Ensembles

Interested in participating in Music ensembles at UNK? Fill out the Music Ensemble Participation Inquiry for more information:

Music Ensemble Participation Inquiry

Ensemble Faculty Advisor Contact Email
Choirs John Petzet

petzeti@unk.edu

Jazz Band Tim Farrell

farrelltp@unk.edu

KSO & Chamber Ensemble Alison Gaines

gainesaj@unk.edu

Marching Band & Symphonic Band Brian Alber

alberbw@unk.edu

Nebraskats Victoria Glandon

glandonvl@lopers.unk.edu

New Music Ensemble Anthony Donofrio

donofrioaj@unk.edu

Opera Workshop Anne Foradori

foradoria@unk.edu

Small Ensemble - Woodwinds David Nabb

nabbd@unk.edu

Thornton String Quartet / String Trio Ting-Lan Chen

chent1@unk.edu

Wind Ensemble & Percussion Ensemble Duane Bierman

biermanda@unk.edu

Woodwind Quintet & Flute Choir Franziska Brech

brechfb@unk.edu

Jazz/Rock Ensemble

The UNK Jazz/Rock Ensemble, one of the top performing and touring groups on campus, serves as a laboratory for music students to hone their jazz performance skills and as a small ensemble for university students who want to play big band jazz. The instrumentation consists of five saxophones, four trombones, five trumpets, two keyboard players who double on synthesizers, electric bass, electric guitar and two percussionists. All university students are eligible to audition. The ensemble rehearses on MWF from 12:20 to 1:10, and each section rehearses individually once each week. During Fall semester, the band prepares a December concert and during the Spring semester, an April concert. Occasionally, the Ensemble participates in national festivals such as the University of Northern Colorado's Greeley Jazz Festival. For more information, contact Tim Farrell.

Chamber Ensemble

Chamber Ensemble is a small group primarily for string players, but other instrumentalists are welcome to inquire about joining. Repertoire consists of music by composers from the Renaissance period to the present day and varies each semester. The group performs on campus once per semester and occasionally off campus and rehearses for roughly 1 hour twice a week (to be determined by member's schedules).

Kearney Symphony Orchestra

For over a century, music lovers from all parts of Nebraska have gathered in Kearney to join in the camaraderie of playing and listening to great symphony orchestra literature, as well as popular favorites. Central Nebraska's premier symphonic Orchestra is composed of enthusiastic music lovers from North Platte to Grand Island, and from Alma to Dunning. The body also serves as the student orchestra of UNK. The orchestra rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-9:30, and usually presents four concerts each season (October, December, March and April). On occasion, community chamber-music concerts are presented in conjunction with the regular season concerts.

Thornton String Quartet

Formed during the fall semester of 2004, the Thornton String Quartet is UNK's principal scholarship chamber ensemble and has represented UNK in various performance venues throughout Nebraska. Literature performed includes the standard string quartet repertoire of the eighteenth century to the present. Selected through competitive auditions, each of the quartet members receives a Thornton String Quartet Scholarship in the amount of $3,000 annually. Members of the quartet rehearse twice a week and perform in the Kearney Symphony Orchestra which rehearses one evening per week. Each semester, the quartet performs in recitals and in other community/university service settings. For more information, contact Ting-Lan Chen.

Nebraskats

The Nebraskats is an auditioned show choir comprised of full-time UNK students from many majors across campus. The Nebraskats’ contemporary singing and choreography includes Broadway show tunes, and popular music from many genres. The singers are accompanied by a small band. The Nebraskats are directed by Victoria Glandon. Students who are interested in signing up for Nebraskats should enroll in MUS 178 and connect with Ms. Glandon for audition information.