Choral ensembles perform on and off campus and contribute to major university events, including the annual Candlelight Service. There are four distinct ensembles. Any student, regardless of major, may audition.

Choir

The celebrated University Choir represents Susquehanna’s great musical heritage on annual tours in Pennsylvania and throughout the Eastern United States. Amy Voorhees, conductor

Chorale

The University Chorale performs mainly on campus in music ranging from the Renaissance to the present. Amy Caron, conductor

Chamber Singers

The highly select University Chamber Singers are chosen from members of the University Choir. Amy Voorhees, conductor

Chapel Choir

The Chapel Choir provides musical leadership at weekly University Chapel services and is open to all students without an audition. Marcos Krieger, conductor

Opera Studio

The Opera Studio performs a wide repertoire ranging from opera scenes to full productions of complete operas with orchestra. The casts are made up entirely of students who audition for the Opera Studio at the beginning of each year.

In the past dozen years, the full productions with orchestra have included:

• Krása: Brundibár
• Monteverdi: L’Orfeo
• Mozart: The Magic Flute
• Puccini: Gianni Schicchi (in Italian)
• Puccini: Suor Angelica (in Itallian)
• Sondheim: Passion
• J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus
• Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado
• Ullmann: The Emperor of Atlantis
• Weill: Street Scene
• Weill: The Threepenny Opera

Scenes programs have included the complete third act of Puccini’s La Bohème, sung in Italian, and complete acts of Britten’s Albert Herring and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other recent programs have featured scenes from the following operas:

• Adamo: Little Women
• Gounod: Romeo and Juliet
• Handel: Julius Caesar
• Massenet: Manon
• Menotti: The Medium
• Mozart: Così fan tutte and Don Giovanni
• Poulenc: Dialogues of the Carmelites
• Rossini: La Cenerentola and The Barber of Seville
• R. Strauss: Arabella
• Thomas: Hamlet
• Verdi: Falstaff
• Ward: The Crucible

Opera Studio performances are held in the 320-seat Stretansky Concert Hall or in the 450-seat Degenstein Center Theater. David Steinau, director

The instrumental area provides extensive performance opportunities for players of string, wind and percussion instruments. Any student, regardless of major, is welcome to audition.

Symphony Orchestra

The Symphony Orchestra performs the great music of the Western canon along with lesser-known works and premieres. The ensemble accompanies an annual concerto competition winner and regularly collaborates on opera productions and oratorios. Zachary Levi, conductor

Wind Ensemble

The highly select University Wind Ensemble is composed of 45 to 50 of our most experienced players and performs the finest wind band repertoire. Eric Hinton, conductor

Symphonic Band

The University Symphonic Band performs three annual concerts of a broad spectrum of concert band literature. Eric Hinton, conductor

Stadium Band

At all home football games, the Stadium Band performs fight songs, popular songs of the 50s and 60s, patriotic songs, R&B and funk. Audition not required. Brett Hosterman, director

Jazz Ensemble

The Jazz Ensemble explores traditional big band tunes, as well as modern music reflecting jazz, rock and world music influences. Small combos are regularly formed to emphasize improvisation. Gail Levinsky, director

Pit Orchestra

This ensemble provides full orchestral accompaniment for the annual fall musical. 

The chamber music program provides diverse opportunities for students to study significant works for small ensembles, each of which is coached weekly by a faculty member. Each semester there may be string quartets, piano trios and brass or woodwind quintets, for example, along with Percussion Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble, Trombone Ensemble and similar groupings.

Keyboard students have the opportunity to study with outstanding faculty and to perform in a variety of settings as soloists and collaborators. Our instrument inventory includes Steinway and Baldwin concert grand pianos and priority practice rooms outfitted with well-maintained Steinway, Yamaha and Baldwin grands.

Weber Chapel is home to beautifully refurbished Dobson and Moeller organs, on which students may practice and perform. Two additional practice organs are located in the Cunningham Center for Music and Art. We also maintain historic instruments including three harpsichords and a clavinova.

Piano students may also study organ, and vice versa, and any keyboard player may also study harpsichord.