The Tar River Choral and Orchestral Society, Inc., known by the community as the Tar River Orchestra and Chorus, was founded in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA, in 1986. Since its inception, it has grown to include not only a professional orchestra and an adult chorus, but also a children's chorus, youth strings program, a symphonic band, and a swing band.

The vision of the Tar River Choral and Orchestral Society, Inc. is to enhance and enrich the quality of life in the community by strengthening and promoting the cultural arts through choral and instrumental music performances; by providing members of the community the opportunity to participate in making music; and through musical education, with particular emphasis on introducing children and youth to live orchestral music through educational outreach programs.            

                  ARTISTIC POLICY

•  to present live professional symphonic and collaborative artistic instrumental and choral perfo
• to serve as a community resource, offering educational outreach and community services to schools and other organizations in order to introduce new audiences of adults and children to choral and instrumenta
•  to create a distinctive place in the cultural life of the community by broadening the experience of performers and audiences through attention to detail in programming and presentation and to ensure the future of choral and instrumental music in the Tar River area;
• to sponsor subsidiary ensemble musical organizations, both instrumental and vocal, in which persons of a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to study and perform classical and modern compositions;
•  to provide opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy and share the joy of music;
• to provide qualified choral and instrumental musicians with opportunities to perform and to participate in music education.