MUSI 121 - Ensembles

31 Jazz Combo* - An instrumental ensemble class for the purpose of learning jazz styles and improvisation within a small ensemble setting and for the purpose of training students for small group jazz performance. Open to all qualified University students by audition.

32 Lyric Theatre*-Lyric Theater is an ensemble in the Horton School of Music which presents Broadway musicals, operas or scenes programs each year.  The class format simulates the rehearsal and production of a professional musical stage presentation.  All CSU students are welcome to audition for these productions or to help on the production staff.  Rehearsals generally begin 4 to 8 weeks before the production and culminate in multiple performances. In addition to participating in the production, students are expected to attend scheduled rehearsals and assist in set and costume building.

33 Marching Band- The Marching Band at Charleston Southern is a marching ensemble of the University. Membership for wind players is open to all students. Membership in the colorguard or percussion section is open by invitation or audition. The ensemble performs one or two shows every season, and provides small ensembles for various functions on campus for Athletic events and otherwise. The Marching Band rehearses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:30-5:00, as well as game-day Saturdays. The Marching Band performs at every home football game, and usually at two away football games every season. The course is offered in variable credit hours, either 1.0 credit hour or for zero credit. The goal of the Marching Band is to provide entertaining halftime shows, to engage our audiences, and to inspire each other in Christian fellowship.

34 Concert Singers*-Prerequisite: Permission of professor and an a cappella audition. A premier mixed choral ensemble singing selected sacred and secular repertoire from all choral periods and styles. A cappella and accompanied choral literature will be studied and performed including major works with orchestra. The Concert Singers will perform at least one major concert per semester on the campus of Charleston Southern University.

35 Jazz Band*-An instrumental ensemble for the purpose of rehearsing and performing jazz repertoire in a small to large group setting. Open to all qualified University students by permission of instructor.

36 Symphonic Band- The Symphonic Band at Charleston Southern is a wind and percussion ensemble of the University. Membership is by audition and/or invitation. The ensemble performs literature ranging from grades 3-5 available for winds and percussion, both as a whole and in smaller combinations. Repertoire is selected from the Renaissance through the 21st century, in order to provide students with an understanding of a wide variety of musical styles and musical conventions drawn from the finest band repertoire. The Symphonic Band seeks to provide performance experiences as both a means complementary to this end and as an end unto itself.

37 Chamber Ensembles*-Each Chamber Ensemble is a performance-based course focusing on the development of classical instrumental performance skills. Students are evaluated at weekly rehearsals as to their individual instrumental and musical progress. Students will study a variety of repertoire covering style periods as literature allows. Repertoire difficulty will increase as instrumental and musical skills increase.

38 Pep Band- The Pep Band is a selected ensemble that performs at all men’s and women’s home basketball games, and occasional conference and national tournaments out-of-town each season. Rehearsals are approximately 1 hour weekly from November through March. Open to music majors and non-music majors.

39 Percussion Ensemble - Percussion Ensemble is dedicated to performances of traditional and contemporary concert repertoire in both large ensemble and chamber ensemble settings. Rehearsals will focus on fundamental to advanced performance techniques, musical cohesiveness, and interpretation of literature. Weekly rehearsals will culminate in public concert performance(s) during the semester. Students will be notified of concert dates at the first ensemble rehearsal via the course syllabus.

40 Intermediate Steel Drum Ensemble - Intermediate Steel Drum Ensemble is designed to introduce non-music major CSU students to traditional handcrafted steel drums from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. This ensemble will focus on beginner to intermediate performance techniques, musical cohesiveness, and interpretation through traditional and contemporary steel drum literature. Musical styles such as calypso, Afro-Cuban, soca, and others will be explored in this course, as well as the history of steel drums. Weekly rehearsals will culminate in public performance(s), on or off campus, during the semester. Students will be notified of concert dates at the first ensemble rehearsal via the course syllabus.

41 Advanced Steel Drum Ensemble - Advanced Steel Drum Ensemble is designed to study the performance of traditional handcrafted steel drums from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. This ensemble will focus on intermediate and advanced performance techniques, musical cohesiveness, and interpretation through traditional and contemporary steel drum literature. Musical styles such as calypso, Afro-Cuban, soca, and others will be explored in this course, as well as the history of steel drums. Weekly rehearsals will culminate in public performance(s), on or off campus, during the semester. Students will be notified of concert dates at the first ensemble rehearsal via the course syllabus.

50 Collaborative Artistry - This ensemble provides an opportunity for instrumental and vocal performance majors to collaborate with piano performance majors in to learn from each other rehearsal and performance of assigned repertoire. Students will develop listening, interpretive, musical another performance skills related to collaborative performance.  This ensemble provides the opportunity for Bachelor of Arts in Performance piano, instrumental and vocal majors to develop listening, interpretive, musical and other skills related to collaborative performance. 

51 Pit Orchestra- The class format simulates the rehearsal and performance of the orchestra for a professional musical stage presentation. Players in the orchestra will rehearse as an ensemble prior to the production week of the show, attend dress rehearsals and perform in the pit orchestra for the production. Dress rehearsals and performances will be scheduled with relation to each individual production.

52 Opera/Musical Theatre- Opera and Musical Theatre Workshop is a cross-listed academic offering in the Horton School of Music and Theatre Department at Charleston Southern University. It is an opportunity for singer-actors and actor-singers to receive performance experience in an educational setting. Each performer may indicate a preference of opera/operetta or musical theatre as the genre for his/her primary scene. Scenic work is then chosen to complement the strengths of the student while providing strategic challenges for the performer. The student performs in his/her primary scene and performs one or more secondary roles in other scenes. Scenes are rehearsed for much of the semester then presented in a performance at the end of the semester.

56 Wind Ensemble* - The Wind Ensemble at Charleston Southern is the select wind and percussion ensemble of the University. Membership is by audition and/or invitation. The ensemble performs the finest literature available for winds and percussion, both as a whole and in smaller combinations, from the Renaissance through the 21st century, in order to provide students with an understanding of a wide variety of musical styles and musical conventions drawn from the finest band repertoire, and provide performance experience as both a means complementary to this end and as an end unto itself.

57 Orchestra*- A performing ensemble consisting of strings and, when required, winds or percussion.

58 Bel Canto (Women’s Chorale)- A choral ensemble composed of treble voices singing selected sacred and secular repertoire from all choral periods and styles. A cappella and accompanied choral literature will be studied and performed. Bel Canto will perform at least one major concert per semester on the campus of Charleston Southern University.

59 Singing Buccaneers (Men’s Ensemble)-  A choral ensemble composed of men’s singing selected sacred and secular repertoire from all choral periods and styles. A cappella and accompanied choral literature will be studied and performed. Singing Buccaneers will perform at least one major concert per semester on the campus of Charleston Southern University

61 Holy City Worship*- Pre-requisite: 1 semester of MUSI 151-32 class voice or private voice lessons (MUSI 181-32, 182-32, 281-32, 282-32) or with the permission of the professor. Co-requisite: An audition-interview is required. This course provides the student with the opportunity to observe, to participate, and to direct contemporary music ensembles similar to those found in modern churches.  Several ensemble formats will be used in class, depending on class size, including praise team (3-6 voices), vocal ensemble 6-9 voices). Students will learn to prepare and lead effective rehearsals, to develop a balanced sound between voices and instruments, and to achieve a unified blend in combined vocal parts. The experiential nature of the class will provide students with opportunities to use their individual applied study (voice, keyboard, guitar) in praise band formats.  In addition, teams of students from this class may lead worship services and events on or off campus. Off-campus travel is required for this course.

62 Worship Collective  This course provides the student with the opportunity to observe, to participate, and to direct music ensembles similar to those found in local churches. This ensemble is a small ensemble/choir where students prepare to sing in a SATB and SAT church choir format. Senior Music and Worship Leadership majors will student direct, learn to prepare and lead effective rehearsals, to develop a balanced sound between voices, and to achieve a unified blend in combined vocal parts. In addition, teams of students from this class may lead worship services and events on or off campus throughout the semester.

63 Gospel Choir The course is intended to instruct students on the historical perspective and the aspects of traditional gospel music and how it has become a progressive sound in the contemporary context of the worship experience. This course supports and ties scholarly encouragement, diversity, and theological efforts with a Christ-centered emphasis. This class is comprised of singers from all academic disciplines within Charleston Southern University. Concentration is extended to interpretation and performance methods, both of which culminate in the planning for public performance. This includes the preparation of selections to be sung in church, concerts, musical festivities, conferences, or any event where a request has been submitted. 

Note: *Audition and/or interview required. This course cannot be challenged.