Ensembles

Large Ensembles

Lewis & Clark College Choirs

The choral music program at Lewis & Clark seeks to provide students with high-level choral singing experiences that enhance their understanding of vocal technique, choral methods, and music history through performing literature from many stylistic periods and countries. Best of all, the students who comprise the choral program are energetic, dedicated, and enthusiastic, and have a wonderful time singing together.

The 2009-10 academic year is the second under the direction of newly appointed Director of Choral Activities Katherine FitzGibbon. The choirs will perform repertoire ranging from Ghanaian folk songs to Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb to Orff's Carmina Burana. During spring break of 2010, the select mixed choir Cappella Nova will tour southern Oregon and northern California. If you are interested in hosting the choir on our tour, please contact Katherine FitzGibbon at klf@lclark.edu.

There are several different choirs available at Lewis & Clark. Cappella Nova is Lewis & Clark’s premier mixed choir, performing music from all eras and major choral works with orchestra. Advanced students in Cappella Nova may opt to audition for the select Chamber Vocal Ensemble. The Women’s Chorus performs some of the exceptional music available for treble voices, from powerful world music to Classical music to newly composed works. Finally, the new Community Chorale is open to undergraduates, graduate and law students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. All choirs are single-credit courses with no prerequisites other than a (painless!) audition with the director.

Student vocalists have the opportunity to study voice privately, take part in opera and musical theater workshops and performances, and take courses in vocal pedagogy and vocal literature. Students may major in vocal performance or participate actively in these opportunities while majoring in other areas of study. Regardless of whether they plan to major in music, there are music scholarships available for singers. Please see the scholarship page for more information.

Orchestra

Full orchestra of strings, winds, brass, and percussion performing works from the standard orchestral and concerto literature, with concert programs including large-scale works for orchestra and choir. Two local performances per semester, with the possibility of touring. Principal positions assigned by audition. Student concerto soloist chosen from orchestra ranks or piano studios by competition late in fall semester.

Instructor: George Skipworth
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

Wind Symphony

Diverse traditional and contemporary band literature, including occasional works for reduced instrumentation. Pursuit of high standards in preparation, performance, promotion of quality compositions and transcriptions from the wind band repertoire.

Instructor: David Becker
Prerequisite: Audition.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

Small Ensembles

African Marimba Ensemble

Introduction to playing techniques of African marimba.

Instructor: Nathan Beck
Prerequisite: None. Fee.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

African Rhythm & Dance

Introduction to both hand drumming and dance of Ghana, West Africa.

Instructor: Obo Addy
Prerequisite: None.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

Gamelan Music

Gamelan music is rooted in traditional Indonesian performance arts. The core of the orchestra, or gamelan, is a group of bronze percussion instruments that are forged and tuned together. Gamelan performance is often combined with dance and with shadow puppet plays (wayang).

Many of the instruments are played by striking with a mallet, and so the gamelan gets its name from the Javanese word for a type of hammer (gamel). Other musical elements include drums, bamboo flutes, stringed instruments, wooden percussion, male and female vocals, and a variety of noisemakers to punctuate the action of shadow puppet plays.

The various moods and tones of gamelan music are specifically associated with particular emotions and intellectual states. The music is composed of complex layers of melodic variants and interlocking parts moving semi-independently.

Lewis & Clark Gamelan
"The Venerable Showers of Beauty"

The core set arrived at Lewis & Clark College in 1980 after a two-year search in Indonesia by Vincent Mc Dermott and Loraine Fenwick, the major donor of gamelan instruments to the College. The oldest instruments in this ensemble are likely to have been made in the late 19th century.

The ensemble draws its members from the Portland area community and from students at Lewis & Clark College.

For more information, contact the Department of Music: 503-768-7460.

Instructor:
Prerequisite: Music Performance 121, 122, or 123. Fee.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

West African Rhythm

Music of West Africa. Introduction of performance of Ghanaian drums. Singing in traditional styles.

Instructor: Obo Addy
Prerequisite: None. Fee.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

Jazz Ensemble

Sight-reading, study, and performance of music representing diverse jazz styles arranged for big-band instrumentation. Styles of specific big bands, past and present. Ensemble rehearses and performs quality big-band jazz compositions and arrangements. Opportunities for solo improvisation, development of ensemble skills.

Instructor: David Becker
Prerequisite: Audition.
Taught: Each semester, 1 semester credit.

Percussion Ensemble

The Lewis & Clark Percussion Ensemble, directed by Brett E.E. Paschal, is an exciting and entertaining group that performs in venues as varied as concert halls, construction sites, and swimming pools.

The music performed ranges from traditional percussion literature to Baroque transcriptions, cutting edge contemporary works, rock and latin arrangements, comedic musical excursions, and unique improvisations.

The Percussion Ensemble is a regular performer the yearly Northwest Percussion Festival, and is renown for its energetic, musical, creative, and precise execution.

Practice Space