Concert Ensembles
The concert ensembles within the ASU Band Program provide both music and non-music majors the opportunity to perform a broad spectrum of the finest repertoire for our medium. Course credit is available for all of the concert ensembles. Please click on each of the links below to learn more about each ensemble.
Wind Ensemble
The ASU Wind Ensemble is comprised of approximately 50 of the finest graduate and undergraduate student musicians at Arkansas State University. The configuration of the wind ensemble is unique in that one or sometimes two musicians play each individual part written by the composer. This defining characteristic makes the ensemble quite flexible and ideal for exploring a wide variety of instrumental combinations and musical styles. While the majority of participants are music majors, non-music majors compete equally for positions within the ensemble. The Wind Ensemble performs two to three concerts on-campus each semester. Auditions are held the first week of classes in August for the Fall semester and the last week of November for the Spring semester.
Timothy Oliver conducts the Wind Ensemble, which meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the Fall Semester and Monday through Friday during the Spring Semester.
Symphonic Band
The ASU Symphonic Band is comprised of accomplished wind and percussion players including music majors and non-majors from throughout the university. The band, which performs one concert in the fall and two concerts during the spring semester, performs traditional and contemporary repertoire that uses full instrumentation. Auditions for the ASU Symphonic Band are held during the first week of each semester.
Sarah Labovitz conducts the Symphonic Band, which meets:
Fall Semester - Mondays
Spring Semester - Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Jazz Studies
The Jazz Band is one of the University's many strong and diverse ensembles. The band performs the full gamut of jazz literature from dance hits of the 1920s to World Music and Jazz fusion written by today’s most cutting edge composers the strength of the Jazz Band always shows in performance.
Although today’s ASU Jazz band is offered for credit, it is still the students' love of jazz that forms the blueprint for the ensemble. The band even continues to play some of the music that was a part of early ensembles. Currently under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Carroll the band takes advantage of its rich heritage while moving forward and offering courses in jazz education. Students interested in jazz at ASU have the opportunity to become members of one of two jazz ensembles, as well as small groups that perform throughout the region. In addition students have the opportunity to study jazz improvisation in private lessons. These lessons cover jazz ear training as well as piano techniques. Students interested in jazz can also take ASU’s Jazz History course and advanced music students can also study jazz at the graduate level.
For information please contact Dr. Kenneth Carroll.
Orchestra
The ASU Concert Orchestra performs the highest quality orchestral literature possible. Music is taken from the symphonic repertoire of Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Sibelius, Elgar, Bizet, Dvorak, Copland, Rimsky-Korsakov and others.
The 50-member ensemble includes solo wind players on each individual part. String players from the community and area high schools also participate. The orchestra performs one formal concert each semester, a Christmas concert in the Fall and an opera in the Spring.
Rehearsals
Fall: Monday 3:30-5:00, Thursday 6:00-7:30; Spring: Monday 4:00-5:30, Thursday 6:00-7:30
Open to all students by invitation
For more information, contact Dr. Neale Bartee.
Other Ensembles
In addition to the more traditional large ensembles, our students also take advantage of the performance opportunities listed below. Some of these ensemble are coached faculty and some are led by students.
Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble