Ensembles

The Boston University School of Music orchestral program, which includes the Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra, plays a central role in the education of the School’s instrumentalists who aspire to professions as chamber musicians, orchestral musicians, teachers, or a combination of all three.

Professor Sarah Ioannides, Director of Orchestral Activities, oversees artistic and educational planning for the entire program and conducts the majority of the Symphony Orchestra performances, including their annual concert at Boston’s Symphony Hall.

The orchestras also work with other BU faculty, distinguished guest conductors, and members of the graduate conducting program. Professor William Lumpkin, Director of the BU Opera Institute, directs the school’s two annual mainstage opera productions. The orchestras collaborate with the choral department, perform concerto repertoire with student competition winners, and take part in composition reading sessions. All orchestral students are assigned to projects on a per-cycle basis, regularly rotating between the Symphony and Chamber orchestras, operas, and other projects.

Advanced non-music majors (including music minors) may audition for this group under these criteria:

• They must be registered for CFA ML Applied lessons or CFA MP Non-Major lessons for School of Music credit
• Both the applied teacher and conductor of the ensemble must approve of that student’s audition
• School of Music Performance Majors and Music Education Majors shall have first priority for ensemble placement

If interested, please contact the Ensembles Manager, Katharine Hurd.

The Wind Ensemble is the premiere music major band in the School of Music. Under the baton of Professor Kenneth Amis, the Wind Ensemble is designed to prepare wind, brass, and percussion players for the professional careers in ensemble performance. It also provides future music educators with institute standard teaching concepts and methods related to the study of band repertoire and performance. Prof. Amis demonstrates standard rehearsal techniques and requires an outstanding level of performance.

Membership in the Wind Ensemble is determined by auditions held in conjunction with the School of Music in September. Extremely talented non-music majors (including music minors) who have already spent at least one year at Boston University in a non-major ensemble may audition for this group. If interested, please contact the Ensembles Manager, Katharine Hurd.

Chamber Choir (CFA MP 604 A/B)

40-voice auditioned mixed chamber choir made up primarily of School of Music voice/music education majors and select non-majors from outside the School of Music. Non-majors (undergraduate/graduate/community members) across the university are encouraged to audition. Auditions are held on 9/1/2025 from 11:00-3:30PM. Please email Dr. Daniel Parsley, Director of Choral Activities & Director of Graduate Conducting programs, at dparsley@bu.edu to schedule your audition.

Recent highlights included a performances of J.S. Bach’s St John Passion with Handel & Haydn Society (H+H) and BU Baroque Orchestra, Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem, Caroline Shaw’s To the Hands, Britten Ceremony of Carols, Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer, and a special performance of spirituals with the GRAMMY® Award-winning American Spiritual Ensemble.  Fall 2025 will feature Bach Magnficat with the BU Chamber Orchestra, opportunities for chamber ensemble work with a madrigal focused concert including Whitare Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine alongside works by Monteverdi, Wilbye and more, as well a collaborative performance at Boston Symphony Hall for the Boston 250th anniversary All City Concert.

Course Time: Monday & Friday 12:20p-2:05p (CFA MP 604 A-B – 0.5 credit)

Symphonic Chorus (CFA MP 603/MU 099/199)

125-voice Symphony Chorus of music majors, non-majors, and faculty/staff/alumni from across the greater Boston University community. Symphonic Chorus rehearses Wednesday from 7:00-9:30pm (0-1 credit) and performs each fall with the BU Chamber Orchestra as well on BU’s annual spring performance at Boston Symphony Hall. Recent season highlights include a Boston Symphony Hall concerts featuring Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé , V. Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, and Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem. 

For more information on Symphonic Chorus, please visit BU Choruses & Choirs or email Dr. Daniel Parsley at dparsley@bu.edu 

University Chorus: Tenor/Bass Chorus (CFA MP 601B, MU 098B ,MU 198B)

30-voice chorus of tenor/bass voices (low) of music majors, non-majors, and faculty/staff/alumni from across the greater Boston University community. University Choruses rehearse Mondays 6:45-9:15 pm (0-1 credit). No audition required. The ensembles rehearse concurrently and often join for SATB repertoire as well as SSAA and TTBB repertoire. For more information on University Choruses, please visit please visit BU Choruses & Choirs or email Dr. Daniel Parsley at dparsley@bu.edu

University Chorus: Soprano/Alto Chorus (CFA MP 601A, MU 098A ,MU 198A)

50-voice chorus of soprano/alto voices of music majors, non-majors, and faculty/staff/alumni from across the greater Boston University. University Choruses rehearse Mondays 6:45-9:15 pm (0-1 credit). The ensembles rehearse concurrently and often join for SATB repertoire as well as SSAA and TTBB repertoire.  For more information on University Choruses, please visit please visit BU Choruses & Choirs or email Dr. Daniel Parsley at dparsley@bu.edu