Wind Bands
ALL UMASS STUDENTS ARE WELCOME TO PLAY IN UMASS BANDS!
Check out the Wind Studies website or see below for more info.
Concert Band, see below for placement audition excerpts/scales, to play at the first rehearsal.
Wind Ensemble/Symphony Band Concert Schedule, 2018-19 (on Wind Studies website)
The UMass Amherst Bands are open to all students, subject to auditions held at the beginning of each semester, and appear in concert on campus several times a year. The Bands have been selected to represent UMass Amherst at conferences and festivals that have included Symphony Hall in Springfield, MA; the Washington, D.C. home of the Marine Band; and the Capitol Building in Boston.
WIND ENSEMBLE
Matthew Westgate, conductor
Performs major works in twentieth-century wind literature. Regularly commissions and premieres new works and has recorded the wind music of David Maslanka and Charles Bestor on the Albany and Centaur CD labels. Recently invited to perform at Music Educators National Conference and College Band Directors conferences in Connecticut, New Jersey and the Washington D.C. home of the U.S. Marine Band.
SYMPHONY BAND
Matthew Westgate, conductor
Performs a wide range of wind literature, including works by composers such as Persichetti, Benson, Woolfenden, Holst, Grainger and Ticheli. Features guest soloists and conductors and has performed at MENC and CBDNA Eastern Division Conventions.
CONCERT BAND
Timothy T. Anderson, director
Meets and performs in both the fall and spring semesters (one concert each semester) and features a wide variety of standard band literature. The University Community is particularly encouraged to join - everyone is welcome.
There are no auditions to join the Concert Band, but there are auditions for chair placement. These are held during the first rehearsal. Each audition consists of an excerpt and scales. Website »
Chair Placement Auditions:
SCALES: Flute Alto/Bari Sax Bflat-TrebleClef Horn Trombone-EuphBC-Bassoon Tuba
EXCERPTS (Spring 2019):
Piccolo Flute Oboe Clarinet BassClarinet Bassoon AltoSax TenorSax BariSax Horn Trumpet Trombone
EuphoniumTC EuphBC Tuba
MINUTEMAN MARCHING BAND
Timothy T. Anderson, director
One of the finest university marching bands in the Northeast, this 300-member ensemble performs at home and away football games and makes many guest appearances throughout the region and nationally. Website »
MINUTEMAN HOOP BAND
Provides musical excitement and spirit at home basketball games and post-season tournaments. Open to students from the entire University Community. Website »
WIND/BRASS/PERCUSSION - Placement Audition Excerpts, Spring 2019
For Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band & UMass Symphony Orchestra
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Saxophone (Listening Links) (Audition Tips) From Prof. Hulting-Cohen: Everyone auditioning for Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band should audition on alto. The pieces slated for soprano may be played on soprano or alto, no other horns. Students are responsible for jazz saxophone excerpts but are not responsible for improvisation or clarinet/flute excerpts.
Bassoon: Please prepare 1-2 minutes of a solo piece (no piano required)
Horn
Trumpet
Tenor Trombone
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion: LaMer-Glock Delecluse-snare Mahler-timp Mozart-timp Porgy-xylo Lizst-triangle Prokofiev-snare Tchaik-cymbal
If you have questions about any of these audition excerpts or instructions, please contact the studio teacher (see below).
You may also see the printed excerpts in the Music Office, Room 273, where available. Any questions, please contact the studio teacher directly:
Prof. du Toit (Flute)
Prof. Cohen (Oboe)
Prof. de Guise-Langlois (Clarinet)
Prof. Hulting-Cohen (Saxophone)
Remy Taghavi (Bassoon)
Prof. Berlin (Trumpet)
Prof. Michal (Horn)
Prof. Spiridopoulos (Trombone)
Prof. Bottomley (Tuba/Euphonium)
Prof. Kataoka (Percussion)