Bluefield College Music Department Performing

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Bluefield College Music Department Performing Ensembles All ensembles are open to all students regardless of their major. All ensembles satisfy the requirements of Music Department scholarships.

Bluefield College Athletics Band is an auditioned instrumental ensemble whose primary purpose is to perform for and in support of various Bluefield College athletic events. Bluefield College Concert Band is a non-auditioned ensemble that performs for oncampus and community events. It is open to instrumentalists with high school band or equivalent experience. The concert band is directed by Dr. Charles Priest, Assistant Professor of Music. Bluefield College Jazz Band is an auditioned ensemble that performs jazz literature for on-campus, local and regional events. The repertoire covers jazz and blues improvisation as well as standards throughout the history of jazz. Previous experience with jazz is not a requirement. The jazz band is directed by Dr. Andrew Necessary. Bluefield College Community Orchestra is an auditioned orchestra that performs works from standard orchestral literature. The ensemble holds a weekly two-hour rehearsal. The orchestra is directed by Dr. Charles Priest, Assistant Professor of Music. Bluefield Singers is a non-auditioned choir that performs primarily for on-campus and local performances including concerts, convocation and other events. Hymn arrangements, spirituals, Contemporary Christian arrangements, classical and folk selections are included in the repertoire of this ensemble directed by Lisa Moxley, Adjunct Instructor of Music. Masterworks Chorale is a group made up of Bluefield College students, faculty and staff, and persons from the Bluefield/Princeton region. The group presents a minimum of two concerts per year, studying and performing repertoire that includes major choral works such as Handel's Messiah, sacred and secular choral works by renowned historical and living composers, and special theme concerts organized around such topics as "Music for the Stage", "A Night With Gilbert and Sullivan", "Christmas in the British Isles", and many more. Course can be taken for credit or for non-credit. No audition is required. Directed by Dr. Ben Thorburn, Assistant Professor of Music Opera Theatre Ensemble engages singer/actors in the study, preparation, and performance of scenes and ensembles from selected operatic works. Experiences in staging, production, set design and construction, and costuming is included in the course. The semester will culminate in a public performance at Bluefield College. When feasible, the ensemble will also travel to perform in the region for outreach and recruiting. Directed by Dr. Ben Thorburn, Assistant Professor of Music

Praise Singers performs Contemporary Christian and Praise and Worship music throughout the region. The group is an auditioned group of six to ten vocalists and a band. Praise Singers regularly participates in recording projects and serves as a worship team for campus worship. Directed by Susan Allen, Adjunct Instructor of Music Variations is a 20-28 voice auditioned touring chorus that performs a wide variety of the most challenging choral literature. Variations tours annually throughout the region performing for on and off campus concerts, churches, denominational events and for public and private schools. Variations has performed twice at Carnegie Hall and once at the Lincoln Center in New York. Variations has toured internationally in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic and is currently planning a tour to India in summer of 2014. Variations is involved in annual recording projects and is directed by Bryant Moxley, Music Department Chair. Bluefield College Concert Band is a non-auditioned ensemble that performs for on-campus and community events. It is open to instrumentalists with high school band or equivalent experience. The concert band is directed by Dr. Charles Priest, Instructor of Music. Bluefield College Jazz Band is an auditioned ensemble that performs jazz literature for oncampus, local and regional events. The repertoire covers jazz and blues improvisation as well as standards throughout the history of jazz. Previous experience with jazz is not a requirement. The jazz band is directed by Dr. Charles Priest, Instructor of Music. Bluefield College Orchestra is an auditioned ensemble that performs works from standard orchestral literature. Orchestra members include Bluefield College students and residents of the surrounding communities. The orchestra is directed by Dr. Charles Priest, Instructor of Music. Bluefield Singers is a non-auditioned choir that performs primarily for on-campus and local performances including concerts, convocation and other events. Hymn arrangements, spirituals, Contemporary Christian arrangements, classical and folk selections are included in the repertoire of this ensemble directed by Lisa Moxley, Adjunct Instructor of Music. Masterworks Chorale is a group made up of Bluefield College students, faculty and staff, and persons from the Bluefield/Princeton region. The group presents a minimum of two concerts per year, studying and performing repertoire that includes major choral works such as Handel’s Messiah, sacred and secular choral works by renowned historical and living composers, and special theme concerts organized around such topics as “Music for the Stage”, “A Night With Gilbert and Sullivan”, “Christmas in the British Isles”, and many more. Course can be taken for credit or for non-credit. No audition is required. Directed by Dr. Barbara Hudson, Assistant Professor of Music Opera Theatre Ensemble presents a program of scenes from operas, operettas, musical theatre works, and complete chamber operas every spring semester. The semester includes preparation for role portrayal and ensemble singing, but also includes experiences in set design and construction, prop preparation, makeup techniques, and costume preparation. Participation can be for credit or for non-credit. Participation in the ensemble is not by audition, but placement interviews with the director are required. Directed by Dr. Barbara Hudson, Assistant Professor of Music Praise Singers performs Contemporary Christian and Praise and Worship music throughout the region. The group is an auditioned group of six to ten vocalists and a band. Praise Singers regularly participates in recording projects and serves as a worship team for campus worship. Directed by Susan Allen, Adjunct Instructor of Music

Variations is a 20-28 voice auditioned touring chorus that performs a wide variety of the most challenging choral literature. Variations tours annually throughout the region performing for on and off campus concerts, churches, denominational events and for public and private schools. Variations has performed twice at Carnegie Hall and performed at the Lincoln Center in New York last summer. Variations has toured internationally in Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. Additionally, Variations is involved in annual recording projects and is directed by Bryant Moxley, Music Department Chair.