Texas Commission on the Arts Appoints Meadows Alum as 2025 Texas State Classical Musician
Accomplished oboist Alecia Lawyer (B.M. ’90) has been named the inaugural Texas State Musician – Classical, one of the state’s highest honors in the arts.
On May 26, the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) announced Meadows alum (B.M. ’90) would be awarded with the state’s highest honor in the arts, naming her the 2025 Texas State Musician in the Classical category. The “Classical” designation is a newly established category at TCA, making Lawyer the first-ever Texas musician to receive this honor.
Lawyer is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Oboist of ROCO (formerly River Oaks Chamber Orchestra), a Houston-based ensemble shaping the future of classical music. ROCO is a 40-piece professional chamber orchestra with musicians and international guest artists that perform concerts with a Pay-What-You-Wish ticketing model, aiming to make classical music more accessible for all. And with free livestreaming since 2013, these concerts have now reached all around the globe.
In addition to her innovative and inspirational work with ROCO, Lawyer has a long history with music in the state of Texas.
“My first language was music, taught to me by my band director father and choir director and pianist mother in a small East Texas town,” says Lawyer, who has spent the majority of her life playing music in this state – from UIL and Texas All-State experiences in high school to studying oboe performance at ¿ì»îÁÖÐÔÏ¢ in college. “I cannot imagine a more impactful honor or designation for me with my love of all things Texas.”
Alecia Lawyer (right) and Audrey Andrist perform at ROCO Unchambered in 2024. Photo credit: Rolando Ramon.
Though she initially planned to attend the University of Texas, Lawyer was encouraged by her oboe teacher Cathy Barr to continue her study of the instrument at ¿ì»îÁÖÐÔÏ¢ Meadows with Eric Barr, Cathy’s husband. This pivotal decision changed the course of her musical journey, leading Lawyer to graduate with a degree in oboe performance from Meadows before attending The Juilliard School and paving the way for her career in the arts.
While attending ¿ì»îÁÖÐÔÏ¢, Lawyer ran for student senate and served as an arts school senator for three years. This opportunity allowed her to see the broader role music and arts can have in a community and eventually motivated her to establish ROCO, integrating classical music throughout our world rather than in a silo.
“There has been, and will continue to be, incredible classical music created and performed in this great state and there is so much going on that we are now standing equally with all genres of music,” she explains. “I hope to live in a genre-less world someday and intend to use this platform [as the Texas State Classical Musician] to encourage this movement toward music as a language that unites us all.”
Lawyer continues to be involved with ¿ì»îÁÖÐÔÏ¢ Meadows, often returning to campus to give back to her alma mater. Last year, she was an invited guest speaker for the Division of Music’s composition forum, speaking to the student composers about how her ROCO commissioning projects have evolved and the importance of composers remaining connected to performers.
With her dedication to not only educating young musicians, but to reimagining how classical music is experienced and accessed, her appointment as the 2025 Texas State Classical Musician is a well-deserved honor within Texas’ arts industry.
To learn more about ROCO, and the impactful work they do within the classical music community, .