Ensembles2017-01-12T21:05:02-05:00

Ensembles rest at the foundation of a great school of music.

The School of Music at FIU offers a dynamic learning environment for informed, creative musicians. Students are fully involved in their chosen fields, where they can recognize clearly what they need to learn in order to become contributors to those fields. It is a place where the evolution of music making as well as the teaching and learning of music are celebrated and is in tune with the music of our time while at the same time respecting tradition. FIU’s School of Music embraces an evolving world for its possibilities and the new opportunities and challenges that it affords, while providing the tools necessary to empower young musicians in their quest to carve out careers.

Whether you’re in the music program or you’re a non-music major looking to broaden your musical interests, students are able to participate in a number of outstanding ensembles. Learn from some of the best artist-faculty and guest artists, while performing throughout South Florida at venues including the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center, Miami Beach Urban Studios on Lincoln Road, Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, Patricia & Philip Frost Art Museum, Heritage Park at the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Pinecrest Gardens, among many others.

 

Bands

1FIU bands include the Courtside Players, Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. All of our ensembles are open to non-music majors and have opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences!

Chamber Music Ensembles

2The string chamber music experience at FIU is designed to help students further their skills on their instrument, develop awareness of musicality, and experience a variety of chamber music repertoire under the leadership of FIU’s Ensemble-in-Residence the Amernet String Quartet and soloist Robert Davidovici. Following auditions, students are placed together in small ensembles, such as string quartets, trios, and quintets. Other chamber music ensembles include University Brass Choir, Flute Choir, Saxophone Ensemble, Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, and University Brass Choir.

Choral Ensembles

3There is a place for everyone to sing at FIU, regardless of your major, experience, or ability level! Choral Ensembles include the Concert Choir, Master Chorale, and Women’s Chorus. Click here to learn more about each ensemble and for information on how to join.

Early Music Ensembles

4The Collegium Musicum is an ensemble that provides a forum for FIU students and members of the FIU community to study and publicly perform solo and ensemble music composed prior to 1800 and dances from before 1900. Some of the collegium’s instruments include a Carl Fudge transposing Flemish double harpsichord made possible in part through a generous grant from the Lady Suzanna P. Tweed and Carleton Tweed Charitable Foundation, an archlute, a sackbutt, crumhorns, and a complete set of bows for baroque orchestra built by the English maker David Van Edwards.

Guitar Ensembles

5The FIU Miami Guitar Orchestra (FIUMGO), directed by guitarist/composer Mesut Özgen, aims to present new ensemble works for guitar, in addition to transcriptions and arrangements of the traditional repertoire. The orchestra meets twice a week and presents regular public concerts both on and off campus throughout the year. In addition to classical guitarists, other instrumentalists, such as mandolin, banjo, ukulele, bass guitar, double bass, flute, violin, voice, and others, are also welcome to join the orchestra.

Jazz Ensembles

6Jazz ensembles include Latin Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Big Band,  Jazz Combos, Jazz Guitar Ensemble, and  Jazz Vocal Ensemble. They perform on-campus concerts and events, as well as jazz festivals and clubs. Guest artists such as Adam Nussbaum, Ingrid Jensen, Jim Snidero, Paquito D’Rivera, Johnathan Blake, Marco Marcinco, John Fedchock, Randy Brecker, and others are often featured in concerts, as well as workshops and clinics.

New Music Ensembles

7Our new music ensembles include FLEA Ensemble and the New Music Ensemble.  FLEA (FIU Laptop & Electro-Acoustic) Ensemble, is FIU’s newest musical group. The group performs exciting new work and reinterprets classics of the avant-garde by combining hi-fi and lo-fi technologies. The FIU New Music Ensemble specializes in the performance of contemporary chamber, experimental and electronic music with an emphasis in the music of the last 50 years.

Opera & Musical Theatre

8Ensembles include the FIU Opera Theater and the Musical Theatre Ensemble. The FIU Opera Theater was founded in 1997 by Prof. Robert B. Dundas. It is the premier vocal performance ensemble of the Division of Vocal Studies. Its mission is two-fold: to promote professional training and practical performing experience for student singers, conductors, and pianists, and to serve as a cultural service of the School of Music, the students and faculty of Florida International University, and the greater south Florida community.

Orchestras

9The FIU Symphony Orchestra and String Orchestra is led by Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, Permanent Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. Here, students learn the variety of orchestral repertoire and are guided to become excellent orchestra musicians. The orchestra performs at FIU’s own concert hall with excellent acoustics, The Wertheim as well as in the greater Miami community. This orchestra was originally created by Carlos Piantini, the former first violinist with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, who later became a celebrated conductor of major orchestra in Europe and Americas.