Performing groups

The Department of Music has a number of performing groups and ensembles. Both Music Majors and non-Music students are welcome to audition for the ensembles. Please contact the department for more details.

Chamber Ensembles

Instrumental and vocal students form a wide variety of ensembles, from instrumental trios to scenes from music theatre or opera, and everything in between. Repertoire from any period is possible, and students work both in their own ensembles and as an entire class to learn the intricacies of ensemble communication, projection to the audience, interpretive vocabulary, and rehearsal techniques.

Contemporary Music Ensembles

Performances of music written since 1950 are prepared, with students discovering musical works using notation ranging from the traditional to the graphic, working on collaborative composition and ensemble improvisation, playing with electroacoustic elements, and discovering a body of repertoire that dares explore everything. Singers and instrumentalists welcome, including those from the jazz area!

Jazz Ensembles

Every year jazz ensembles – big band, combos, guitar ensembles, jazz choir, small combos and jazz vocal repertoire classes – present concert drawn from the jazz repertoire and newly composed works. Concerts by jazz improvisation classes and special projects are also presented in the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall.

Vocal Studies

Concerts are given regularly by vocal students with works drawn from Western European art music, operatic and jazz vocal repertoire traditions.

University Choir

There are two university choirs.  Both the large choir and the chamber choir perform several concerts each year with repertoire drawn from the 16th to 21st centuries.  On occasion, these are presented with the University Orchestra.  This choir encourages entry of all members of the Concordia community (students, faculty and staff) as well as the general public.  An audition may be required to establish fundamental qualifications. 

Readings and Concerts of Jazz and Composition Students

There are informal readings and annual concerts of works by Concordia students in both jazz and composition areas.

Electroacoustic Concerts

For more than 25 year, and with more than 300 concerts produced, Concordia has been nationally noted for the quality and diversity of its electroacoustics presentations.  These include works by Canadian and international composers as well as young and emerging sound artists using an 18 channel sound projection system.

Ensemble Auditions

All students registering for jazz ensembles and university choirs are expected to do an audition in the first week of the autumn term. Please contact the professor of the specific course for information about scheduling and preparing for these auditions. Professors' names are normally listed with their courses on the online Class Schedule. In case of difficulty, please contact the Music Department.