Introduction
A variety of instrumental, vocal and dance ensembles perform in concert both on and off campus and rehearse on a regular basis throughout the year. The ensembles are committed to the highest quality artistic performance and open to students, and university and community members with appropriate instrumental/vocal/dance experience. Auditions are required for membership in all ensembles and are generally held at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. Students may enroll for credit in a maximum of three ensembles per term.
Brass Ensemble
Dr. Travis Heath, director
The Northeastern Brass Ensemble performs repertoire spanning from the Renaissance era through today including original, arranged and transcribed music. The instrumentation and repertoire reflect that of leading current brass ensembles, as well as those of pioneering professional ensembles. The group is comprised of both graduate and advanced undergraduate students.
In addition to the Brass Ensemble, students will participate in non-conducted chamber brass quintets, quartets and trios of like and mixed-brass instruments and percussion. Students in these ensembles explore the ever-expanding repertoire and learn valuable rehearsal and performance skills.
Audition information for this ensemble: Please contact the director for audition information.
Choral Ensembles
Dr. Christopher Owen, director
The choral program at Northeastern offers students the opportunity to study and perform choral music spanning from the Renaissance era to present day. The ensembles provide a comprehensive choral experience through study and analysis, performance and preparation by conductors. There are two choral ensembles at Northeastern: University Chorus and Chamber Singers.
University Chorus
The largest choral ensemble, the University Chorus is comprised of student, faculty and community members and represents the diverse cross-section of our community. The chorus rehearses once a week and performs at the end of each semester. The University Chorus has sung a Palestrina Mass at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Chicago and Ernest Bloch’s "Sacred Service" at Temple Sholom of Chicago. The Chorus also performs with the University Orchestra.
Chamber Singers
A select and auditioned ensemble, Chamber Singers rehearses twice each week and performs with the University Chorus. This choir serves as the recruiting ensemble for the entire choral program, and its repertoire is comprised mainly of music intended for fewer singers. The limited size of this ensemble requires acute musical ability and allows the singers to delve more deeply into the study of performance practice and style. Chamber Singers also perform with the University Orchestra.
Audition information for these ensembles: At the beginning of each semester. Please contact the director for more information.
Guitar Ensemble
Dr. Brian Torosian, director
The Northeastern Guitar Ensemble performs music for classical guitar, lute and other instruments spanning from the Middle Ages to present day. In addition to performing several annual concerts on campus, the ensemble participates in community outreach and recruiting activities, which include hosting high school students visiting the campus, as well as traveling to perform at area schools. The Guitar Ensemble is an annual participant in the Midwest America Guitar Ensemble Festival which attracts university guitar ensembles from across the nation. Weekly rehearsals are supplemented with ensemble workshops by leading soloists and chamber musicians including Fareed Haque, lutenist Jacob Heringman, the Waller and Maxwell Duo and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.
Audition information for this ensemble: Please contact the director for more information.
Jazz Ensembles
Steven Duncan, director
Jazz Lab Band
Varsity Big Band
Comprised of a select group of approximately 20 musicians, the Varsity Big Band places an emphasis on the performance styles and varied repertoire from a diverse group of the greatest jazz composers. Students are encouraged to develop skills in ensemble performance and improvisational techniques. Clinics are held each year with professional and world-class jazz musicians who actively work in Chicago and beyond. The Big Band rehearses twice weekly.
Jazz Combos
Improvisation and small group interaction are the focus of Northeastern’s Jazz Combos. Coached by Mayo Tiana, students develop advanced improvisatory skills through listening and studying the techniques of the great jazz masters. The ensemble performs several times throughout the year both on and off campus.
Audition information for these ensembles: Please contact the director for more information.
Opera and Musical Theater
Sasha Gerritson, director
Each year, this ensemble presents full-scale productions with sets, costumes and orchestra. Students in the ensemble receive coaching in style, acting, movement and musical preparation.
Productions of Opera and Musical Theater alternate each spring semester. In the fall semester, the ensemble produces either a scene recital or a chamber opera/show. Operas such as Claudio Monteverdi’s "Orfeo" and Benjamin Britten’s "Albert Herring" have been produced at Northeastern.
Audition information for this ensemble: each semester. Please contact the director for more information.
Percussion Ensemble
Tina Laughlin, director
The Percussion Ensemble is open to any percussionist at Northeastern upon the successful completion of an audition for the ensemble’s director. The ensemble rehearses three times per week and performs at least one full concert each semester, in addition to other smaller performances throughout the academic year. The percussion ensemble performs a wide variety of repertoire ranging from duos/trios, quartets and quintets, up to large ensembles consisting of 10 or more.
The instrumentation and style of the repertoire consists of original works or transcriptions for mallet percussion alone, drums alone and/or any combination of any instruments in the percussion family. Participation in the percussion ensemble is expected of all percussion majors.
Audition information for this ensemble: Please contact the director for more information.
Repertory Dance Ensemble
Jamie Cage, director
The Repertory Dance Ensemble is the premiere student dance ensemble whose primary purpose is to showcase new dance works each semester. Dance students are joined by guest artists and faculty in creating new choreography highlighting a number of different styles including jazz, modern, Spanish and others. The Repertory Dance Ensemble is open to students upon the successful completion of an audition into the dance minor program.
Audition information for this ensemble: Please contact the director for more information.
University Orchestra
Benjamin Firer, director
The University Orchestra rehearses twice weekly and performs two times each semester. Music students at Northeastern study with a distinguished faculty of Chicago artist-teachers who perform with major area orchestras and ensembles. The ensemble is open to university students and community members upon the successful completion of an audition for the director.
Audition information for this ensemble: Please contact the director for more information.
Wind Ensemble
DR. TRAVIS HEATH, director
The Northeastern Wind Ensemble performs concert band literature representative of all musical styles. The band consists primarily of music majors, but is open to non-majors as well. Rehearsals are held two times per week, Tuesday and Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Membership in the Wind Ensemble provides an opportunity for wind and percussion students to learn and perform the best repertoire from the concert band tradition. Auditions are held at the beginning of each fall and spring semester.
Audition information for this ensemble:
