MUSI

The Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of John Corkill, consists of skilled undergraduate and graduate student percussionists who specialize in mallets, drums, mixed, and world percussion. The group rehearses weekly and presents two or more concerts per season, showcasing a variety of solo, duo, and small ensemble works for mixed percussion. Members of the Percussion Ensemble are expected to play regularly with the University Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz X-tet, as needed.

In addition to the four choral ensembles sponsored by the Department of Music, the Vocal Studies Program, open to undergraduate and graduate students at the University, provides opportunities for singers’ involvement and musical growth. Under the direction of acclaimed soprano and pedagogue Patrice Michaels, this program encompasses both individual and group coaching opportunities as well as master classes and workshops on the singers’ art. Participants have the opportunity to perform on Thursday Tea Time Concerts, on Vocal Music Showcase concerts, and in a variety of special programs on campus and in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Special projects often focus on a particular theme, a particular composer, or a particular genre or historical period. Singers also have opportunities to work with instrumentalists involved in the Chamber Music Program and Piano Program, and to collaborate with Department of Music graduate and undergraduate composers on new works.

Student pianists, both undergraduate and graduate, can enhance their musical skills and experience through master classes, quarterly Piano Showcase concerts, and numerous other opportunities offered by the Department of Music’s Piano Program. Students in the program receive regular coaching sessions with the Director of Piano Studies, and they are invited to participate in master classes with visiting guest artists and local professional pianists as well. Performance opportunities include numerous concerts both on and off campus, many of which focus on a specific composer or historical period.

The wide-ranging and inclusive Chamber Music Program provides numerous performance opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student musicians. Chamber music groups are organized at the beginning of the year, guided in the selection of repertoire, and coached regularly by the Chamber Music Program Director as well as by the Department's artists-in-residence. Periodic coaching opportunities with visiting guest artists and other Chicago-area musicians are also available, as opportunities arise and/or repertoire dictates. Chamber music groups participate in quarterly Chamber Music Master Classes and perform on the Thursday Tea Time Concert Series, on Chamber Music Showcase concerts, and on recitals and concerts in the Campus North Dormitory and at a local retirement community.

The South Asian Music Ensemble explores a variety of classical, vernacular, and popular song repertories from the Indian Subcontinent, with membership open to beginners as well as to more experienced performers with a background in South Asian music. The ensemble will focus on teaching vocal techniques, stylistic features, compositional forms, improvisational practices, and performance conventions specific to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and South Asian diasporas. In addition to participating in weekly ensemble rehearsals, members will have the option of attending voice coaching sessions and/or engaging the instructor for private lessons. Membership is open to students, faculty, and staff of the University, as well as community members interested in South Asian music.

The Middle East Music Ensemble explores a variety of classical, neo-classical, and popular musical forms from throughout the Middle East, encompassing compositional and improvisational techniques unique to non-Western musical culture. Members perform on traditional instruments, often in company with noted guest artists, and present multiple concerts both on and off campus. No previous experience in the genre is required, but the ability to read music is necessary. Membership includes students, faculty, and staff of the University, as well as community members interested in the art and music of the Middle East.

In addition to the Jazz X-tet, several small jazz combo groups are set up each year to provide training and experience to interested musicians and to perform informally on campus.

Lauded for its boldness in showcasing cutting-edge compositions, the Jazz X-tet is a versatile collection of 12 to 15 musicians, frequently joined in performance by noted Chicago-area professionals. The X-tet's three-concert season offers a variety of pieces, from jazz standards to hip-hop, often in arrangements that are custom-designed for the ensemble by its own members. In rehearsal and performance, the X-tet focuses on developing the improvisational skills of its musicians, as well as on deepening their understanding of the wide-ranging jazz idiom. The group has issued two CDs and frequently performs for University events on campus and elsewhere in the city. In addition to the Jazz X-tet itself, several small jazz combo groups are set up each year to provide training and experience to interested musicians and to perform informally on campus.

The Early Music Ensemble is an historically oriented performance and study group led by members of the Newberry Consort. Participation in the group is open to anyone in the University community with music-reading experience; private lessons and coaching in voice and early instruments are likewise available through the Newberry Consort. Repertoire is drawn from 15th- to 17th-century sources, with special emphasis given to historically informed performance practices such as reading from original notation, improvisation, and ornamentation. The Early Music Ensemble also provides a forum for undergraduate majors and graduate students in Music who wish to explore repertories particular to their scholarly research. Collaborations with professional performers take place throughout the year, culminating in the Early Music Ensemble's year-end spring concert.

The University Wind Ensemble is an auditioned group of fifty to sixty instrumentalists with a diverse range of musical interests and experience. The UWE presents one concert per quarter, after an intensive preparation period of six to seven weeks. With a focus on modern literature conceived specifically for the wind ensemble medium, the UWE provides its members with an opportunity to perform music by such renowned wind composers as Malcolm Arnold, Percy Grainger, Gustav Holst, and Frank Ticheli, as well as transcriptions of orchestral masterpieces by J. S. Bach, Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, and others. Membership includes talented undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and community members who are dedicated to bringing a wide array of music to the University community.