The Illinois Wesleyan Symphony Orchestra performs works from all musical periods. Its commitment to artistic excellence has allowed the Orchestra to collaborate with such acclaimed musicians as Dawn Upshaw, Armando Ghitalla, Awadagin Pratt, Laszlo Varga, Peter Schickele and others. The Orchestra’s annual Concerto-Aria concert showcases the School’s finest musicians.
This elite auditioned group of students specializes in advanced contemporary wind band repertoire and provides an environment for musical growth by helping students learn to play expressively and with passion.
The Symphonic Winds is one of two concert wind ensembles in the School of Music. This ensemble performs fun and challenging works from the wind band repertoire. Open to any student by audition or with permission of instructor, the Symphonic Winds performs two to four concerts each year, often sharing concerts with other university ensembles and occasionally performing off-campus.
The Illinois Wesleyan Titan Band provides music and entertainment at the football and basketball games. The Band has had the honor of performing at the NCAA Division III Final Four basketball tournament at IWU’s Shirk Athletic Center, and at Final Four tournaments in Salem, Va., and in Hope, Mi. The Titan Band provides work study and payroll positions when available. This ensemble is open to any student; no audition is required.
The Choir has collaborated with renowned professional ensembles such as The King’s Singers and the Orchid Ensemble. The Collegiate Choir is dedicated to the performance of the finest sacred and secular choral music of the past six centuries. Students are selected by audition and maintain a rigorous rehearsal schedule in preparation for their annual concert tour and other engagements throughout the year. Besides annual domestic tours, the Choir tours internationally every four years. Past tours have been to Italy, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Spain and Germany. The Choir has also performed at state and regional ACDA and NAfME conferences.
This ensemble is open to all students by placement hearing and performs on campus throughout the academic year. The Choir performs sacred and secular music from a variety of styles and historical periods.
The Opera Theatre course seeks to develop experience and training in all aspects of opera through the performance of two fully-staged operas each year. Every opera is cast by audition. Recent productions include The Elixir of Love, The Medium, La Bohéme, Iolanthe, Die Fledermaus and Too Many Sopranos.
The emphasis of the Jazz Ensemble is to develop skills that make a student competitive in the jazz/ commercial playing field, as well as competent in conducting ensembles of their own. Literature for the Ensemble includes a wide array of styles from traditional and modern jazz to progressive rock, Latin and beyond! The Jazz Ensemble has performed concerts nationally and internationally and is open to all students of the University by audition.
This ensemble is available to all students without an audition. Secondary instruments are welcomed in the band, and all music education majors are encouraged to participate to gain jazz experience
Unlicensed Syncopation is a vocal ensemble dedicated to the performance of jazz and jazz-influenced music in large and small ensemble settings, as well as solo settings. The group was chosen to perform at the 2016 Illinois Music Education Conference.