Performance Opportunities
“Where words fail, music speaks. ” – Hans Christian Anderson
At the TU School of Music, more than 200 performance opportunities are available ranging from formal concerts to a TU football halftime show. Students participate in a full spectrum of music-related activities that range from traditional chamber music and jazz ensembles to concert instrumental and vocal ensembles, including opera and musical theatre. In addition to music majors, students from all departments and colleges are eligible to participate in any of the university’s music activities through audition. TU takes pride in the volume and variety of music performances. Students can enjoy a full orchestra playing a Bach masterpiece, or they can showcase their own modern compositions. No matter the style, it’s music to TU’s ears.
The TU Symphony Orchestra is a full-year performing ensemble comprised of music majors and non-majors and is open to any TU student by audition. The orchestra performs music from the standard orchestral repertoire, accompanies student concerto/aria winners in the annual President’s Concert, featured yearly in the Béla Rózsa Memorial Concert and is the performing ensemble for the TU Fall Commencement exercises. The ensemble also partners with TU School of Music students and faculty in various projects designed to provide realistic training for future professional orchestral musicians and conductors. The TU Symphony recently traveled to Washington DC to perform as an honor group at the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) National Conference. Learn more.
TU’s marching band, the “Sound of the Golden Hurricane”, performs several different halftime shows during the course of the fall football season. The Sound draws crowd attention and enthusiasm through high level performance of custom arrangements and marching routines. The band performs at each home football game, selected away games and post-season bowl games. During basketball season, members of the Sound form two separate bands of equal instrumentation which alternate playing for men’s and women’s games in the student section of the Reynolds Center. Basketball bands accompany the team to any post-season NCAA Tournament games. No audition is required for membership in TU’s Athletic Bands. Learn more.
The jazz ensembles at the University of Tulsa are recognized as among the region’s best. These include the Jazz Guitar Ensemble, Jazz Combo, Jazz Singers, and Big Bands I and II. Auditions for the jazz ensembles take place during the first week of the fall semester. The jazz ensembles perform regional as well as on-campus concerts, at national festivals, and have been selected numerous times to perform as honor groups at the annual convention of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association. The jazz studies program brings prominent professional jazz artists to campus each year to perform, record and tour with the various jazz ensembles. Recent guests have included bass trombonist and electric bassist Chris Brubeck, trumpeter Byron Stripling, trombonist Conrad Herwig, pianist Eldar Djangirov, trumpeter Walter White and saxophonist Tim Ries. Learn more.
TU Wind Ensemble
The TU Wind Ensemble is a select group of wind players and percussionists. Repertoire for the Wind Ensemble draws from historical and contemporary composers for wind band. Recent performances have included the music of Maslanka, Mackey, Bryant, Grainger, Ives and Richard Strauss. The Wind Ensemble also features Brass and Woodwind Choir repertoire. The ensemble meets during the spring semester and performs two full concerts in addition to Commencement and tours locally and regionally. In addition to local and regional touring, the TU Wind Ensemble has been invited to perform as an honor group at the 2018 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Conference in Houston, Texas.
TU Symphonic Winds
The TU Symphonic Winds is comprised of students who participate in the Athletic Bands during the fall semester as well as students who would like to play an instrument in a concert ensemble. Auditions for the ensemble are not required. The group plays separate literature from that of the Wind Ensemble, but still draws its repertoire from well-respected composers for the idiom. Recent performances have included the music of Persichetti, Graham, Curnow, Arnold and Clifton Williams. The Symphonic Winds meet during the spring semester and perform in concerts and for University events.
TU Opera Theatre is open through audition to all qualified students interested in exploring the Opera experience. Complete works and programs of opera scenes are given, drawing from the standard and contemporary literature of opera, operetta, and musical theatre. Character and music development are stressed, as well as backstage organization and proper stage deportment. Learn more.
TU Concert Chorale
The TU Concert Chorale is a combination of the TU Chorale and Cappella Chamber Singers. The ensemble performs larger works, usually in combination with orchestra. Recent concert works have included the Mozart Requiem, Faure Requiem, and Verdi Requiem.
Cappella Chamber Singers
This select choral ensemble performs music from the Renaissance through the 21st Century. The award winning ensemble is selected through competitive auditions and numbers from 24-32 members. Cappella has been chosen to perform at prestigious events throughout the region and nation including appearances as an Honor Group at the state convention of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association and a debut performance at Carnegie Hall in 2010. The ensemble performs formal fall and spring concerts as well as many on-campus functions throughout the academic year.