LARO was founded in the summer of 2004 by Lia Starer Levin and Thomas Axworthy, two musician/teachers who were inspired by the growing recorder orchestra movement that originated in England.

The main motivation for Lia was to actually play in an orchestra with a repertoire of varied periods and genres. The recorder does not fit into orchestras with modern instruments, being an Early Music instrument with a specialized historical style, so we had to create our own. Using all sizes of recorders from contrabass to sopranino and playing multi-part orchestral arrangements makes for varied, colorful programs.

Tom's motivation was to offer professional and qualified amateur recorderists a forum for high-level playing and performing, as well as presenting the recorder in a new light, thereby enriching the Southern California music scene.

Membership in LARO was initially by personal invitation, but since then the door has been opened to auditions (see Contacts for more info). The thirty-four members of the orchestra pay quarterly dues and rehearse three evenings a month. LARO presents concerts several times a year in venues around greater Los Angeles, and has recorded a CD for each of its programs.