A wide variety of performance opportunities await our students each year, with orchestras, bands, choirs and opera, jazz nonets and combos, small ensembles, and more.
A variety of programs and initiatives operate continuously or annually to enhance learning experiences and help students prepare for their future in music.
The MSU College of Music supports and challenges students, values innovation and creativity, and helps every community member achieve professional excellence.
Students in the woodwind area of the MSU College of Music will find a full-time, performance-oriented faculty member devoted to each woodwind instrument. All faculty bring extensive experience as soloists and inform their instruction through an active performance schedule with national and international orchestras in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Toronto, and elsewhere.
Each studio has its own studio class that consists of a performance forum or discussion on various topics ranging from style and periods of music to reed making.
Diverse opportunities exist for chamber music and solo performance, as well as to participate in the college’s symphony and concert orchestras, and wind, symphony and concert bands. A wealth of guest artists visit campus for master classes, lectures and performances, in keeping with the area’s focus on mentorship and professional performance.
The woodwind area at MSU is led by a faculty of experienced and active soloists and performers who foster a dynamic, supportive environment focused on nurturing the highest level of artistry in each student.
Michael Kroth This program of dynamic works, conducted by David Thornton, includes Pegasus Fanfare from The Sleeping Spirit by John Gibson, Starry Ocean by Shuying Li, Anahita by Roshanne Etezady, Hands Across the Sea by John Philip Sousa, and The Wild Goose by Ryan George.
MSU composer Zhou Tian premieres his Concerto for Saxophone with acclaimed saxophonist Joseph Lulloff, joined by Hindemith’s Konzertmusik für Blasorchester and Maslanka’s Symphony No. 8, conducted by Kevin L. Sedatole.
The MSU Symphony Orchestra, led by Octavio Más-Arocas, celebrates the Honors Concerto Competition winners with a vibrant program of student soloists and a Sam and Mary Austin Fanfare by an MSU student composer.
MSU artists Richard Sherman (flute) and Eric Zuber (piano) present a diverse program of expressive American works, highlighting the versatility of the flute-piano duo.
The MSU Wind Symphony presents a varied program of classic and contemporary works, featuring world premieres by MSU composers.
Guest ensemble appears in two concerts and a weeklong residency
West Circle Series’ Happy Birthday, Mozart! marks 270 years of beloved works
Renowned guest ensembles at Fairchild Theatre feature wind music performed on period instruments.
MSU choirs and orchestra present Alegría Navideña at Wharton Center
MSU clarinetist’s latest release celebrates friendships, creativity, and the power of persistence.