Ensembles

The Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale

The Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale, under the direction of Master Davy Chinn, strives to present the finest level of performance and ministry in choral music. Membership in this 60-voice ensemble is decided by competitive auditions and represents a wide spectrum of majors. The Chorale seeks to worship the Lord Jesus Christ through a diverse repertoire of music, including sacred classics, hymns, spirituals, and contemporary compositions. Over the years, the Chorale has been honored to participate in many special events, including 18 years of the Gaither Praise Gathering and the 2000 dedication of the Van Kampen Foundation's Hampton Court in Herfordshire, England. The Chorale has also appeared as musical guests for Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. Additionally, the group has performed at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, under the ministry of the late Dr. D. James Kennedy. The Chorale has also performed in Europe with concerts in St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland; St. Michael's Church, Haworth, England; York Minster, York, England; Christ Church College Chapel, Oxford, England; St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England; Sacre Coeur, Paris, France; St. Mark's Basilica, Venice, Italy; and throughout Austria and Germany. In May of 2018, the Chorale traveled to Italy performing all over the country in venues ranging from St. Peter's Basilica to the Pantheon.

Annually the Chorale prepares for several regularly scheduled concerts throughout the Midwestern United States, as well as a week-long spring tour. Past tours have included the East Coast, California and Florida. In addition to these venues, the Chorale has been selected to perform at recent National Music Education Association Indiana State Conventions.

View the Chorale's most recent program.

For additional Information please feel free to contact Davy Chinn at davy.chinn@indwes.edu

The Indiana Wesleyan University Orchestra is a full orchestra comprised of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. The Orchestra combines both music majors, and non-majors to perform concerts on the IWU campus and in the local community. The Orchestra performs about five concerts of repertoire over the course of the academic year performing standard orchestral repertoire, symphonic pops, and featuring both faculty and student soloists. The Orchestra often participates in collaborative projects with the IWU Chorale, Wind Ensemble, Opera Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Bach Ensemble. The group has also collaborated in the local community for the Marion Easter Pageant and services at local churches. The IWU Orchestra is conducted by Dr. Jason Thompson.

Students interested in performing with the Orchestra are encouraged to contact Dr. Jason Thompson. String scholarships and service grants are available and awarded by audition. Please read more about the Lloyd DaCosta Jones scholarship available to string players on our scholarship page.

For additional information please contact Dr. Jason Thompson at jason.thompson@indwes.edu

The Indiana Wesleyan University Jazz Ensemble, a 17-piece big band, performs an exciting repertoire of traditional, contemporary as well as Latin styles of Jazz with an emphasis on swing, blues and improvisation. Students learn varied performance techniques which will equip them for graduate study and/or the professional performance field. The band rehearses twice weekly and performs twice each semester. Students are admitted into the class via live audition. See what students are saying about Jazz Band:

"Favorite class of the semester! Lots of challenging work, but soooo much fun to be a part of!"

"…This semester was challenging, but I grew as a result. And I had a lot of fun this semester doing it."

"It was a fantastic thing to be a part of."

For additional information please contact Prof. Todd Williams at todd.williams@indwes.edu

Performing chamber music is an integral part of the string program at Indiana Wesleyan. We have many string quartets that perform eclectic repertoire in a variety of venues. The groups will regularly perform in student recitals, chamber operas, and chamber music concerts. The groups have even performed for university ceremonial events, chapel services, and even backing up guest touring groups like the Gaither Vocal Band. IWU's chamber groups offer opportunities to performers of any level, from performing the Barber String Quartet by memory to working on basic musicianship and techniques.

Chamber groups are coached by one of our string faculty once per week, and groups rehearse independently. Ensembles are encouraged to work on entrepreneurial skills and often market themselves to the community at large. Please read more about the Lloyd DaCosta Jones scholarship available to string players on our scholarship page.

For additional information please contact Prof. Jason Thompson at jason.thompson@indwes.edu

The IWU Jazz Combo is a small group of musicians, comprised of members that range from rhythm section (drums, bass, piano and guitar) to lead players (trumpet, trombone, sax, voice). It meets twice a week to rehearse. During these rehearsal times, the Combo works to develop things such as ensemble listening and soloing - with techniques coming from imitation, music theory understanding and hearing the music that is surrounding the players at the moment. Outside of the two concerts presented on campus with the Big Band, the Jazz Combo secures gigs in the community and on campus and has opportunity to record. The IWU Jazz Combo has played for numerous Grant County events and is a "first call" for many gatherings. A concert highlight from the past has been the "Java and Jazz" night where the Combo collaborates with McConn Coffee (the campus coffee shop) for a great evening of entertainment and atmosphere.

For additional information please contact Professor Todd Williams at todd.williams@indwes.edu

The IWU Percussion Ensemble, directed by Dr. Marc Wooldridge, performs percussion works in styles such as minimalism, world music, classical transcriptions, ragtime and avant-garde. They have an active touring schedule that includes performances at High Schools and colleges and other performance venues in the Midwest region as well as appearances at statewide Day of Percussion events sponsored by the Percussive Arts Society. Guest artists that have given clinics and/or performed with the ensemble include Nebosja Zivkovic, the Ethos Percussion Group, Bernard Woma, and the Orchid Ensemble. The group was honored with a 2nd place award in the international percussion ensemble competition held during the Percussive Arts Society's International Convention (PASIC) in 2010.

For more information about the IWU Percussion Ensemble please contact Dr. Marc Wooldridge, IWU Professor of Percussion, at 765-677-2038 or marc.wooldridge@indwes.edu

The IWU Pans of Praise Steel Drum Ensemble, directed by Dr. Marc Wooldridge, performs traditional Caribbean music and arrangements of modern praise songs for both concert and worship events.

For more information about the IWU Pans of Praise Steel Drum Ensemble please contact Dr. Marc Wooldridge, IWU Professor of Percussion, at 765-677-2038 or marc.wooldridge@indwes.edu

The Indiana Wesleyan University Opera Workshop meets as a class every Fall to train students in the discipline and art of fully preparing a role for the musical stage. Through study, research and acting exercises, students work together to present a one-act or scenes program each November, accompanied by piano or chamber orchestra. Students are also fully trained in the art of auditioning for the musical stage, including developing a professional resume and headshot.

The Opera Theatre is an auditioned ensemble presenting a fully staged and orchestrated work every-other Spring, alternating with the Spring Musical. The Opera Theatre presents works from the standard opera/operetta repertoire both in the original languages and in English, allowing students to experience a variety of styles and time periods from across the genre.

For additional information please contact Dr. Tammie Huntington at tammie.huntington@indwes.edu

Chapel ensemble allows students the opportunity to actively train and participate in worship music leadership for IWU Chapel. Students receive mentoring in his/her area of expertise as well as training on issues of music team leadership. Ensemble teams are organized and provide leadership for worship music during chapel, which occurs three times per week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All worship music/team leaders and participants are enrolled in this engaging ensemble.

For additional information please contact Mr. Yechan Son at yechan.son@indwes.edu

The Indiana Wesleyan Saxophone Quartet is one of IWU's showcase music performance ensembles. In addition to chamber concert performances, the quartet travels with the IWU Wind ensemble for an annual featured travel concert. The quartet performs a wide variety of music, from baroque to show songs to contemporary classical, and jazz. Interested students apply for membership by audition during the start of the fall semester.

For additional information please contact Prof. Todd Williams at todd.williams@indwes.edu

This ensemble offers a new and unique opportunity for pianists to work collaboratively on a regular basis. It is designed to familiarize pianists with the wide variety of literature available-piano duets and duos for multiple pianos. Students will perform in a culminating multi-piano performance at least once a year. The course is designed for pianists who are at an upper-intermediate level, interested in the experience of working with others pianists to develop skills in voicing, balance, listening, sight-reading, and flexibility of expression.

For additional information please contact Dr. Daniel Lin or Dr. Phoenix Park-Kim.