Student Ensembles

Students can participate in choirs, orchestras, and bands, performing in styles ranging from early music to opera to jazz.

The University of New Hampshire is home to several instrumental and vocal performing ensembles, which are open to both Music majors and non-majors. 

Click here for ensemble audition information

UNH Bands have their own website. Visit it here.

Symphony Orchestra

The UNH Symphony rehearses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. It is open to the University population by audition.

String Orchestra

The string orchestra meets for an hour prior to symphony rehearsal on Tuesdays and Thursdays. String orchestra members must be members of the Symphony to participate. This ensemble gives students a chance to perform a diverse repertoire including accompanying the Opera Workshop in their endeavors.

Wind Symphony

The Wind Symphony is the select wind ensemble consisting of approximately 45 instrumentalists. They perform a wide range of music for winds, from small chamber ensembles to full band literature. Works are generally quite difficult and include both classics and contemporary music in the repertory. Wind Ensemble rehearses Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Andrew Boysen, conductor.

The UNH Wind Symphony has added prestigious appearances to its portfolio. It was featured at The College Band Directors National Association Eastern Division Convention held in Baltimore, MD. and at the New York State Band Directors Association Convention held in Syracuse, NY. Andrew Boysen, conductor, was joined by guest conductors Mark DeTurk and Erika Svanoe. Jenni Cook was the guest soloist for one of Ms. Svanoe's selections, Four Grainger Songs, by Percy Grainger, arranged by Erika Svanoe. Mark DeTurk led the Wind Symphony in Santa Fe Saga by Morton Gould. Andrew Boysen conducted Messagio by Zdenek Lukas, Rondino in E Flat by Ludwig van Beethoven, Relentless by Andrew Boysen, and the world premiere of 'S'aint Funk (patron saint of da groove) written by Michael Annicchiarico, one of the department's composers.

Symphonic Band

Symphonic Band is a large ensemble that plays a wide range of serious concert music that encompasses traditional band literature, transcriptions, and more recent works for winds. Symphonic Band enrollment is through audition. The band rehearses Tuesday and Thursday from 3:40 to 5:00 p.m., Nicholas Orovich, conductor.

Concert Band

Concert Band is a large ensemble that plays a wide range of serious concert music that encompasses traditional band literature, transcriptions, and more recent works for winds. Concert Band has open enrollment, auditions are necessary for seating purposes only. The band rehearses Tuesday and Thursday from 5:40 to 7:00 p.m., Casey Goodwin, conductor.

Marching Band and Winter Percussion

The University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band, aka WMB, has a tradition of being one of the most spirited organizations on campus. Made up of students from the entire campus, with majors ranging from music education and performance to mechanical engineering and equine science, the WMB performs at all home football games and several other regional exhibitions and parades. Membership in the WMB is open to ALL students regardless of experience level. In fact, a majority of the band members are non-music majors and the band's GPA is consistently above the university average.

The season begins one week before classes start with band camp. After band camp, the band rehearses every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6 to 8 PM. The WMB also meets Saturday mornings when there are home games to refine the show and go over the details for the day.

The University of New Hampshire’s Winter Percussion ensemble is an offshoot of the Wildcat Marching Band. Comprised of both current and prospective members of the WMB drumline, the goal of Winter Percussion is to elevate the skill level of all players so that they may be better prepared for the instrument of their choice.

Beast of the East Band

The Pep Band is open to all students and performs at many different athletic events on campus, including hockey, and basketball games. The Pep Band has a limited rehearsal schedule and plays a wide variety of music. Most students are members of both the Marching Band and the Pep Band, but it is possible to belong to one group and not the other. Rehearsals are Monday and Wednesday from 6:10 to 8:00 p.m., Casey Goodwin, conductor.

Jazz Band

The Jazz Band covers a wide spectrum of big band literature, from the classics (Ellington, Basie) up through contemporary writers (Bob Mintzer, Maria Schneider). The Jazz Band rehearses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:10 to 4 p.m., Dave Seiler, conductor.

Opera Workshop

Opera Workshop explores operatic singing, acting, and production techniques, and performs complete operas in the spring on the Johnson Theatre stage and operatic excerpts in the fall in the Bratton Recital Hall. It rehearses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:40 to 5:00 p.m. Auditions for Opera Workshop are open to all students attending the University of New Hampshire. The productions frequently cast non-music majors in principal roles.

Concert Choir

The Concert Choir is a large mixed chorus that studies and performs classical and modern literature. Performing four programs annually, often with the orchestra in the spring, the choir frequently draws on student soloists. The concert choir rehearses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:10 to 5:30 p. m. The director is William Kempster.

Chamber Singers

The Chamber Singers is a small mixed group which studies and performs sacred and secular works from the Renaissance to the present, often collaborating with faculty ensembles such as the Hampshire Consort and the Woodman Consort. The Chamber Singers rehearse Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:10 to 12:30 p. m. The director is William Kempster.