Chamber music plays a central role in the musical development of our students, both on and off campus. All instrumental areas participate, performing works from the standard repertoire, as well as new music, for area and mixed ensembles. Additionally, master classes and concerts are regularly provided by visiting guest artists.
Events
News
The American Bandmasters Association is holding its 2019 national convention on March 6-10 at the Embassy Suites Loveland Hotel & Conference Center. This is the first time the annual convention has been held in Colorado since the inception of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA) in 1930. Rebecca Phillips, director of bands at Colorado State University […]
Kick off the holiday season this week at the University Center for the Arts with the annual Holiday Spectacular and Parade of Lights Preview. The Holiday Spectacular returns on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2, at 4 p.m. in Griffin Concert Hall. The cost of tickets ($10/youth under 18, and $22/adults) […]
By Christopher Van Hof, Assistant Professor of Trombone and Euphonium The School of Music, Theatre and Dance has a new ensemble making a big splash in the Northern Colo. music scene, but it is a bit of a head-scratcher: an 18-member polka band that is open only to brass instruments and drums. Neue Polka Colorado […]
Brass Area
Trombone Choir
Comprised of the students of the CSU Trombone Studio and other talented trombonists from the CSU community, the Trombone Choir is the primary performing ensemble of the Studio. The Trombone Choir studies and performs music from all musical eras and genres stretching from Renaissance dances to funk and heavy metal. Professor Van Hof writes many of the Choir’s arrangements, but students are encouraged to explore arranging and composing for the group as well. Community outreach is a hallmark of the CSU Trombone Choir, with special focus paid to performances in public spaces and for audiences of all ages. The ensemble makes its debut in the Fall of 2013, and has been invited to perform at the 2014 Big12 Trombone Conference at Texas Tech University.
Neue Polka Colorao
Neue Polka Colorado is a polka band for the 21st century. Traditional Bavarian favorites are combined with polka-ized versions of pop hits. Inspired by the singing, playing, camaraderie, and antics of the town bands of Central Europe (notably Austria and Germany), NPC was launched in the summer of 2014.
The band is exclusively brass instruments, and is populated almost entirely by music majors at Colorado State Univeristy. The band's mission is:
- To strengthen the connection between CSU Music and the Front Range community
- To provide professional gigging experience for CSU music majors
- To help people enjoy their time in Colorado's breweries, festivals, and civic events through fun and often funny polka music
The band is available in flexible instrumentation ranging from as small as eight to as large as 25. Typical compensation includes food and a modest stipend paid directly to the students.
One part Oktoberfest, one part 1990s mixtape, and 100% fun!
String Area
Chamber music forms an important part of the core string curriculum at CSU. Listening, leadership, communication and musicianship skills are essential components of great performances and are developed within this experience. The skills learned in chamber music and in small ensembles form a part of training the complete musician and those skills transfer to orchestral and solo playing. Our world class string faculty offers a lifetime of experience to CSU string students. Regular visiting concert artists and groups such as the Borromeo String Quartet give masterclasses each year. Working in conjunction with the Lincoln Center concert series, CSU offers students access to dozens of concerts each year in our ‘state of the art’ concert halls. Ensembles receive weekly coaching by our string faculty and participate in guest artist masterclasses and a public concert each semester. Chamber music students may also participate in community outreach.
Graduate String Quartet
Pluto String Quartet
Each year, the CSU string division provides excellent opportunities for our most advanced graduate students. Headed by Professor Margaret Miller, the graduate string quartets perform a full program each semester while immersing themselves in the business of running a professional ensemble. Many outreach activities provide the quartets with additional performing experience.
Woodwinds Area
Flute Choir
The CSU Flute Choir is made up of music majors and non-majors at CSU, and is directed by Professor Dr. Michelle Stanley. The ensemble is dedicated to performing exciting and challenging works for flute choir. The flute choir performed at the National Flute Convention in Las Vegas, NV in 2012. Their performance of Colorado composers Bill Douglas, Mando Surita and Cherise Leiter was one of the featured college choirs, selected by audition by the NFA.
The choir performs on several concerts and outreach concerts during the academic year. The choir consists of C flutes, piccolo, alto flute and bass flute.
Faculty Chamber Winds
The CSU faculty is passionate about bringing creative new elements to classical music making through repertoire that includes European and American compositions. Though this type of small wind ensemble is rarely heard in America, composers have been writing for this medium for two centuries, and concert goers are likely to hear one-of-a-kind transcriptions of opera overtures, a beautiful new setting of Copland’s Old American Songs,” as well as original works for harmonie, like Mendelssohn’s Notturno, Op. 24.”