Born in 1985 in Austin, Texas, Silas Durocher is a composer, guitarist, songwriter, and singer who “understands that there are many mansions in the house of music and naturally partakes of all of them.” Bridging many styles, Silas focuses primarily on combining classical music with funk and rock n’ roll to create “music for the head, the heart, and the hips.” With this central idea, Silas’ music appears in many forms, including works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, rock bands, and solo performances.

Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows is a chamber rock ensemble that synthesizes the accessibility of funk and rock n’ roll with the intellectual stimulation of classical music. In the fall of 2008, the group released their debut album, Thesis Statement. Featuring an energetic mix of rock musicians and classical instrumentalists, the all-star group has been highly praised for it’s original and exciting live performances which have been drawing large audiences of all ages and listening backgrounds. The compositions for this ensemble create a truly unique style that blends Silas’ many interests into a “distinctive musical voice.”

Leif Bjaland, artistic director and conductor of the Sarasota Orchestra, commissioned Silas to compose a new work to expand on these ideas with a much larger ensemble. The composition received its world premiere in February, 2009 to an enthusiastic audience. After the success of this concert, Silas was commissioned to compose a piece for the Sarasota Orchestra to perform with Silas Durocher and Everybody Knows. The composition will receive its premiere in February, 2011.

Silas has played with many bands over the years, most notably Soulgrass Rebellion (reggae-rock-boogie), which has toured both coasts and the Caribbean and has shared the stage with internationally touring acts, and Stone Soup (folk-funk), which performed throughout southern Florida for two years and recorded a CD entitled Dancin’ Shoes.

Enrolling at New College of Florida in 2003, Silas began studying theory and composition. In 2006, he composed two pieces for the Florida Wind Quintet, both of which were published and sold internationally (purchase at TrevCo Music). Silas’ Brass Quintet in Three Movements was performed in the spring of 2007 by the Florida Brass Quintet, and his composition Why Not? was performed by the Keowee Wind Trio later that year. In 2010, Musicians Out of the Box String Quartet commissioned Silas to compose a piece for string quartet and speaker based on three poems by e.e. cummings. The work, at Play, was recorded and released on their CD of music for children, Music Tales Vol 2 .

Silas currently lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is immersed in the exciting music scene, playing with nationally and internationally touring artists such as Soulgrass Rebellion, soul-funk band Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, and gospel-rock outfit David Earl and the Plowshares.