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Bands

Emporia State University Bands

Band Ensembles

Wind Ensemble

Dr. Gary Ziek, Director

The Emporia State University Wind Ensemble is an 80-member group, consisting of the university’s premiere wind players and percussionists. The group has recently performed the music of composers such as Vincent Persichetti, Dmitri Shostakovich, William Schumann and Eric Whitacre. The Wind Ensemble has released two CDs, Rituals of Fire and Racing With the Sun, featuring the music of ESU composers.

Seating auditions take place in September. Information on member placement will be posted on the band bulletin board in Beach Music Hall.

Course Title: Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Course Number: MU 316 A
Rehearsals: Fall MTWR 3:00-3:50 pm (beginning 9th week of semester); Spring MTWR 3:00-3:50 pm
Room Number: Beach Hall 134

Rehearsals will begin in rotation with marching band after auditions are held. More information and specific dates will be posted after the semester starts and marching band gets underway. Wind ensemble will run in conjunction with marching band. There will never be a schedule conflict between the two ensembles.

Group Instrumentation:

  • Piccolo
  • Flute
  • Oboe
  • Bassoon
  • Bb Clarinet
  • Bass Clarinet
  • Alto Saxophone
  • Tenor Saxophone
  • Baritone Saxophone
  • Trumpet
  • Horn
  • Trombone
  • Euphonium
  • Tuba
  • Percussion

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Ziek at 620-341-6673 or at gziek@emporia.edu.

Marching Band

Dr. William Woodworth, Director

The Emporia Marching Hornets consists of students from virtually every department on campus. Our common goal is to provide you with an incredibly fun-filled, productive, efficient and exciting atmosphere. In the EMH, you will be asked to consistently strive for excellence and achieve high standards while also having fun. As a member of this organization, your individual efforts will determine what we can achieve as a whole.

The EMH is a great opportunity to meet people, continue playing your instrument, develop leadership skills and be part of a long-standing tradition at Emporia State University.

In addition, incredible and renewable scholarships are available for EMH participants.

Marching Band Camp starts a week before classes begin. The EMH doesn't require an audition, but during the pre-camp, members will be listened to and watched for placement in sections.

Course Name: Marching Band
Course Number: MU 245 A/MU 645 A
Rehearsals: MWF 3:00-5:00 p.m. (first eight weeks of fall semester)
MW 4:00-5:00 p.m. and F 3:00-5:00 p.m. (second eight weeks of fall semester, until conclusion of season)
Room Number: Beach Hall 134

Learn more about the Marching Band

Jazz Ensemble

Dr. Gary Ziek, Director

The Emporia State University Jazz Ensembles, under the direction of Dr. Gary Ziek, continues the long tradition of jazz education and performance at ESU. The band plays a wide variety of literature, ranging from the classic jazz of Count Basie and Duke Ellington to the contemporary sounds of Gordon Goodwin and Bob Florence. The group has performed with jazz artists such as Frank Mantooth, Bob Bowman, Doug Talley, Arthur Lipner, Robert McCurdy, Rick DiMuzio, Arthur White and Randy Hamm.

The band has played throughout the world, from performances at the Kansas Music Educators Association convention to the Lincoln Center in New York City, to performances in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Course: Jazz Ensemble
Course Number: MU 318 A / MU 648 A
Rehearsals: MTWR 12:00-12:50 p.m.
Room Number: Beach Hall 134

ESU Jazz Ensemble Audition Information

To all instrumentalists interested in auditioning for the ESU Jazz Ensemble I and II, we will have a brief meeting in the band room (BH 134) at 12:00 p.m. on the first day of the fall semester. We will proceed to auditions immediately after our meeting.

There are openings for

  • Saxophone
  • Trumpet
  • Trombone
  • Guitar
  • Piano
  • Bass
  • Drum set
  • Auxiliary Percussion (Vibes, Latin Percussion)

Wind auditions will consist of three parts:

  1. Prepared music (in envelopes on the jazz bulletin board).
  2. Sight Reading.
  3. Improvisation (optional).

Drum Set – please be prepared to demonstrate the indicated grooves in your drum set audition packets.

Rhythm Section – Be able to vamp and improvise on a Bb Blues.

Please contact Dr. Ziek if you have any questions.

Office: 620-341-6673

E-mail: gziek@emporia.edu

Audition music can be found here. This is subject to change as we get closer to the fall semester.

Alto Sax

Tenor Sax

Baritone Sax

Trumpet

Trombone

4th/Bass Trombone

Guitar

Piano

Bass

Drum Set

Aux Percussion/Vibes

Percussion Ensemble

Dr. Tracy Freeze, Director

The ESU Percussion Ensemble is a consortium of musicians who interpret cutting-edge, avant-garde works of the 20th and 21st century. While keeping its eye on repertoire of the past, ESU percussion is active in commissioning new works and hosting premiere performances.

The percussion ensemble fulfills the chamber music requirements for a musician studying within the percussion program at Emporia State University.

Course Name: Chamber Music - Percussion Ensemble
Course Number: MU 391 C
Rehearsals: TR 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Room Number: Beach Hall 134

Hornet Revue

Dr. William Woodworth, Director

The Emporia State Hornet Revue is a select band of musicians that has developed into the most versatile, high-energy, well-known musical group on campus. Student leadership and active student group involvement have made this group truly exceptional.

You will gain a broad range of experience playing music in popular styles such as jazz, 80's rock, 70's funk, Latin, hip-hop, 90's rock, pop, disco and metal.

Through the Hornet Revue, you will learn to adapt your playing style to different venues such as outdoor concerts, arena performances, stage band settings and professional-style recording sessions.

Course Name: Hornet Revue
Course Number: MU 244 PA
Rehearsals: W 7:00-8:50 p.m.
Room Number: Beach Hall 134

Woodwind Ensembles

Flute Choir

Kate Bergman, Director

The Emporia State University Flute Choir is open to any ESU student who plays the flute. This group is regularly around ten to fifteen members, rehearsing weekly for ninety minutes.

Performing a variety of music, you have the opportunity to play school-owned piccolos, alto flutes and bass flutes. The Flute Choir regularly performs at the Kansas Music Educators conventions in addition to performances each semester throughout the region.

Course: Chamber Music - Flute Choir
Course Number: MU 391H
Rehearsals: R 4:00-5:30 pm
Room Number: Heath Recital Hall

Clarinet Choir

Dawn McConkie, Director

The ESU Clarinet Choir provides you with the opportunity to play Eb clarinet, Bass clarinet, Eb Contra and the Bb Contra Bass Clarinet.

The ensemble plays both arrangements of well-known pieces and music written specifically for the clarinet ensemble. There is no set number of members to a choir of clarinets and the group consists of seven to 20 members.

Course: Chamber Music - Clarinet Choir
Course Number: MU 391 J/MU 691 J
Rehearsals: T 4:00-4:50 pm
Room Number: Beach Music Hall/Heath Recital Hall

Saxophone Quartet

Dawn McConkie, Director

Saxophone Quartet is an ensemble reserved for students selected by the studio teacher.

The quartet provides you with ample performance experience, as you prepare and perform repertoire covering a variety of genres, including classical transcriptions, contemporary works and jazz pieces.

Course Name: Chamber Music - Saxophone Ensemble
Course Number: MU 391 K/MU 691 K
Rehearsals: T 4:00–4:50 pm
Room Number: Beach Hall/Heath Recital Hall

Chamber Winds and Student Woodwind Quintet

Dawn McConkie, Director

The ESU Chamber Winds and Quintet provides advanced training in the art of wind playing to students who have the necessary technical skills.

During the semester, you will rehearse various works for public performance in addition to rehearsing other selected works in order to familiarize you with a variety of styles and enhance your knowledge of the repertoire.

Course Name: Chamber Music - Chamber Winds
Course Number: MU 391 A/MU 691 A
Rehearsals: TBD
Room Number: Beach Hall

Brass Ensembles

Horn Choir

Terrisa Ziek, Director

The ESU Horn Choir is open by audition to students interested in performing horn literature. Students of any major are invited to audition by contacting the director.

Meeting times: TBD

Trumpet Ensemble

Gary Ziek, Director

The trumpet ensemble is composed of both undergraduate and graduate students whose primary instrument is trumpet.

Meeting times: TBD

Low Brass Ensemble

William Woodworth, Director

ESU's Low Brass Ensemble is comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students proficient in the euphonium, baritone, trombone or tuba.

The studio is made up of music performance and music education majors, music minors and students pursuing non-music fields of study.

Please contact Dr. Woodworth for more information, at 620-341-5295 or wwoodwor@emporia.edu.

Course: Chamber Music - Low Brass Ensemble
Course Number: MU 391 B/MU 691 B
Rehearsals: TBA