Performance Opportunities

• Bands
• Choirs
• Jazz
• Opera
• Orchestras
• Small Ensembles

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Bands

Concert Ensembles

Wind Ensemble

MUSC 4465 MUSC 6465 MUSC 7465
Meets: MWF 2:00-3:50 PM
Director: Scott Hagen
Audition: Yes

The 60-member Wind Ensemble gives the school’s most accomplished wind and percussion players the opportunity to perform traditional wind band music, as well as contemporary works at the forefront of the repertoire. The group frequently welcomes guest conductors and artists, creating a challenging learning environment. The ensemble performs three concerts each semester.

Symphonic Band

MUSC 4460 MUSC 6460
Meets: spring semester TH 12:25-1:45 PM
Director: Brian Sproul
Audition: No

The 65-member Symphonic Band performs standard concert band literature as well as contemporary repertoire and is open to music- and non-music majors alike. The Symphonic Band performs two concerts in the spring.

Athletic Bands

Marching Band

MUSC 4450
Meets: Fall semester MTWHF 11:50 AM-1:45 PM
Director: Brian Sproul
Audition: Yes
Members receive scholarship support

The 215-member Marching Utes performs live annually for over 500,000 people at all home, selected away and bowl games throughout the football season, a total of 15-25 events. Both music and non-music majors perform contemporary, pop and jazz music while marching corps-style drill. They actively support Utah Athletics and gain experience as University of Utah ambassadors.

Pep Band

MUSC 4455
Meets: late October to early April
Spring class meets TH 10:45-11:30 AM
Director: Brian Sproul
Audition: Yes

The 65-member Pep Band plays live annually for over 350,000 people at all home and tournament games throughout the basketball and gymnastics season, a total of 35-45 events. Both music and non-music majors perform contemporary, pop and jazz music and gain experience as University of Utah ambassadors.

Choirs

University of Utah Chamber Choir

MUSC 4404 MUSC 6404 MUSC 7404
Meets: MWF 11:50 AM-12:40 PM & TH 12:24-1:45 PM
Director: Barlow Bradford
Audition: yes

The 24-28 member University of Utah Chamber Choir offers experienced choral singers the opportunity to explore challenging choral repertoire, from the Renaissance period through contemporary, including works with orchestra. The group performs two concerts a semester, in addition to an annual tour and special engagements in the community.

A Cappella Choir

MUSC 4405 MUSC 6405
Meets: MWF 12:55-1:45 PM & TH 2:00-2:50 PM
Director: Barlow Bradford
Audition: Yes

The 40-80 member A Cappella Choir offers freshman and sophomore choral singers the opportunity to perform works for larger choirs and to fine tune the art of choral singing they developed through participation in their high school choirs. The choir performs two concerts a semester, at least one in collaboration with other university choirs and orchestra.

Women’s Chorus

MUSC 4410 MUSC 6410
Meets: MWF 2:00-2:50 PM
Director: Jessica Nápoles
Audition: No

Both music majors and non-majors participate in this non-auditioned group, which performs varied styles of treble literature and engages in service opportunities including performances at nursing homes and collaborations with local schools and university choirs. The choir performs four concerts a semester.

Jazz

Jazz Ensemble

MUSC 4470 MUSC 6470 MUSC 7470
Meets: Jazz Ensemble I (MUSC 4470-001) MWF 10:45-11:35 AM
Jazz Ensemble II (MUSC 4470-002) MWF 8:35-9:25 AM
Director: Russell Schmidt
Audition: Yes

Both jazz big bands, of about 18 members, perform a mix of historically significant jazz repertoire, newer works by leading jazz writers and original pieces by student composers. Music and non-music majors are encouraged to audition. The jazz big bands perform two concerts per semester.

Jazz Combos

MUSC 4475 MUSC 6475
Meets: TBA
Director: Keven Johansen
Audition: Yes

Students are divided into four to six jazz combos of varying size and work with an assigned coach, typically performing a mix of historically significant jazz repertoire, newer works by leading jazz writers and original pieces by student composers. Both music and non-music majors are encouraged to audition. The jazz combos perform two concerts per semester.

Jazz Guitar Ensembles

MUSC 4490 & 4491 MUSC 6490
Meets: Jazz Guitar Ensemble I (MUSC 4490) MW 11:50 AM-1:10 PM
Jazz Ensemble II (MUSC 4491) TH 12:25-1:45 PM
Director: Geoffrey Miller
Audition: Yes

With up to seven members in each, both guitar ensembles typically perform a mix of historically significant jazz repertoire, newer works by leading jazz writers and original pieces by student composers. Both music and non-music majors are encouraged to audition. The jazz guitar ensembles perform one concert per semester.

Opera

Opera Production

MUSC 4425 MUSC 6425
Meets: TBA
Director: Robert Breault
Audition: Yes

This 20-60 member ensemble presents fully-staged operas in Kingsbury Hall, with the Utah Philharmonia orchestra in accompaniment.

Opera Workshop

MUSC 4420 MUSC 6420 MUSC 7420
Meets: MWF 2:00-3:50 PM
Director: Robert Breault
Audition: Yes

The 40-50 member Opera Workshop studies complete opera, scenes, vocal chamber music, song and oratorio, putting on 1-2 concerts each semester. Students must be vocal performance majors with junior, senior or graduate standing.

Orchestras

Utah Philharmonia

MUSC 4445 MUSC 6445 MUSC 7445
Meets: TH 2:00-3:50 PM and W 11:50 AM-12:40 PM
Director: Robert Baldwin
Audition: Yes

A full-orchestral ensemble of 85 members, the Utah Philharmonia performs 6-8 full concerts each year, presenting the full spectrum of the symphonic repertoire. The group accompanies a full opera production each spring by the school’s Lyric Opera Ensemble in Kingsbury Hall.

Utah Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra

MUSC 4434 MUSC 6434
Meets: W 11:50 AM-12:40 PM and selected TH 2:00-3:50 PM
Director: Robert Baldwin
Audition: Yes

A smaller configuration of the Utah Philharmonia, which performs a wide range of music, from the Baroque period to the present day. This group toured London in 2012 and Austria in 2006.

University of Utah Campus Symphony

MUSC 4430 MUSC 6440
Meets: W 6:15-9:00 PM
Director: Robert Baldwin
Audition: Yes

A 65-member, campus-wide ensemble that performs three concerts each year; musicians in the Campus Symphony come from a variety of disciplines, from music majors and minors to non-majors who enjoy performing and improving their musical skills. Graduate conducting students often lead this ensemble.

Small Ensembles

Chamber Ensembles

MUSC 4430 MUSC 6430 MUSC 7430
Meets: TBA
Director: Hasse Borup, Strings
Donn Schaefer, Brass
Kathy Pope, Woodwinds
Audition: Yes

Strings

A wide variety of opportunities exist for string performance students from three scholarship quartets – the Graduate, Mt. Olympus Waters and O.C. Tanner Honors String Quartets – to piano trios and string octets. Groups receive weekly faculty coaching and regular performance opportunities.

Brass

Ensemble opportunities vary by semester, by student and faculty initiation. Performances occur several times a semester. Ensembles receive weekly faculty coaching and are taken for credit.

Woodwinds

Ensemble opportunities vary by semester; currently a clarinet quartet and flute ensemble meet regularly and perform several times a semester. Ensembles receive weekly faculty coaching and are taken for credit.

Classical Guitar Ensemble

MUSC 4495
Meets: TH 2:00-3:20 PM
Director: Todd Woodbury
Audition: Yes

Participants are divided into two ensembles of 4-6 members, giving the intermediate and advanced guitarist the opportunity to play and perform a wide variety of literature ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary South American. Two concerts are performed a year, as well as additional community performances.

Early Music Ensemble

MUSC 4437 MUSC 6437
Meets: M 4:00-6:00 PM
Director: Cheryl Hart
Audition: Interview

The Early Music Ensemble offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to explore Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music vocally as well as on a wide range of early musical instruments including guitar, viola da gamba, harpsichord, recorder, flute and crumhorn. The ensemble performs one concert per semester.

New Music Ensemble

MUSC 4435, MUSC 6435, MUSC 7435
Meets: TBA
Director: Morris Rosenzweig
Audition: Yes

The 10-16 member New Music Ensemble offers freshman through doctoral students the opportunity to perform landmark compositions of the twentieth century, along with more recent chamber works of this century. The ensemble gives one concert a semester, in addition to other off-campus performing opportunities such as the Utah Arts Festival.

Percussion Ensemble

MUSC 4485 MUSC 6485
Meets: M 4:35-9:00 PM
Director: Douglas Wolf
Audition: Yes

The 10-12 member Percussion Ensemble provides an essential part of percussionists’ training and allows students to experience repertoire from classical to contemporary genres, to world music and improvisation. The ensemble performs one concert spring semester.

Audition Requirements

Ensemble Auditions