Large Ensembles

LMU Choruses
Recognized throughout the United States and Canada as producing some of the most stunning choral music at the collegiate level, the Department of Music has long been known for its outstanding choral organizations. Two choruses provide singing opportunities for a broad cross section of the university community. Promoting the university's long tradition, the 100-voice Concert Choir presents music for mixed chorus, men's chorus, and women's chorus. The smaller, more advanced Consort Singers presents varying styles of choral music and frequently appears in the Los Angeles area as the ambassador group for the university. Membership in both groups is dependent on an audition. In addition to the university music grants, money is also available through special choral scholarship funds.

Concert performances are presented each semester in the lovely Sacred Heart Chapel with highlights being the gala Christmas Concert impressive choral festivals, the Pre-Tour Concert leading up to the annual Spring Tour and the festive Spring Chorale--a major works concert with full orchestra. Such works as Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Beethoven's Mass in C, Delius' Songs of Farewell , and Brahms' Nänie have recently been performed on the Spring Chorale.

Sinatra Opera Workshop
Opera at LMU is a special kind of musical and theatrical communication that enjoys an enthusiastic audience. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Frank Sinatra and his family, the workshop was endowed in the Spring of 1999 and is now called the Francis Albert Sinatra Opera Workshop. The Sinatra Opera Workshop attracts students with backgrounds in musical theatre or choral singing, as well as those who already have a strong interest in opera. Recent major annual performances have included Puccini's Gianni Schicchi , as well as scenes from Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte,The Marriage of Figaro , and The Magic Flute, Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea, and Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors Opera programs at the college level that devote virtually all roles to undergraduates are rare. LMU has integrated this within the Liberal Arts curriculum in a way that is unique.

LMU Chamber Orchestra
T he LMU Chamber Orchestra offers students and members of the community the chance to perform orchestral music representing a variety of style periods and musical genre. Participation is secured through audition. Scholarships are available for string players; the largest monetary awards go to music majors, but minors and a few exceptional general students usually receive substantial amounts as well. Among the recently performed works have been Concerti Grossi by Corelli, Vivaldi and Handel; the Serenades by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Elgar; and Britten's Simple Symphony.

LMU World Music Ensembles
West African. With an emphasis on the repertoires of southern Ghana, this ensemble offers opportunities for the study and performance of traditional instrumental and vocal music as well as dance. While regionally distinct genres that incorporate various drums, idiophones, and dance are the principle focus of the ensemble, participants also learn music for unison voices, multipart choir, and atenteben (traditional flute). The instruction is geared to a traditional "aural" approach. In addition to the regular schedule of rehearsals, workshops with visiting master teachers (including Kobla Ladzekpo, director of West African Music and Dance Ensembles at both CalArts and U.C.L.A. and founder/director of the Zadonu African Music and Dance Company in Los Angeles), are incorporated within most semesters.

Balinese Gamelan.This semester under the direction of Dr. Paul Humphreys, the LMU World Music Ensemble will begin its exploration into the world of Balinese Gamelan with instruments recently acquired with funds made available by the Department of Music.

Chamber Ensembles

String Ensemble
The LMU String Ensemble is comprised of our most accomplished string players. An audition at the beginning of each school year determines eligibility for membership and scholarship funds. The ensemble varies in size (mostly from trio to quintet) at the discretion of the coach. Members of this elite group are expected to serve as principals in the LMU Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Frances Moore. The ensemble is featured each semester at one of the Student Ensembles Concerts. It also represents the department at official University functions. Examples of works recently performed by the ensemble include Schubert's Death and the Maiden, D.810 and Dvorak's American Quartet, Op. 96.

Guitar Ensemble
The LMU Guitar Ensemble has been in existence since 1988 and has ranged in size from trio to guitar "orchestra-sized" groups. This group provides both the skills needed for musical communication and the opportunity for camaraderie among guitarists. The LMU Guitar Ensemble performs frequently for formal and informal Departmental and University events. In addition, on- and off-campus performance opportunities for the ensemble are sometimes available.

Mixed Chamber Ensembles
The LMU chamber ensembles are comprised of various combinations of players that include majors, minors, and gifted general students. The chamber groups may include piano(s), strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, etc. After students have auditioned for the ensemble, they find it to be the most flexible in the department because Ms. Tania Fleischer, coach of the ensembles, specifically tailors the group to her student demographic each semester. Examples of works recently performed by the ensemble include Schubert's Trout Quintet, D.667 and The Carnival of the Animals from Saint-Saëns for 8-hands piano.