Student Instrumental Ensembles
The OU Symphony Orchestra– The OU Symphony Orchestra is a full sixty-piece orchestra that provides performance opportunities for instrumental students. Membership consists of graduate and undergraduate music students. The orchestra performs two to three concerts per semester and performs for opera/musical theater productions and ballets. During the Spring semester, the orchestra performs the with the winners of the annual Concerto Competition. Also, artist faculty may be featured on a concert program, thus allowing the student members opportunity to hear a wide variety of quality instrumental and vocal soloists. Students rotate seating in various sections of the orchestra to help train future section leaders and allow students to understand the peculiarities of performance with all sectional parts.
The Wind Symphony— The University of Oklahoma Wind Symphony features approximately forty-five graduate and undergraduate serious student musicians. Although the majority of the members are music majors, non-majors compete equally for positions through auditions at the beginning of the semester. In two to three concerts each semester, the ensemble performs the finest contemporary and standard works for winds and percussion. The fall Wind Symphony provides the nucleus of performers who often perform at state and national conventions with the Symphonic Band in the spring semester. The ensemble has received invitations to perform for numerous national, regional, and state conventions.
The Symphony Band—The University of Oklahoma Symphony Band is a seventy piece ensemble comprised of talented undergraduates who earn membership on the basis of audition. While the majority of members are music majors, the group also attracts talented musicians from across the campus. The group performs traditional and contemporary band repertoire that utilizes full instrumentation. The Symphony Band plays an integral role in the wind conducting curriculum by hosting guest conductors and participating in conducting workshops.
The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band— The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band performs each fall for hundreds of thousands of football fans. In 1987 the Pride received the Sudler Trophy which is awarded for recognition of longtime outstanding achievement in the college marching band field by college directors across the nation. In addition to traveling to Dallas for the annual Cotton Bowl game with the University of Texas, the band has appeared at many January 1st bowl games including the Orange Bowl in Miami, Citrus Bowl in Orlando, and the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe. Membership of the 300+ student group is determined by an audition process during a pre-camp schedule of five days prior to fall classes. Representing virtually every major field of study at OU, students are selected each fall on the basis of playing and marching ability.
Concert Band— The Concert Band meets during the spring semester and presents two campus concerts. The ensemble is comprised of approximately ninety talented undergraduate student musicians who represent many majors across campus. Membership is open to all university students and auditions are held only for part assignments. Rehearsals are held from 1:30-2:20 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Two campus concerts are given each semester. Rehearsals are from 2:30 - 3:50 Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Fall semester and from 2:30 - 4:20 Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the Spring semester.
Jazz Ensemble— The Jazz Ensembles present several campus concerts each year. The ensemble recently gained distinction at the Wichita Jazz Festival by receiving first division ratings for their big band performance as well as receiving citations for outstanding student soloists. Auditions are held during the first few class days of the fall and spring semesters. The big bands meet Tuesday and Thursday, from 2:30-3:15 p.m. for the top band and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 12:30-1:20 p.m. for the second band.
Percussion Orchestra— The University of Oklahoma Percussion Ensemble is recognized nationally as a leader in the performance, publication and recording of music for percussion ensemble. Through its twenty-seven-year-old commissioning series, the OU Percussion Ensemble has stimulated composition for the percussion ensemble, resulting in the addition of quality works for the repertoire. This ensemble has performed at numerous state, regional and national conventions including the Oklahoma Music Educators, Oklahoma Bandmasters. Music Educators National Conference Southwest Division, Music Educators National Conference National, Music Teachers National Association and Percussive Arts Society International Conventions in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Atlanta and has recorded two commercial compact discs. Satellite organizations of this group include the OU Marimba Band and OU Steel Band which play for various university and community events.
Trombone Choir— The University of Oklahoma Trombone Choir is comprised of past and present OU trombone students. The choir is known for their popular performances in the area as well as major conferences throughout the country.
Clarinet Choir—The University of Oklahoma Clarinet Studio is comprised of twenty five students who are enrolled in both undergraduate and graduate music degree programs. In addition to Oklahoma, students in the studio are from Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, California, Idaho, Ohio and New Jersey. Many of these individuals earned top chairs in their respective all-state bands and orchestras. Graduate students are presently candidates for Master of Music Clarinet Performance and Doctor of Musical Arts Clarinet Performance degrees. Over the past years our graduate clarinet students have come from as far away as Hawaii, Taiwan and Auckland, New Zealand.
Flute Choir— The University of Oklahoma Flute Choir is directed by Dr. Valerie Watts, professor of flute. Comprised of both music majors and non-music majors, the OU Flute Ensemble has performed throughout the state in various communities and universities. Most recently, members of the ensemble were involved with the premiere of Catherine McMichael’s Salt of the Earth, commissioned by the Oklahoma Flute Society for its tenth year anniversary and Flute Fair, 2003. The OU Flute Ensemble performed Ms. McMichael’s Floris as well for a session at the OFS Flute Fair on “Composing for Flute Ensemble.” The ensemble meets once a week to rehearse in both large ensemble and smaller quartet/trio groups. Non-music majors must receive permission to join the ensemble.
Trumpet Choir— The University of Oklahoma Trumpet Choir is comprised of undergraduate and graduate trumpet majors from the OU School of Music, and often splits into two separate groups. The OU Trumpet Choirs are repeat winners at the prestigious National Trumpet Competition, which is the most significant competition of its kind in the world. A specialty of our group is the presentation of new music, most often written for us by OU composer Dr. Roland Barrett. The OU Trumpet Choirs are known for their resonant tone, technical fluency, and excellent ensemble.
HornSemble—The University of Oklahoma Hornsemble is directed by Dr. Eldon Matlick, Professor of Horn. The ensemble consists of horn majors in the School of Music, but is also open to participation to qualified non-music students. It meets for one 90 minute rehearsal once a week. Graduate students have the opportunity to conduct and rehearse the ensemble. The OU Hornsemble has been a featured performing group at four International Horn Symposia and at five state music conventions. Widely recognized as one of the most proficient collegiate ensembles of its kind, the ensemble's programming ranges from the traditional to the contemporary. In addition, performances always feature music written in the commercial style which style mastery is essential for those wishing to pursue film and recording work. Members of the ensemble have come from Oregon, California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, Alabama, West Virginia, Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas, as well as Oklahoma. The ensemble's goals are too develop a commonality of ensemble style and blend and to work as a laboratory for development of superior ensemble technique.
New Century Ensemble— The New Century Ensemble performs several concerts each year and specializes in very recent music. Performance repertoire covers a wide range of genres and aesthetics styles including multimedia, dance improvisation, electronic and chamber music. Both students and faculty participate as performers and composers.
New Improv! Century Ensemble— The New Improv! Century Ensemble is dedicated to the performance of experimental and improvisatory works.
The Chamber Music Program— The University of Oklahoma School of Music is unique in the fact that small ensemble involvement is an organized unit with the School of Music. Students who demonstrate superior musical talent and who have a desire to have a regular chamber music experience may do so at OU. The goal of the Chamber Music Program is to establish a group that will continue to function as a unit each semester. As the performance level and musical ability of the group and its individuals strengthen, the ensemble eventually will present a complete recital by the third or fourth year Ensembles receive weekly coaching by the designated faculty member. The OU School of Music has had several of these ensembles selected to participate in the prestigious Coleman Chamber Music Competition in Los Angeles, California.