Ensembles and Performances
The Challey School of Music performance organizations provide a high-quality musical experiences for all NDSU students. By participating in one or more of the various performance groups on campus, a student’s college career can be greatly enhanced and lifelong friendships formed.
View past performances | Event Calendar
Auditions take place the first week of classes. Please contact the appropriate instructor for audition information.
Music participation opportunities include:
Brass Chamber Ensembles
Dr. Jeremy Brekke, jeremy.brekke@ndsu.edu.
TTh 3:30-4:45
MUSC 314
Brass groups are an integral and dynamic component of the instrumental program at North Dakota State University. The enhanced playing abilities, collaborative skills and musical awareness are developed in rehearsing and performing chamber music equips students to be more effective in large ensembles, and as professional performers and educators. Many groups are in a brass quintet setting of two trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba or bass trombone. These quintets perform regularly on and off campus and have competed in regional competitions. Other ensembles include groups made up of like instruments, such as trumpet ensembles, trombone ensembles, horn quartets, or tuba quartets made up of two euphoniums and two tubas. NDSU also combines the various brass quintets for a large brass ensemble at the end of each semester
Cantemus
Dr. Charlette Moe, charlette.moe@ndsu.edu.
TTh 3:30-4:45
MUSC 116
Under the direction of Dr. Charlette Moe, this soprano/alto choir of 55-65 members continually programs music which highlights female composers and music written specifically for the women’s voices. This non-auditioned choir includes students from many different majors, rehearses Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:45-6:00 pm. For the 2013 Choral Music of the Americas Symposium, they premiered a new choral work by Imant Raminsh. Cantemus hosts an Annual Women’s Choral Festival and their first convention appearance was at the 2014 North Dakota American Choral Directors Conference. Registration is easy—just visit Campus Connection and register for MUSC 116.
For more information, please contact charlette.moe@ndsu.edu.
Concert Choir
Dr. Dwight Jilek, dwight.jilek@ndsu.edu.
MWF 12:00-12:50, TTh 12:30-1:45
MUSC 306
The NDSU Concert Choir has a distinguished tradition of performing eminent choral literature at the highest level of artistry. The choir has performed at state, regional and national music conferences, including seven North Central American Choral Directors Association conferences and the national ACDA conference in San Antonio, Texas. The choir performs regularly with the Fargo- Moorhead Symphony and tours overseas every three years. Most recently, the choir visited Eastern and Central Europe in 2009, toured Croatia and Italy in 2012, and Iceland and Scotland in 2015. The choir received the first place gold medal at the International Choral Competition in Zadar, Croatia, during the 2012 tour. Dr. Dwight Jilek is in his first year as conductor of the NDSU Concert Choir and Director of Choral Activities.
Concert Choir Information & AuditionsGold Star Marching Band
Connor Challey, connor.challey@ndsu.edu.
MWF 4:00-5:45
MUSC 111
Jazz Ensembles
Dr. Matthew Patnode, matthew.patnode@ndsu.edu.
Various Times
Various Course Numbers
Madrigal Singers
Dr. Michael Weber, m.weber@ndsu.edu.
MWF 1:00-1:50
MUSC 317
The NDSU Madrigal Singers is a highly selective ensemble that performs vocal chamber music from the Renaissance through the 21st century. In addition to concert performances throughout the year, the annual Madrigal Dinners feature fully costumed productions of Renaissance revelry. Conducted by Dr. Michael Weber, the Madrigal Singers perform for numerous NDSU celebrations, tour each spring with the NDSU Concert Choir and also tour separately throughout the region. The Madrigal Singers were selected to appear at the North Central American Choral Directors Convention in 2008.
Opera and Opera Workshop
Dr. Kelly Burns, kelly.w.burns@ndsu.edu.
MWF 3:00-4:50
MUSC 319
NDSU Opera presents fully staged and costumed operas and operettas with orchestra in Festival Concert Hall, as well as staged and costumed scenes from operas with piano accompaniment in Beckwith Recital Hall. The NDSU Opera program opened the 2019–2020 NDSU Baroque Festival with Handel’s masterpiece Giulio Cesare in November, 2019. Other recent productions include Patience (Gilbert & Sullivan), L’enfant et les sortilèges (Ravel), The Impressario (Mozart), HMS Pinafore (Gilbert & Sullivan), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Britten), The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), and Gianni Schicchi (Puccini). NDSU Opera has also presented baroque operas such as Dido and Aeneas (Purcell) and Venus and Adonis (John Blow) at the NDSU Baroque Festival.
Percussion Ensemble
Dr. Sigurd Johnson, sigurd.johnson@ndsu.edu.
TTh 3:30-4:45
MUSC 312
The NDSU Percussion Ensemble is comprised of both music majors and non-music majors, and includes members of the instrumental ensembles in the Challey School of Music as well as participants from across the campus. The ensemble is led by NDSU Director of Percussion Studies and Director of Athletic Bands, Dr. Sigurd Johnson. The ensemble rehearses two days a week—Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:45. The ensemble performs concerts in both fall and spring semesters. Its repertoire is dynamic and varied, consisting of traditional as well as contemporary percussion literature.
The Statesmen of NDSU
Dr. Michael Weber, m.weber@ndsu.edu.
TTh 3:30-4:45
MUSC 117
The NDSU tenor/bass choir is non-auditioned, has singers from many campus majors, and rehearses each Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30-4:45 pm. For the 2013 Choral Music of the Americas Symposium, The Statesmen premiered a new choral work by Jorge Cozatl. They also represented NDSU at the 2009 and 2015 North Dakota Music Educators Association convention in Bismarck, ND. To participate, visit Campus Connection to register for MUSC 117.
For more information, please contact Dr. Michael Weber, Associate Director of Choral activities at m.weber@ndsu.edu.
University Band
Dr. Sigurd Johnson, sigurd.johnson@ndsu.edu.
MWF 3:00-3:50
MUSC 112
Our non-auditioned concert band includes students majoring in many subject areas on campus. The University Band performs twice each semester and is a great way to keep playing your instrument beyond high school.
University Chamber Singers
Dr. Charlette Moe, charlette.moe@ndsu.edu.
MWF 11:00-11:50
MUSC 215
The University Chamber Singers is an auditioned, mixed choir of 35 freshmen through senior members who represent many different majors and disciplines across the NDSU campus. The ensemble recently performed at the ND ACDA convention and have performed at the Northern Plains Kodály Chapter Honor Choir festival in April of 2014. The ensemble performs two concerts each semester, and participates in the NDSU Madrigal Dinners each December. The University Chamber Singers (UCS) is conducted by Dr. Charlette Moe, Assistant Director of Choral activities.
This auditioned choir rehearses from 1:00-1:50 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To schedule an audition, email charlette.moe@ndsu.edu
University Symphony Orchestra (USO)
Dr. Sigurd Johnson, sigurd.johnson@ndsu.edu.
T 6:30-8:00
MUSC 304
The University Symphony Orchestra rehearses and performs standard classical, traditional, contemporary orchestral and chamber music repertoire. This ensemble provides members the opportunity to rehearse and perform orchestral literature at a high and challenging level.
All String Students and *Community Members selected to play in the USO through audition are Strongly Encouraged to participate in Both the USO AND the SCE.
Participation in University Symphony Orchestra is through audition for all instruments. Players seeking to play in the USO are required to audition at a generally higher level. It should be understood that not all who audition will make it into the USO.
USO Audition InformationString Chamber Ensemble (SCE)
Dr. Sigurd Johnson, sigurd.johnson@ndsu.edu.
Th 6:30-8:00
MUSC 316
The String Chamber Ensemble (Strings Only) focuses on developing technical skills and ensemble playing though string orchestra repertoire. Membership in this ensemble provides string players the opportunity to rehearse and perform in an ensemble setting which – while still be committed to excellence – is less arduous and less stressful than in the USO.
All String Students and *Community Members selected to play in the USO through audition are Strongly Encouraged to participate in Both the USO AND the SCE.
SCE Audition InformationWind Symphony
Dr. Daniel Lee, daniel.lee.3@ndsu.edu.
MWF 12:15-1:50
MUSC 303
The Wind Symphony is our premiere concert band, with entrance through audition. Students in the Wind Symphony perform demanding repertoire in two formal concerts each semester. They have performed nationally through tours and convention appearances.
Wind Symphony Audition InformationWoodwind Chamber Ensembles
Dr. Cassie Keogh, cassie.keogh@ndsu.edu.
Various Times
MUSC 315
Woodwind groups are a vital part of the music curriculum at NDSU. Participation is open to students of any major at NDSU. Instrumentation varies each semester depending on the composition of student participation, but includes both mixed- and like-instrument ensembles. Permanent ensembles include flute choir, clarinet quartets and clarinet choir, saxophone quartets and saxophone choir, and woodwind quintets.
The woodwind ensembles perform each semester on Woodwind Chamber and Saxophone Quartet nights, regularly perform outreach concerts throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota, and participate in local, regional, and national chamber music competitions.
For more information, please contact cassie.keogh@ndsu.edu.
For a complete listing of upcoming concerts, productions, and exhibitions, please visit the Performing Arts Calendar of Events.