Academics

Academic Resources

Admission & Aid

Discover Susquehanna

Campus Life

Division of Student Life

About SU

Support Susquehanna

Academics BACK

Academic Resources

Admission & Aid BACK

Discover Susquehanna

Campus Life BACK

Division of Student Life

About SU BACK

Support Susquehanna

<a href="/live/image/gid/6/width/650/6089_music-department-header.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image6089"> <source type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/6/width/500/height/215/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/6/width/500/height/215/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 800px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/6/width/800/height/343/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 801px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/6/width/1200/height/515/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/6/width/500/height/215/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/6/width/500/height/215/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.jpg 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 800px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/6/width/800/height/343/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.jpg 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 801px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/6/width/1200/height/515/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/6/width/1200/height/515/crop/1/6089_music-department-header.rev.1623695740.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="515" data-max-w="1200" data-max-h="565"/> </picture> </a>

Festivals and Workshops

Explore Our University’s Dynamic Music Workshops

The Department of Music regularly hosts programs for high school musicians and members of the community.

These events encourage students to strengthen musicianship and provide a great introduction to department programs. Programs and festivals topics rotate regularly. Information on current programs and festivals can be found below.

Susquehanna University Choral Festival: United We Sing

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023

Susquehanna University’s Director of Choral Activities, Amy Voorhees, invites high school choral ensembles to participate in United We Sing, a one-day clinic and festival concert led by highly acclaimed guest composer, arranger and clinician Dr. René Clausen.

Choral directors can register their full ensemble to perform a song for the clinic and participate in the festival concert or can elect to bring any number of singers to observe the onstage clinic and participate in the festival concert. Both options include a performance by the university’s choir and detailed information for each option is included in the sections below.

Registration for this event is closed.

8:30–11:45 a.m. – Choral Ensemble Clinics
11:30 a.m. – Performance by the University Choir, Students and Faculty
12:15 p.m. – Lunch (Bring a sack lunch or boxes available for $10 each)
1:15 p.m. – Festival Rehearsal with Dr. Voorhees and Dr. Clausen
2 p.m. – Festival Concert: United We Sing
2:30 p.m. – Adjournment and Dismissal

To participate in the festival, register in the form below by October 23, 2023. For more information, contact Dr. Voorhees at voorhees@susqu.edu or 570–201–7353.

Dr. René Clausen, emeritus conductor of The Concordia Choir, is known nationally and internationally as a premiere conductor and composer. He served as choral conductor at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota from 1986 to 2020. Clausen continued the choir’s outstanding tradition and furthered its national and international reputation. He developed a choir that blends rich aesthetic expression, tonal refinement, and technical skill, serving as a model for choirs throughout the country. He has been the Artistic Director of the twice ©Emmy award winning Concordia Christmas Concert which are frequently broadcast nationally by PBS.

René Clausen is also a well-known composer and arranger, having written over seventy five commissioned compositions which are frequently performed worldwide. His compositional style is varied and eclectic, ranging from works appropriate for high school and church choirs to more technically-demanding compositions for college and professional choirs.

In 2012 Dr. Clausen received the Award for Excellence in the Arts from Washington and Lee University, and in 2016 Clausen was awarded the Reuel and Alma Wije Distinguished Professorship by Concordia College. In 2017 he was awarded an Alumni Achievement Award by his Alma Mater St. Olaf College. In the spring of 2018 he was given the Weston Noble Lifetime Achievement Award by the central and north central divisions of the American Choral Directors Association. He is the former holder of the Paul and Eleanor Christiansen Endowed Chair in Choral Music at Concordia College.

Horn Day

Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 from 1 to 6 p.m.

Horn Day is an excellent opportunity for horn playing students grades 7-12 to interact and perform with Susquehanna University’s horn studio led by professor Christi Smith. The day will include masterclasses with SU faculty and a guest artist, a side-by-side horn choir performance, and a SU studio recital. We hope you join us for a day filled with all things horn!

Participant Registration Form

Single Reed Day

Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Susquehanna University Single Reed Day is open to high school (grades 9-12) clarinetists and saxophonists of all backgrounds and skill levels. Hosted by Dr. Gail Levinsky & Dr. Anthony Poehailos, this exciting event features masterclasses, workshops on district audition material and a combined Single Reed ensemble. A brief reception for participants and families will follow the event.

Participant Registration Form

Susquehanna String Session

Friday, Nov. 17, 2023

The music department at Susquehanna University invites talented high school string players (grades 9 – 12) to participate in a one-day festival & concluding concert led by Zachary Levi, Director of Orchestras. This event will include the opportunity to work with distinguished Susquehanna faculty, connect with dedicated high school musicians and college music majors, and explore Susquehanna University. The closing program will be presented in the impressive Stretansky Concert Hall at 7 p.m.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 8, 2023. For more information, contact Dr. Levi at leviz@susqu.edu or 570–372–4287.

Participant Registration Form

Teacher Recommendation Form

A Susquehanna student playing the flute during rehearsal.

High School Composition Competition

Save the Date: January 2024
Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Maryland high school students currently in grades 9-12 are invited to enter a composition competition hosted by the Department of Music at Susquehanna University.
Learn more about Composition at SU.

High school students playing the trumpet at a Honors Band rehearsal.

Honors Band Festival

Save the Date: Feb. 16–18, 2024
This unique event is designed to give talented high school woodwind, brass and percussion players an opportunity to share their passion for music with similarly motivated students.

Piano Fest

Piano Fest is a full-day festival geared towards K-12 piano students, their teachers and their parents. Offering engaging master classes, workshops for all ages and performances in our beautiful recital halls, this festival is a great way to kick off the school year. Come be inspired and grow your curiosity and creativeness!

Music Meet Summer Programs

Expand your musical knowledge at our Summer Pre-College Programs! Susquehanna offers weeklong, on-campus workshops for high school students interested in improving their musicianship, polishing their choral repertoire or developing their own voice as they gain skills in music recording and production.

Wind Ensemble Institute: June 18–24, 2023

Choral Institute: June 25 – July 1, 2023

Music Production (new program): June 25 – July 1, 2023