Music at Muskingum

The music program offers a wide range of performance opportunities in lessons and ensembles, all open to students from across the university. These include our core, non-auditioned student ensembles– Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble, and String Ensemble– and specialized groups like Jazz Ensemble, Musical Theatre Ensemble, Spirit Band, Steel Drum Band, and Muskie Rocks. They also include a wide range of studio ensembles which vary by semester depending on student interest. Finally, they include our auditioned ensembles: Chamber Singers, a selective group that emphasizes robust student ownership of repertory selection, rehearsal structure, and even conducting, Muskingum Valley Symphonic Winds, which joins advanced students with faculty and accomplished community musicians, and the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra (SEOSO), which allows talented student musicians to perform on strings, wind, brass, and percussion alongside professional and semi-professional musicians from across the region.

CORE ENSEMBLES

• Concert Choir: Our general choral ensemble; performs sacred and secular music from a variety of cultures and historical periods. Goes on an annual tour, in addition to a range of local concerts. Open to all students.
• Wind Ensemble: Our general band ensemble; draws its repertoire from the classic wind band literature and contemporary works. Regularly commissions new pieces by current band composers. Goes on an annual tour, in addition to a range of local concerts. Open to all students.
• String Ensemble: A student ensemble that performs a stylistic, geographic, and chronological range of literature for string instruments (violin, viola, cello, and bass). Open to all students.

AUDITIONED ENSEMBLES

• Chamber Singers: A selective group that emphasizes student ownership of repertory (including a cappella, jazz, commercial, and classical selections, based on student interest), rehearsal structure, and even conducting. Open to all students through audition.
• Muskingum Valley Symphonic Winds: Comprised of professional and talented amateur musicians from across Southeastern Ohio. Performs a wide variety of music in a concert series funded in part by the Ohio Arts Council. Open to all Muskingum faculty, staff, students, and community members through audition.
• Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra (SEOSO): Provides a unique opportunity for talented student musicians to perform on strings, wind, brass, and percussion alongside professional and semi-professional musicians from across the region. Performs five major concerts each year, including an annual Christmas Pops concert and a spring children’s concert. Open to all students through audition.

SPECIALIZED ENSEMBLES

• Jazz Ensemble: Devoted to the study and performance of a uniquely U.S. American art form. A variety of ensemble configurations, from small combos to a full “big band,” perform repertoire including jazz standards, blues, smooth jazz, and everything in between. Opportunities for improvisation and solo performances. Open to all students.
• Musical Theatre Ensemble: Provides a creative approach to musical theatre and operatic scene study and performance. Repertoire from musicals, operettas, and operas is studied each term and presented in a public performance. Open to all students.
• Spirit Band: Our pep band; performs for all home football games during the fall semester. Open to all students.
• Steel Drum Band: Studies, celebrates, and performs the musical heritage of Trinidad and Tobago. Open to all students, regardless of background, experience, or skill level.
• Muskie Rocks: Our resident rock band. Students should sing or play a standard rock/pop instrument (guitar, bass, piano, drums, etc.), but do not need to read traditionally notated music. Open to all students.

STUDIO ENSEMBLES

Various studio ensembles are offered each year, depending on student interest. These include Percussion Ensemble, Flute Choir, Brass Quintet, Clarinet Choir, Saxophone Ensemble, and more. Studio ensembles are coached by artist affiliate faculty and perform at least once each semester. Open to all students through audition.