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Ensembles at Drury

Drury University > Music > Ensembles at Drury

What musical ensembles does Drury offer?

All Drury students, regardless of major, are eligible to participate in:

Chamber Orchestra

The Drury Chamber Orchestra is comprised of string, wind, and percussion players drawn from the University Community. In addition to regular season concerts, the Chamber Orchestra also collaborates with the opera workshop in a yearly, fully staged opera production. Members of the Chamber Orchestra also perform in the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra. Membership is by audition.

Drury Woodwind Quintet, Brass Quintet, & String Quartet
Outstanding instrumentalists may be selected to be in Drury’s three scholarship ensembles, each of which provides a financial award above-and-beyond Department of Music activity grants. These ensembles receive weekly coachings with faculty and perform in twice-yearly chamber music concerts and as part of the Drury Consort.

Drury Wind Symphony
The Drury University Wind Symphony is comprised of wind and percussion players from the University Community. Performing both contemporary and traditional literature for the wind band, the Wind Symphony presents three major concerts yearly and performs at special events and the annual commencement exercises. Membership* is by audition.

Chamber Orchestra
The Drury Chamber Orchestra is comprised of string, wind, and percussion players drawn from the University Community. In addition to regular season concerts, the Chamber Orchestra also presents Peter and the Wolf for several thousand 3rd graders each spring. Members of the Chamber Orchestra also perform in the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra. Membership is by audition.

Chamber Music Groups

All instrumental music majors participate in chamber music. Students have the option of forming groups on their own or they may request to be assigned to a group. Drury faculty members provide intensive weekly coaching to string quartets, piano quintets, woodwind and brass ensembles, and mixed ensembles of all sizes. Each group will perform on a formal class recital at least once per semester, and they are encouraged to perform on other recitals at Drury and throughout greater Springfield.

Additional chamber music scholarships are available for students placed in the string quartet, brass quintet and woodwind quintet. 

Drury Chorale

The Drury Chorale is a non-auditioned choir open to anyone in the Drury community and performs large choral works as well as smaller octavos. They have performed with the New England Symphonic Ensemble in New York City, and they frequently perform with the Springfield Symphony, including performances of the Mahler 8th Symphony, Fauré Requiem, and Mozart Requiem.

Drury Singers

The Drury Singers is the select touring choir of Drury University. Open to Drury students by audition, the choir is made up of 47 singers majoring in a variety of academic disciplines. In 1994 the Drury Singers performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City. In May 1999 they returned to Carnegie Hall under the direction of Allin Sorenson for a performance of the Fauré Requiem. In March 2000 they performed at the Southwest Division convention of the American Choral Directors Association as part of the worship service. In 2006 they were again invited to perform for the Missouri Music Educators in January and for the Southwest Division conference of the American Choral Directors Association in March.

The Drury Singers made its European debut in 2003 with performances at Sint Nicolaaskerk in Amsterdam, Cathédrale Notre Dame and Eglise de St-Sulpice in Paris and at Memorial Day ceremonies at the Normandy-American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. They returned to Europe in 2005 with performances in Munich, the Dachau Memorial and Betzigau, Germany, as well as Salzburg, Bad Ischl, Matzen and Vienna, Austria. In May of 2007 the Drury Singers toured Scotland and England with performances at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, the Church of the Holy Rude in Stirling, in Leeds with the Leeds University Chamber Choir and at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The Drury Singers toured Italy in 2009, China in 2011, Greece And Turkey in 2013, and Scandinavia in 2015.

Jazz Ensembles, Combos & Festival

The Drury University Jazz Ensembles maintain an active performance schedule on campus and in the community. They perform at a variety of events including Parent’s Weekend, University Day, Music Day, and for the Alumni Association. These groups also present both formal and informal concerts each semester featuring music from a variety of periods and styles. The Drury Jazz Ensembles make regional or extended tours each year. Past performance cites have included: the Hawaiian Islands, Walt Disney World, Tulsa, Dallas, New Orleans, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi.

Each March, Drury hosts the Drury Jazz Festival, Missouri’s oldest Jazz Festival, which attracts high school bands from Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. This festival has attracted such artists as the big bands of Stan Kenton and Count Basie, as well as individual performers including Doc Severnson, Bill Waltrous, Kim Park, Clay Jenkins, Mike Metheny, and Mike Steinel.

Chamber Singers

The Chamber Ensemble is auditioned out of the Drury Singers and is made up of 8-16 voices. This group performs for community events and also performs more challenging and innovative choral works.

Wind Symphony

The Drury University Wind Symphony is comprised of wind and percussion players from the University Community. Performing both contemporary and traditional literature for the wind band, the Wind Symphony presents three major concerts yearly and performs at special events and the annual commencement exercises. Membership* is by audition.

Marching and Athletic Band

Drury launched The Panther Marching Band and Color Guard this past Fall 2020. Membership is open to both music and non-music majors. The group is made up of students who love music and are excited to play their instrument, build friendships and make memories. The high energy of the drumline and horns along with the visual artistry of the color guard will bring an exciting environment to every corner of campus. Activity grants are available for instrumentalists and color guard members. If you wish to audition for the marching athletic band, please click Drury Panther Marching Band.

Creating New Music

Composition

Drury has an ongoing commitment to the creation and performance of new music. Composers are encouraged to write for all of our small and large ensembles, and their music is frequently performed by members of the Drury Chamber Orchestra, Drury Wind Symphony and Drury Singers. Composers also participate in a joint recital every spring.

Composition lessons and theory courses are taught by Dr. Carlyle Sharpe.

Theory

The Music Department offers a wide variety of courses in music theory, analysis and composition for both music majors, music minors and students simply studying music through elective courses. Music majors and minors typically begin their college music experience with Music Theory and Ear Training and Sight Singing. This sequence of courses introduces the college musician to the fundamentals of musical notation, harmony, ear training, voice leading and musical form – all in terms of an historical perspective. More advanced courses include Form & Analysis, Instrumentation & Orchestration, and 20th Century Musical Styles.

Technology

Students at Drury University also learn to work with music notation software such as Sibelius and MuseScore, and ear training students utilize the MacGAMUT software.
 

How do I join an ensemble?

Auditions for all groups are held at the beginning of the academic year.  Also, most groups accept new members on an ongoing basis.  Ensemble director contact information can be found here.

Are music scholarships available?

Yes, to both majors and non-majors!  Activity grant auditions are held every February; to schedule an audition, fill out the Music Activity Grant Application.


Listen to music from our ensembles: 

Choral/Orchestral


Choral Ensembles


Jazz Ensembles


Chamber Orchestra


Wind Symphony