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Choirs
Choirs
Check out the ETSU Choirs on YouTube!
The East Tennessee State University Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Alan Stevens and accompanied by Erin Raines, has toured throughout the United States and Internationally. Members of Chorale are chosen through a selective audition process and must be dedicated to the highest level of choral artistry. The group performs in a variety of styles and genres, ranging from music of the Renaissance to newly composed works to pop to jazz.
The Chorale has hosted a series of guest artists on the ETSU campus, including Chanticleer, VOCES 8, The Swingles, and New York Voices. Chorale presents a four-concert season each year, and annually tours regionally. .
Greyscale, under the direction of Dr. Lauren Ramey and Erin Raines, was formed in 2013. The group performs a mix of contemporary choral works, pop arrangements, and vocal jazz. The select group of twelve singers who formed the group called themselves “Greyscale” to represent the non-specific type of music they perform – avoiding categorization in any clearly-defined, black-or-white genre. Greyscale released its first album in April of 2016, self-titled “Greyscale.” Their second album, “Spectrum,” was released in March of 2017, followed by their third album “Five Alive,” in 2018 to celebrate their fifth anniversary. This was followed up in December 2018 with a holiday album, “Christmastime in Tennessee.” A new album is scheduled for release in 2022. All albums are available on major streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and more.Greyscale tours frequently, most recently to central Europe. They have performed in New York City, Washington D.C., Nashville, and throughout the northeastern Tennessee region. Greyscale is inspired by ensembles such as The Swingles, Real Group, Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, Voces 8, and Pentatonix. The singers in Greyscale are selected through a rigorous audition process. Students must re-audition each year, and they must be able to perform as both an ensemble singer and a lead vocalist.
East Tennessee Belles Soprano Alto Choir was formed in the fall of 2013 to highlight the performance of soprano alto choral repertoire. The Belles are conducted by Kathryn May. The choir is open to any student on campus that is dedicated to the highest level of performance in choral music. The Belles have been recognized as an outstanding soprano alto choir, and have performed for the Tennessee Music Education Association and at select events throughout the region.Check out East Tennessee Belles on Facebook
Listen to East Tennessee Belles on Sound Cloud
BucsWorth was formed in 1989 at East Tennessee State University by Dr. Thomas Jenrette, now Professor Emeritus, as a primarily a cappella chamber ensemble called “Seven BucsWorth.” This referred to the number of singers in the ensemble and a play-on-words reference to the ETSU teams, the Buccaneers. The number of Bucs changed over the years, but the ensemble soon became one of the most popular choral groups in the region. In 2013, under the direction of Dr. Alan Stevens, the ensemble was expanded to a large choir performing a variety of musical genres. The ensemble is now conducted by Dr. Lauren Ramey and accompanied by Erin Raines.
BucsWorth has been recognized as one of the premier university Tenor Bass Choirs in the nation. BucsWorth received third place in the 2017 American Prize Competition for University Choirs, and has performed by invitation at the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Seminar, the Tennessee Music Educators Association State Conference, and the Young Men’s Power Sing in Atlanta. BucsWorth has premiered works by Jacob Narverud, Dan Forrest, and Daniel Gawthrop, and has hosted guest artists including Alice Parker, Ola Gjeilo, Brad Holmes, and Chanticleer (with the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts). BucsWorth is composed of singers from across all campus disciplines, and it is open to any student.
Ascension was formed at ETSU in the fall of 2019 by student Thomas Richardson. The group was student-led for three years, and was then added as a curricular choir in the fall of 2022, still conducted by Thomas after he graduated from ETSU! Ascenscion is accompanied by Erin Raines. Ascension has a strong focus on competition in the International Collegiate Championship of A Cappella (ICCA). In their first year of competition (2020) they placed 4th in the quarterfinals, and in their second year (2022 post pandemic) they placed 3rd. Ascension tours and performs frequently throughout the region. -
Concert Bands
Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Performs representative traditional and contemporary works for the wind medium.
Open to all university students by audition.
Dr. Christian Zembower, ConductorConcert Band
Performs music of all forms, from classic to popular.
Open to all university students by consultation with the instructor.
Dr. Joe Moore, Conductor
Reilly Fox, Assistant Conductor
For more information regarding bands, contact Dr. Christian Zembower
423-439-4296 or zembower@etsu.edu
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Jazz Bands
JAZZ ENSEMBLES and JAZZ COMBOS
The instrumental jazz ensembles are devoted to the study of jazz and pop styles. Attention is given to improvisation and understanding stylistic techniques. Participation is open to all university students through consultation with the director. Click here to audition.
Additional guest artists who have performed at ETSU include The Airmen of Note, Spyro Gyra, USAF Airman of Note Alumni, and Rita Collidge. Solo artists also include saxophonists Chip McNeil, Jim Snidero, Walt Weiskopf, Joe Carello, and Frank Grosso; trumpeters Tony Scodwell, Greg Wing, Jon Yates, Jim Ward; trombonists Conrad Herwig and Rick Simerly, pianist Lenore Raphael and Mark Maegdlin, bassist Jon Schwabe, and percussionist Marvin Sparks and famed Tonight Show Band percussionist Ed Shaughnessy.
For more information regarding the ETSU Jazz Ensemble or Jazz Combos contact Martin Walters at waltermb@etsu.edu
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Opera
OPERA THEATRE
For more information regarding the ETSU Opera Theatre contact: Ms. Karen Smith
Director - ETSU Opera Theater
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Orchestras
Symphony Orchestra
The ETSU Symphony Orchestra is the premier ensemble for string instruments and along with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble is one of the premier performance organizations for winds, brass, and percussion. Developed from a strings-only group by conductor David Kovac and launched as a full symphony orchestra in 2021, the ensemble has performed landmark works from the standard repertoire such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Copland's Four Dance Episodes from "Rodeo," Sibelius's Finlandia, and Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World."
Beginning Fall 2023, the ETSU Orchestra Scholars Program will award $4,000 per-year scholarships to incoming students on all orchestral instruments: strings, winds, brass, and percussion.
Sinfonia
The ETSU Sinfonia is a chamber orchestra for strings open to ETSU students as well as advanced precollege students. The ensemble rehearses on Saturday mornings from 9-10am.
For more information about the orchestras at ETSU, please contact Dr. David Kovac.
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Percussion
The ETSU Percussion Ensemble is directed by Dr. Matthew Geiger and Dr. Logan Ball
The percussion ensemble is open to any ETSU student by audition. Contact Dr. Geiger for more information.
