Music Department Information
Christiansen Hall of Music • 507-786-3568 • e-mail: musicinfo@stolaf.edu
Ensembles and Auditions
All ensemble auditions are held in the fall during Week One, St. Olaf’s week of fall orientation activities for new students. See the following pages in this section for detailed descriptions & audition requirements.
If you are an admitted St. Olaf student interested in St. Olaf Music please go to the http://www.stolaf.edu/admitted see if you are required to complete a Music Interest & Information Questionnaire for the Music Department by July 15th. If you have questions, call 507-786-3568. If you have a printed paper copy, please send to: Barb Barth, Music Dept, St. Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057.
Early Auditions –Early audition times are available on Friday, September 4, for auditioned ensembles and keyboard screening of music majors. (We encourage you to schedule an early audition.) Indicate on the Music Interest & Info Questionnaire http://www.stolaf.edu/admittedby July 15 if you would like an early audition. You may be able to drop off some of your belongings on Friday, but you will not be able to stay overnight on campus.
Performance Studies (Private Lessons) Registration
Private lessons are open to all students based on studio availability. Music department consent is required. Students may be asked to demonstrate their level of achievement. Registration takes place in the Music Dept. office (CHM 101) during Week One. A schedule of registration dates and times will be found in your Week One handbook. Instrumentalists (strings, woodwinds, brass) are urged to schedule an ensemble audition to assist us in studio placement.
Information for Prospective Music Majors
Admission requirements – All students wishing to major in music must have auditioned and been admitted prior to matriculation. Only students admitted to the music major will be allowed to register for music theory and aural skills classes. There will be no fall music major auditions. Students wishing to major in music in the future should register for private lessons and work with their teacher to prepare for entering the music major program in the fall of their sophomore year.
Music Theory Placement – music majors who seek advanced placement in Music Theory can take the placement test during Week One. See your Week One handbook for more information.
Instrument Rentals
If you need to borrow an instrument for auditions or ensemble use, most standard band and orchestral instruments are available. The usual rental fee is $85 (an additional $25 charge for bows) per semester. Percussionists pay a $25 equipment use/maintenance fee per semester. If you indicate on the Music Interest & Information Questionnaire http://www.stolaf.edu/admitted that you need an instrument, it will be available for you in CHM 112 when you arrive on campus. Some instruments may also be available over the summer months before you arrive, e-mail Tim Wells at wells@stolaf.edu to make arrangements.
Instrument Lockers
Instrument lockers in Christiansen Hall of Music are available at no charge. Priority is given to students who are in an ensemble and/or taking private lessons on their primary instrument. The lockers are provided as a convenience to the students, and St. Olaf is not responsible for the contents of the lockers. Students are strongly encouraged to insure their instruments. Space is not available in CHM to store drum sets. Contact the Lion’s Pause stage manager at 507-786-2968 about instrument cages in that facility.
Instrumental Ensembles at St. Olaf College
St. Olaf Orchestra - Steven Amundson, Director. A symphony orchestra of approximately 90 instrumentalists, the St. Olaf Orchestra presents several concerts each year and furnishes music for a variety of college programs including Christmas Festival. The St. Olaf Orchestra makes annual domestic tours and periodic international tours. It is open by audition, and requires private lessons of all members.
St. Olaf Philharmonic – Steven Amundson, Director. The St. Olaf Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra of about 80 members that performs music from all periods. Its concert season includes a fall concert, a vespers service with the Chapel Choir, a spring concert with weekend tour, and a chapel service. Membership is by audition, and private lessons are recommended for all members.
St. Olaf Band - Timothy Mahr, Director. The St. Olaf Band performs regularly on campus in concert and as part of important college functions. The 85-piece ensemble takes annual tours and periodic international tours. Membership is by audition and private lessons are required for all members.
The Norseman Band - Paul Niemisto, Director. The Norseman Band is a fully instrumented symphonic band and plays several concerts each year, both on campus and regionally. Membership is by audition and participating students are encouraged to take private lessons.
Jazz Ensembles - David Hagedorn, Director. The Jazz ensemble program at St. Olaf College offers the opportunity to play the music of the big bands of the 20th century as well as exploring newer forms of the genre. Admission is based on yearly audition and available openings.
Collegium Musicum - Gerald Hoekstra, Director. The Collegium is an instrumental ensemble that performs music of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras on historical instruments. Students learn and perform on early instruments, such as recorders, viols, sackbuts, lutes, and cornets. The Collegium collaborates with the Early Music Singers to present a concert of early music each semester and occasional other performances as well.
Handbell Ensembles - Jill Mahr, Director. Three handbell ensembles, the St. Olaf Hand bell Choir, St. Olaf Chapel Ringers and Manitou Hand bell Choir play in recitals and worship services on campus throughout the year. The groups, who rehearse weekly, also have some off-campus performances. One of the ensembles is student-directed. Membership in handbell choirs is by audition.
Flute Choir – Kay Sahlin, Coordinator. The flute choir offers members an opportunity to perform repertoire for piccolo, flute, alto flute and bass flute. The group performs regularly on and off campus. Membership is open to all interested players on campus.
Clarinet Choir – Jun Qian, Coordinator. The Clarinet Choir provides an opportunity for players within the clarinet family from E-flat soprano to B-flat contra bass, to rehearse and perform the finest literature for clarinets. The group will work with high school students from local areas each semester. Auditions for membership are required. Please see Dr. Qian for details.
Horn Club. The student-directed Horn Club is one of the first established horn ensembles in the United States. It has performed widely in Minnesota and performs throughout the year on campus. Membership is open to all horn players at St. Olaf.
Trombone Choir - Paul Niemisto, Coordinator. The "Bone Choir" makes regular contributions to the concert and worship life of the college. They often perform in area churches, and have been regular participants in the Minnesota Trombone Workshop. Membership is open to all interested trombonists on campus.
Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble - Paul Niemisto, Coordinator. This is a unique group that provides a special opportunity for tuba and euphonium (baritone horn) players to make a sonorous ensemble sound not commonly heard. Membership is selected from among the tuba and euphonium players on campus.
Percussion Ensemble - David Hagedorn, Director. The Percussion Ensemble performs a concert each semester on campus. The ensemble often does collaborative work with members of the dance department. Membership is open to all interested student percussionists.
The Valhalla Band. Created by students in the 1997-98 school year, Valhalla is a fully-instrumented band conducted and managed by students. The band rehearses weekly and performs several concerts throughout the year, including a traditional trip to a local grade school. Open to all interested students.
Choral Ensembles at St. Olaf College
Manitou Singers - Sigrid Johnson, Director. Manitou Singers is a select, 100-voice, first-year women's chorus that sings at services of the Student Congregation, gives campus concerts including Christmas Festival, and makes occasional out-of-town appearances. In the spring of the year they collaborate with the Viking Chorus for a mixed-voice concert.
Viking Chorus – Christopher Aspaas, Director. The Viking Chorus is an 88-voice first-year men's group that performs on- and off-campus for festivals, collaborative concerts, solo performances, and a weekend regional tour. It also participates as a solo choir in the Christmas Festival, serves the Student Congregation with special music, and combines with the Manitou Singers for a spring concert.
St. Olaf Choir - Anton Armstrong, Director. The St. Olaf Choir, with 74 mixed voices, is recognized as one of the premier college a cappella choirs in the United States. For nearly a century, the St. Olaf Choir has maintained its original purpose - study and preparation of a wide range of representative sacred choral literature for public performance. The annual tour advances the artistic standards of choral music and provides means of spiritual inspiration for its many listeners. The St. Olaf Choir is open by audition to upper-class students; all members are required to take private lessons in voice.
St. Olaf Cantorei - John Ferguson, Director. The St. Olaf Cantorei, a select ensemble of 95 mixed voices, sings for Sunday services of the Student Congregation, participates in Christmas Festival and serves as a laboratory for students in church music who conduct, compose and arrange music for the Cantorei as part of their studies in music and worship. In keeping with the historical tradition associated with its name, the repertoire of the Cantorei often includes music for choir and instruments or organ as well as congregation. Off campus trips and a spring concert of sacred choral literature sung on campus and in a mini-tour are annual activities of the choir. The Cantorei is open by audition to students after their first year; private lessons in voice are encouraged for all members.
Chapel Choir – Christopher Aspaas, Director. The Chapel Choir, a select group of 120 mixed voices, participates in the Christmas Festival, and prepares music for Sunday services of the Student Congregation, for a major spring concert and fall vespers with the college orchestras, and for special events both on and off campus. The Chapel Choir is open by audition to upper-class students; private lessons in voice are recommended for all members.
Early Music Singers - Gerald Hoekstra, Director. The Early Music Singers, an ensemble of 12 to 16 singers, focuses primarily on music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque eras, but also occasionally performs later music appropriate for chamber vocal ensemble. Besides small-group choral singing, students in the group have the opportunity for some one-to-a-part singing. Performances include a fall and spring concert in collaboration with the Collegium Musicum, chapel services, and occasional performances off campus.
Gospel Choir – The St. Olaf Gospel Choir is a Christian ministry of song designed to provide its members with an opportunity to experience praise and worship. Comprised of students of all races, backgrounds, and denominations, the choir’s repertoire includes traditional Gospel through contemporary styles, which include African, Caribbean, Latin American, as well as Jazz influences.
Collegiate Chorale - Anton Armstrong, Director. Collegiate Chorale is women’s ensemble open to all sophomore, junior and senior students, as well as faculty and staff. The group’s less-demanding rehearsal schedule emphasizes an enjoyable choral experience for all members.
Ensemble Audition Requirements
Voice
Prepare a folk song or hymn of your choice to be sung unaccompanied. The audition will also include vocalizations to check your range and pitch-memory. You may also be asked to sight-read.
Strings
One or two contrasting solo selections (up to 5 minutes). The prepared piece(s) can be a movement of a concerto or sonata, or an etude, and should be chosen to represent the fullest extent of your abilities. Choose as difficult a selection as possible that you can play well. You can also expect to sight-read and play major scales.
Woodwinds
Band & Orchestra: – Prepare one or two contrasting solo compositions or excerpts (3-4 minutes total). You will be asked to play major and minor scales with the appropriate number of octaves for the instrument, a chromatic scale covering the full range of the instrument, and to sight-read. Transposition will also be included for clarinets auditioning for orchestra.
Brass
Band: Trumpet/Horn/Trombone/Tuba – Play one each technical and lyrical excerpts from a prepared piece(s) of your choice. You will be asked to play a chromatic scale (ascending & descending), major (and possibly minor) scales, and to sight-read.
Orchestra: Trumpet & Horn – Play one each technical and lyrical excerpt from a prepared piece(s) of your choice. Well-prepared excerpts from the orchestral literature are a plus. You will be asked for major scales (two octaves), and sight-reading. Transposition may also be included.
Orchestra: Trombone – Play one each technical and lyrical excerpt from a prepared piece(s) of your choice. Well-prepared excerpts from the orchestral literature are a plus. You will be asked to play major scales (two octaves) and sight-reading. You may be asked to demonstrate proficiency in tenor and alto clefs.
Orchestra: Tuba – Play one each technical and lyrical excerpt from a prepared piece(s) of your choice. Well-prepared excerpts from the orchestral literature are a plus. You will be asked for major scales (two octaves) and sight-reading.
Percussion
Band & Orchestra - Percussion sections in all large ensembles at St. Olaf rotate parts, and auditionees must show competency in each of the three main areas: snare drum, timpani and mallet percussion. Auditions consist of a prepared solo piece and sight-reading in each area (repertoire suggestions can be found at www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/percussion/. Percussionists must provide their own sticks and mallets.
Jazz Ensembles
Saxophone, Trumpet & Trombone: You will be asked to play a be-bop tune at sight. Tunes in the past have included Doxy by Sonny Rollins and Au Privave by Charlie Parker. You will also need to demonstrate your improvisational skills by improvising over blues changes (your choice, usually F or Bb) or a standard tune of your choice. The jazz ensemble director will accompany the audition on piano.
Piano, Guitar & Bass: You will be asked to demonstrate your ability to perform in a number of different styles: swing, ballad, funk, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian. You will also be asked to sight-read a melody and to demonstrate your soloing skills by improvising over a blues or standard jazz tune. The jazz ensemble director will accompany the audition on piano.
Drums: You will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of different grooves: medium swing, up-tempo swing, ballad (with brushes), funk, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban. You will be asked to sight-read a drum chart, providing the appropriate time feel as well as set-ups and kicks.
Handbell Ensembles
Auditions are held during Week One. Sign up early for an audition time on the main bulletin board in the front lobby of Christiansen Hall of Music. Auditions consist of demonstrating acquired handbell technique and sight-reading. You do not need to prepare anything in advance.
