one complete octave lower.
Mando-bass
These instruments are fairly rare. The role of the mando-bass is like other bass instruments, although most people today use a string bass or even an electric bass guitar for this role. The mando-bass has only four strings and is tuned to E, A, D and G (like a stand-up or electric bass).
Mandolin family information from Mandolin for Dummies, Don Julin