Performance Music
The University of Scranton Bands, Choirs, String Orchestra, and Steel Drum ensembles offer high-quality instrumental and choral performing ensemble opportunities in a variety of formats ranging from very large ensembles to small ensemble and solo performing opportunities. Participation is open to any and all interested University students (as well as alumni, faculty, staff, and administration) with no individual audition requirement nor enrollment or membership fee, in the finest liberal arts tradition.
In addition to performances by the bands, choirs, string ensembles, and pans, the department presents a series of concert and recital performances by outstanding and renowned musicians representing a variety of musical genres. In some instances, guest artists perform as soloists with the student ensembles, and all guest artist programming is closely coordinated with the student ensembles to offer special masterclasses, workshops, and lectures by our visiting artists. All performances are free of charge, open to the public, and take place in the magnificently restored concert hall of the Houlihan-McLean Center, which features excellent Steinway B, L, and M performance pianos, a Zuckermann single manual transposing harpsichord, a brand new Lyon & Healy concert harp, and a fully restored Austin Opus 301 Symphonic Organ.
Our tradition of guest artists and clinicians has brought to our student musicians, our campus, and our community the joyful experience of performing with and hearing a very long list of musical masters, among them Ahmed Alom; The Anderson Twins; Kyle Athayde; Alvin Atkinson; Carlos Avila; David Ball; Eddie Barbash; Mikaela Bennett; Joseph & Kako Miura Boga; Adrian Cunningham; Jeffrey & Lauren Curnow; Marg & Michael Davis; Aaron Diehl; ELEW!; Marion Felder; Wycliffe Gordon; Victor Goines; Mark Gould; Carlos Henriquez; Frederick Hohman; Caleb & Amanda Hudson; T. Terry James; Rob Kapilow; Jon-Erik Kellso; Mark & Mingyao Zhao Kosower; Jennifer Krupa; Achilles Liarmakopoulos; Wynton Marsalis; Thomas Murray; Yasushi Nakamura; Ted Nash; Sam Pilafian; Leigh Pilzer; Marcus & Riza Printup; Eric Scott Reed; Joshua & Joanne Lessner Rosenblum; Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner; Loren Schoenberg; Jumaane Smith; Timothy E. Smith; Robert Starer; Andres Tarantiles; Warren Vache; Frank Vignola; John Wilson; Lawrence & Pamela Wolfe; Kyle Athayde Dance Party; Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks; Relic Ensemble; The New York Trumpet Ensemble; Travelin’ Light; The National Jazz Museum in Harlem All-Stars; David Ostwald’s Gully Low Jazz Band; and members of the New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Minnesota, Cleveland, and Dallas Symphony Orchestras, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, The Canadian Brass, The Empire Brass Quintet, and many others. Our long and productive relationship with our late composer-in-residence, Vaclav Nelhybel, continues to be honored through close cooperation between the University and the Nelhybel Estate in the ongoing work of “The Nelhybel Collection at Scranton.”
Our annual World Premiere Composition Series performance, the only series of its kind in the nation, has received honor and acclaim from artists throughout the world. Since 1984, the series has provided our students with opportunities to work and interact with internationally renowned composers and conductors, and has made significant contributions to the wind and choral repertoires. Our programs also include "The Nelhybel Collection", which contains the manuscripts and materials of our late composer-in-residence Vaclav Nelhybel; and The Scranton Brass Orchestra, a fully professional ensemble which offers two annual performances during breaks in the academic year.
Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles every year, and are achieving their performance goals in the musical ensemble of their choice. For more information on any of the program offerings of Performance Music at The University of Scranton, please contact us.