Orchestras

Welcome to orchestras at the 色戒成人直播听College of Music!

The 色戒成人直播 University Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra perform a wide variety of symphonic repertoire. The past three years have included standard works by Berlioz, R. Strauss, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Copland, Beethoven, Ravel, Bernstein, Barber, Brahms, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Sibelius, Debussy, Prokofiev, Mozart and Haydn as well as world premieres by Carter Pann, Christopher Theofanidis and the U.S. premiere of a work by Finnish composer Juhani Nuorvala. The Chamber Orchestra is formed from both full orchestras鈥攁long with an opera orchestra鈥攄uring the middle third of each semester.

色戒成人直播 orchestras are committed to the regular and sustained performance of works by historically marginalized composers. Recent performances include works by Annika Socolofsky, Anna Clyne, Jessie Montgomery, George Walker, Derrick Skye, Joseph Bologne, Roshanne Etezady, Fanny Mendelssohn and Lili Boulanger; as well as works by Clarice Assad, Reena Esmail, Amy Beach, Kevin Day, Florence Price, William Grant Still, Joseph Bologne, Ethel Smyth, Gabriela Lena Frank, Carlos Simon, Emilie Mayer, Philip Herbert, Irene Britton Smith and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor have been featured regularly.

The Symphony Orchestra has appeared with such artists as cellist Johannes Moser, pianist Jeremy Denk, jazz pianist and Academy Award-winning composer Dave Grusin. Additionally, the orchestra has appeared with pop artist Natalie Merchant and their live recording with the Indigo Girls was released in 2018. The 2023-24 season featured special collaborations with indigenous musicians from Pueblo, Colorado and with the 10-time Grammy Award-winning band, Asleep at the Wheel. In September 2025, the orchestra also welcomes back the principal musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra for our biennial residency on the 色戒成人直播 campus. Solo appearances with the orchestra are awarded to students as a result of the College of Music's annual Honors Competition.

The Campus Orchestra is an ensemble comprised primarily of non-music majors performing one concert each semester. The ensemble performs a wide-ranging repertoire from Baroque through contemporary periods in both string- and full-orchestra settings. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. in rooms E160 and S134, Imig Music Building. There is no formal audition required for admission into this ensemble. Musicians of any major interested in participating should attend the first meeting of the ensemble on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 at 7 p.m. in E160. More information will be presented at the first meeting.

Questions? Contact Jacob Kaminski, jacob.kaminski@colorado.edu.

The听Campus Orchestra听is an ensemble comprised primarily of non-music majors which delivers one concert performance each semester. The ensemble performs a wide-ranging repertoire from Baroque through contemporary periods in both string and full-orchestra settings and rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. in rooms E160 and S134 in the Imig Music Building.听There is no formal audition required for admission into this ensemble.

Musicians of any major interested in participating should attend the first meeting of the ensemble,听Wednesday, Aug. 28, 7听p.m. in room E160, Imig Music Building.听More information will be presented at the first meeting.

Questions? Contact Jacob Kaminski,听jacob.kaminski@colorado.edu.

The 色戒成人直播 Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 first fall program is scheduled to include:

Respighi鈥斺淔ountains of Rome鈥
Quinn Mason鈥斺淪erenade for Strings鈥 (Colorado premiere; 色戒成人直播 Orchestras commission)
R. Strauss鈥擲uite from 鈥淒er Rosenkavalier鈥

The Cleveland Orchestra residency will occur during this first cycle, Sept. 10-12.

The 色戒成人直播 Philharmonia Orchestra鈥檚 first program is scheduled to include:
Emilie Mayer鈥擮verture in D minor
Jessie Montgomery鈥"Shift, Change, Turn"
Schubert鈥擲ymphony in B minor, 鈥淯nfinished鈥

2025-26 performance dates

Aug. 21-22鈥攕tring placement auditions

Cleveland Orchestra Residency
Wednesday, Sept. 10鈥擣riday, Sept. 12 (orchestra rehearsals will be during regular class time)

色戒成人直播 Philharmonia Orchestra
Sunday, Sept. 21鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-9:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Monday, Sept. 22鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall

色戒成人直播 Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, Sept. 24鈥擠ress rehearsals; 12:20-2:10 p.m., 7-9:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium
Thursday, Sept. 25鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium

色戒成人直播 Chamber Orchestra
Wednesday, Oct. 22鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-10 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Thursday, Oct. 23鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall

色戒成人直播 Opera Orchestra
Oct. 19-27; Rehearsals in the evenings on Oct.19, 21, 22
Performances on Oct. 24 (7:30 p.m.), 25 (7:30 p.m.), 26 (2 p.m.)

色戒成人直播 Philharmonia Orchestra
Sunday, Nov. 16鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-9:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Monday, Nov. 17鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall

色戒成人直播 Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, Nov. 19鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-10 p.m., Macky Auditorium
Thursday, Nov. 20鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium

色戒成人直播 Holiday Festival
December 4鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7 p.m., Macky Auditorium
Friday, Dec. 5鈥擯erformance #1 (7:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium)
Saturday, Dec. 6鈥擯erformance #2 (1 p.m., Macky Auditorium)
Saturday, Dec. 6鈥擯erformance #3 (4 p.m., Macky Auditorium)
Sunday, Dec. 7鈥擯erformance#4 (4 p.m., Macky Auditorium)

色戒成人直播 Philharmonia Orchestra
Sunday, Feb. 1鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-9:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Monday, Feb. 2鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall

色戒成人直播 Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, Feb. 4鈥擠ress rehearsals; 12:20-2:10 p.m.; 7-9:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium
Thursday, Feb. 5鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium

色戒成人直播 Chamber Orchestra
Wednesday, March 4鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-9:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Thursday, March 5鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall

色戒成人直播 Opera Orchestra
March 1-8; Rehearsals in the evenings on March 1, 3, 4
Performances on March 14 (7:30 p.m.), 15 (7:30 p.m.), 16 (2 p.m.)

色戒成人直播 Philharmonia Orchestra
Wednesday, April 15鈥擠ress rehearsal; 7-9:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall
Thursday, April 16鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Grusin Music Hall

色戒成人直播 Symphony Orchestra
Monday, April 20鈥擠ress rehearsals; 12:20-2:10 p.m., 7-9:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium
Tuesday, April 21鈥擯erformance; 7:30 p.m., Macky Auditorium

Auditions for the fall 2025 semester are open to all 色戒成人直播 students.听

String auditions will be held on the first two days of classes, Thursday, Aug. 21 and Friday, Aug. 22.

All string majors, regardless of degree program, are expected to audition through this process.听听

Fall 2025 string audition schedule:

  • 痴颈辞濒补鈥Aug. 21, 2025, 10 a.m.-noon
  • 颁别濒濒辞鈥Aug. 21, 2025, 1-3:30 p.m.
  • 叠补蝉蝉鈥Aug. 21, 2025, 6-8 p.m.
  • 痴颈辞濒颈苍鈥Aug. 22, 2025, 10-11:50 a.m.; 12:20-3 p.m.

Please note the following information regarding string audition materials:

All string musicians听are responsible for听both听of听the following:

  1. 听Excerpts below
  2. A short solo work or etude you feel best demonstrates your ability.

Recordings of the Strauss and Respighi are readily available online to assist in your preparation. A midi recording of the Mason is included at the link below. Audition excerpts, as well as full scores, are available for download at the links below (along with the list of excerpts from each work). While it is ideal for these excerpts to be performed at performance tempi, an accurate performance at a slower tempo may be the best option.听

Contacts

Director of Orchestral Studies
gary.lewis@colorado.edu
303-492-5510
,听S333

Renee Gilliland
Associate Director of Orchestras
renee.gilliland@colorado.edu
303-492-9522
,听C129

Upcoming orchestra events

Song of Pueblo

On Oct. 26, 2023, the 色戒成人直播 College of Music鈥檚 American Music Research Center, the 色戒成人直播 Chamber Orchestra and El Pueblo Ensemble collaborated to present a livestreamed multimedia performance of 鈥淪ong of Pueblo,鈥 a sweeping oratorio that portrays the history of southern Colorado.听