The Blues/Rock Ensemble is an intermediate/advanced level performance group that consists of 2 guitars, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, keyboard, bass, and drum set.
Repertoire includes instrumental jazz-rock, blues-rock, and funk-rock styles by groups like Jeff Beck, The Meters, and Soullive. Auditions are mandatory to participate.
Information about the audition will be discussed during the first class meeting. The audition will take place during the 2nd class meeting. Melodic instruments are required to learn the instrumental melody and then improvise over the song form. Chordal instruments are required to accompany the soloists. Bass players need to learn the bass line and may be asked to improvise over the song form as well. Drummers need to learn their parts and demonstrate the ability to play with the ensemble.
Contact
Junauro Landgrebe, Director
[email protected]
617.373.4131
367 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Thursdays, 4:35-5:35pm
Ryder 354
Offers chamber music ensembles at intermediate and advanced levels encompassing the following areas: strings, woodwinds, piano, voice, brass, guitar, and mixed ensembles. Coached by the department chair and faculty. Explores the great repertoire in detail, combining the discipline of the highest standard of playing with an understanding of the music. Offers students an opportunity to learn how to play their best, getting past the limitations of purely technical considerations. May be repeated up to 10 times.
The Northeastern University Choral Society fosters aesthetic and educational experiences through the rehearsal and performance of choral music, and promotes harmonious social interaction among members of the Northeastern community. Repertoire focuses on classic choral works from the 16th to the 21st century. Members of the Choral Society come from all backgrounds and majors, and any interested member of the NU community (student, faculty, staff) is eligible to join.
Chorus is an extracurricular activity for many, but can also be taken as a free 1-credit elective by registering for MUSC1904. Rehearsals are held on Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:30 pm in the Fenway Center. Chamber Singers is a smaller ensemble, rehearsing Tuesday 8:30pm – 9:30pm. Singers in Chamber Singers are required to also sing in Chorus.
For more information or to schedule an audition, please contact:
Dr. Katherine Chan
Director of Choral Activities
Open to all Northeastern students, the Contemporary Music Ensemble is devoted to the performance of works from the contemporary classical repertoire, particular those utilizing electronics. The ensemble has access to a variety of instruments, electronic sound generators, processors, samplers, and alternative controllers. It is open to acoustic, electronic, and electroacoustic instrumentalists interested in performing new and experimental music. Rehearsals are once per week, and a concert is given at the end of each semester.
Admission into the ensemble is by audition only, with auditions held in the first week of each semester. To audition successfully, a candidate must display an ability to read music, an interest in new music, and a desire to commit to the ensemble. The Contemporary Music Ensemble fulfills the ensemble requirement for music majors.
Contact
Michael Frengel, Director
[email protected]
617.373‑7042
347 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Tuesdays, 3:20-5:00pm
Ryder 354
The Concert Band performs music of all levels and genres, including composers old and young, living and non-living, movie themes, jazz inspired music, and the great classic works in the wind band repertoire. Recent guest artists have included Boston Symphony Orchestra members Michael Martin (trumpet), Jason Snider (French horn), Stephen Lange (trombone), Mike Roylance (tuba), and Cynthia Meyers (piccolo) as well as composers Frank Ticheli and John Mackey.
The ensemble rehearses and performs during both the fall and spring semesters, usually performing one concert each term.
Participants are expected to be able to read music, play one of the standard concert band woodwind, brass, or percussion instruments, and have some level of prior experience in such an ensemble. All members who meet these prerequisites are eligible to participate in the Concert Band, and a brief 2 minute audition will be held at the start of the fall semester for seating purposes. There will be an opportunity during the first or second week of the spring semester for new students to be placed and for returning students who wish to change their part.
Concert Band is a free one-credit elective. Register for MUSC 1905 before the semester’s add/drop date, once auditions have been completed and you know for sure that you are participating in the ensemble. The course may be repeated for credit.
The members of the Concert Band come from all backgrounds and majors, and any interested member of the NU community is eligible to join, including faculty, staff, and alumni!
Contact
Allison Betsold
Artist in Residence
Concert Band and Pep Band
[email protected]
Meeting Times
Mondays, 6:00-8:25pm
Fenway Center
Audition Requirements
All students interested in both Wind Ensemble and Concert Band will rehearse together in the Fenway Center from 6-8:30pm on the first Thursday of the fall semester. Auditions will be the following week by appointment only. Sign up times and audition location will be communicated following the first Thursday rehearsal. There will be one required excerpt for all students, selected from the repertoire read during the first joint rehearsal. Students interested in joining the Concert Band will be asked to audition for seating placement, using the selected musical excerpt. Students who wish to audition for the Wind Ensemble are encouraged to prepare a very short (one minute maximum) excerpt that shows both their technical and lyrical playing, in addition to playing the preselected audition music. You may choose from your favorite concerto, sonata, etude, or band/orchestral repertoire excerpt.
For more information please contact
Professor Allison Betsold
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where are rehearsals?
Concert Band meets every Monday evening from 6-8:25pm during the fall and spring semesters. Wind Ensemble meets every Thursday evening from 6-8:30pm during the fall and spring semesters. Both ensembles rehearse in the Fenway Center located at 77 St. Stephen Street.
Where can I practice?
Practice rooms are located on the third floor of Ryder Hall. Students may obtain keycard access to the practice rooms upon enrollment of the course.
Do I need to have my own instrument?
> Winds and Brass – The music department has a limited stock of some of the more rare/large instruments such as tuba, horn, oboe, bassoon, baritone saxophone, and bass clarinet. It is HIGHLY RECOMMEND that students who possess their own instruments bring them to campus. Storage space is available for students who need it.
> Percussion – The music department provides the full range of percussion instruments from timpani to a 5 octave marimba to an array of triangles. While we have a small supply of sticks and mallets for students to use, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that students bring their own.
Can I perform in more than one ensemble?
Absolutely! Please engage yourself in as many of our ensembles as you desire. Please note that each ensemble has its own audition requirement, some more intricate than others. If you have questions about specific NU ensembles always feel free to reach out to its director.
Are there any scholarship opportunities?
Scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen, usually before the May deposit deadline. For information on our scholarship, please visit this page.
The Create Your Own Music Ensemble includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced students all working together. The ensemble welcomes vocalists and all instrumentalists from any style. The class is made up of those students who have no musical background along with students who are experienced singers and players. It gives students without an audition the chance to play in an ensemble.
Repertoire includes a wide variety depending on the theme for the semester including pop, rock, blues, soul/R&B, country, jazz, and student compositions.
Contact
Tisha Stadnicki
[email protected]
617.373.2440
351 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Mondays, 3:35, 4:35, and 5:35pm
354 Ryder Hall
No audition required.
The Fusion Ensemble is an advanced level performance group that consists of 2 guitars, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, keyboard, bass, and drum set.
Repertoire includes instrumental jazz-rock styles by groups like John Scofield, Weather Report, The Brecker Brothers, Chick Corea, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Mike Stern.
Information about the required audition will be discussed during the first class meeting. The audition will take place during the 2nd class meeting. Melodic instruments are required to learn the instrumental melody and then improvise over the song form. Chordal instruments are required to accompany the soloists. Bass players need to learn the bass lines and improvise over the song form as well. Drummers need to learn their parts, improvise, and demonstrate the ability to play with the ensemble.
Contact
Junauro Landgrebe, Director
[email protected]
617.373.4131
367 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Tuesdays, 5:00-6:00pm
Ryder 354
The Jazz Choir and Combo is an intermediate to advance ensemble featuring singers and instrumentalists.Vocalists harmonize using choral charts given by the teacher as well as encouraged, if they would like, to sing solos using their own improvisation. Instrumentalists make up the band that accompanies the choir. The combo usually consists of piano, guitar, bass, and drums based on the semester. The group welcomes all different instrumentalists to join. The musicians are given charts to read as well as given plenty of opportunities to solo as well.
Repertoire in the past has included The Manhattan Transfer, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick, Jr., Aretha Franklin, Michel Legrand, and much more.
Auditions are held the first class meeting. Vocalists should prepare a song to sing a Capella or with accompaniment, and be able to read a vocal line from a chart. Instrumentalists should be prepared to play a jazz standard showing the ability to solo on the instrument. They will also be asked to read a line from a written chart as well. It doesn’t matter what style of music a student is used to singing or playing, the professor will help teach improvisation in jazz and blues styles to the students during the course of the semester.
Contact
Tisha Stadnicki, Director
[email protected]
Meeting Times
Mondays, 6:35-8:00pm
Ryder 354
The orchestra’s instrumentation is made up of one to four singers, five saxophones, four to five trombones, five to six trumpets, a rhythm section consisting of piano, bass, guitar, drum set and additional Afro– Caribbean percussion instruments such as congas, timbales, bongos and an assortment of bells.
The repertoire studied and performed by the orchestra is a rich blend of music for big band combining the musical styles of North American, Afro-Cuban, and South American Jazz. The orchestra has a time-honored tradition of presenting to the public compelling instrumental and vocal music arrangements of that inspire, educate, enrich, entertain, and transform audiences of all ages. The ensemble features the works of past master composers and arrangers, as well as incorporating the works of the best contemporary writers active in the field of jazz and Latin Jazz.
Composers whose works the band has performed includes Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Neal Hefti, Frank Foster, Sammy Nestico, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Toshiko Ashioki, Quincy Jones, Thad Jones, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Rob Lussier, Bob Brookemeyer, Manny Albam, Charles Mingus, and Maria Schneider.
Latin jazz composers whose works the band has performed includes Wayne Wallace, Humberto Ramirez, Mario Bauza, Arturo Sandoval, Chico O’Farrell, Chano Pozo, Dizzy Gillespie, Hilario Duran, and Jeremy Fletcher.
The NEU Jazz Ensemble welcomes vocalists, and always features classic arrangements as well as innovative treatment of music from the Great American Song Book. Some composers that we perform are George and Ira Gershwin, Rogers and Hart, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Eubie Blake, Stevie Wonder, and many more.
Contact
Joel LaRue Smith, Director
[email protected]
617.373.2440
351 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Section 1: Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00pm
Section 2: Mondays, 8:30-10:30pm
Ryder 354
The Northeastern University Symphony Orchestra is a full symphonic ensemble open to students, staff, and faculty from all backgrounds and majors. It performs music from the baroque to the present day, with past repertoire including symphonies, film scores, romantic and contemporary music, and premieres of new works. Concerts are at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
Auditions are held for seating only. Auditions begin after the first rehearsal of the fall and spring semesters, with additional times announced at the beginning of each semester.
Orchestra is an extracurricular activity, but can also be taken as a free 1-credit elective by registering for MUSC 1906. This course may be repeated for credit.
Contact
Evan Bennett, Director
[email protected]
617.373.3140
351 Ryder Hall
Learn More
NUSO Secretary
[email protected]
Meeting Times
Wednesdays, 6:15-8:45pm
Fenway Center
The NU Pep Band provides entertainment and spirit at sporting events, pep rallies, and special events for Northeastern University Athletics, and the University as a whole. The band plays at all home Women’s and Men’s Hockey, Women’s and Men’s Basketball, and Women’s Volleyball games.
The Pep Band also participates in tournaments such as the Women’s and Men’s Basketball CAA division finals, Women’s and Men’s Hockey East Finals, and the long-standing Beanpot tournament. The Men’s Beanpot is played annually at the TD Garden (Home of the Boston Bruins & Boston Celtics), and the Women’s tournament rotates amongst the four schools involved in both Beanpots: Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, and of course, Northeastern.
The Pep Band is supported by the Music Department, Athletics Department, Student Activities and the SGA.
For more information on the Northeastern Pep Band, please contact Allison Betsold ([email protected]). We hope to see you soon!
The Rock Ensemble is an intermediate/advanced level performance group that consists of four vocalists, a horn section (trumpet, trombone, & saxophones), and rhythm section (2 guitars, keyboard, bass, and drum set.)
Repertoire includes a wide variety of rock and popular styles by groups like Muse, Aretha Franklin, Tower of Power, Rush, and Michael Jackson as examples. Auditions are mandatory to participate.
The audition is split between instrumentalists and vocalists. Instrumentalists are required to perform two preselected pieces chosen by the director. Vocalists are required to audition with one song preselected pieced by the director and another of their own choice. Audition repertoire will be discussed in greater detail during the first class meeting. Auditions take place during the second class meeting.
The Rock Ensemble is a performance ensemble consisting of four vocalists, and horn and rhythm sections.
Contact
Junauro Landgrebe, Director
[email protected]
617.373.4131
367 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Section 1: Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00pm
Section 2: Fridays, 3:30-5:30pm
354 Ryder
The Wind Ensemble is a versatile group that has accompanied silent movies and live dance performances with original scores by student composers, and collaborated with guest soloists and actors in addition to playing the great works in the wind repertoire. Recent guests have included composers John Mackey, Frank Ticheli, Brad Ellis, (pianist on GLEE), and Boston Symphony Orchestra members Michael Martin (trumpet), Jason Snider (French horn), Stephen Lange (trombone), Mike Roylance (tuba), and Cynthia Meyers (piccolo).
The Wind Ensemble rehearses and performs during the Fall and Spring semesters, usually playing two concerts each term. Each year the group participates in a collaborative festival with the wind ensembles from Harvard University, Boston College, and Boston University.
The members of the Wind Ensemble come from all backgrounds and majors, and any interested member of the NU community is eligible to join. On the first Thursday of the fall semester there will be a rehearsal with all students interested in either (or both!) the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble. We will read through select repertoire, including the audition music. Auditions are held during the first and second weeks of school. Sign ups, location, and repertoire will be distributed at the first meeting. Wind Ensemble is a free one-credit elective, please register for MUSC 1907 once you have successfully auditioned for the ensemble. The course may be repeated for credit.
Contact
Allen Feinstein, Director
[email protected]
617.373.2442
355 RY
Meeting Times
Thursdays, 6:00-8:30pm
Fenway Center
Audition Requirements
All students interested in both Wind Ensemble and Concert Band will rehearse together in the Fenway Center from 6-8:30pm on the first Thursday of the fall semester. Auditions will be the following week, and sign ups will be distributed at the first rehearsal. There will be one required excerpt for all students, selected from the repertoire read during the first joint rehearsal. Students interested in joining the Concert Band will be asked to audition for seating placement, using the selected musical excerpt. Students who wish to audition for the Wind Ensemble are encouraged to prepare a very short (one minute maximum) excerpt that shows both their technical and lyrical playing, in addition to playing the preselected audition music. You may choose from your favorite concerto, sonata, etude, or band/orchestral musical excerpt.
For more information please contact Professor Feinstein ([email protected])
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where are rehearsals?
Concert Band meets every Monday evening from 6-8:25pm during the fall and spring semesters. Wind Ensemble meets every Thursday evening from 6-8:30pm during the fall and spring semesters. Both ensembles rehearse in the Fenway Center located at 77 St. Stephen Street.
Where can I practice?
Practice rooms are located on the third floor of Ryder Hall. Students will be granted keycard access upon enrollment of the course.
Do I need to have my own instrument?
> Winds and Brass – The music department has a limited stock of some of the more rare/large instruments such as tuba, French horn, oboe, bassoon, baritone saxophone, and bass clarinet. It is HIGHLY RECOMMEND that students who possess their own instruments bring them to campus. Storage space is available for students who need it.
> Percussion – The music department provides the full range of percussion instruments from timpani to a 5 octave marimba to an array of triangles. While we have a small supply of sticks and mallets for students to use, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that students bring their own.
Can I perform in more than one ensemble?
Absolutely! Please engage yourself in as many of our ensembles as you desire. Please note that each ensemble has its own audition requirement, some more intricate than others. If you have questions about specific NU ensembles always feel free to reach out to its director.
Are there any scholarship opportunities?
Scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen, usually before the May deposit deadline. For information on our scholarship please visit https://camd.northeastern.edu/music/scholarships-financial-awards/
This ensemble explores different musical traditions by listening, analyzing, and playing a diverse selection of compositions from parts of the world outside the United States. Past performances have included music from Bulgaria, Morocco, Turkey, Israel, Brazil.
Flutist, composer, and band leader Amir Milstein has played and recorded with numerous artists worldwide, collaborating with world-renowned musicians such as: Zakir Hussain, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Tito Puente, Armandinho Macedo, Omar Farouk Tekbilek and Mikhalis Nikoloudis, among others, and brings to the ensemble influences from all these musical traditions.
During each encounter, students will listen to a diverse repertoire of world music, learning about the musical forms, modes, rhythms, and typical instruments of each tradition. After extracting these elements the ensemble will play its arrangements of these genres.
Contact:
Amir Milstein, Director
[email protected]
617.910.8652
351 Ryder Hall
Meeting Times
Tuesdays, 8:15-9:45pm
Ryder 354