Violinist Vincent Houser

Violinist Vincent Houser, a former student of Jascha Heifetz, founded The Art Deco Orchestra twenty years ago when he gathered friends from several local symphonies together in search of a new musical outlet in the Los Angeles community. The orchestra embraced the untapped wealth of American popular dance music — from Cole Porter to the swing music of Glenn Miller — inspired by the Silver Screen of the twenties, thirties, and forties. Mr. Houser also served as performing arts chairman at the prestigious Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, while simultaneously leading The Art Deco Orchestra in top hat, spats, and patent leather shoes as Southern California’s premier society orchestra leader. After early years developing their sound at the Variety Arts Center in downtown Los Angeles — thanks to Milt Larsen of Magic Castle fame — the orchestra grew into a first-class, cohesive unit performing for dancing and cabaret shows. They went on to perform at weddings, corporate events, debutante balls, Hollywood parties, and in films, and have been flown as far as Naples, Florida for prominent New Year’s Eve celebrations.