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Bands
On this page:
- Auditions
- Steps to Audition for Wright State Bands
- Wind Symphony
- Symphonic (Concert) Band
- Varsity Pep Band
- Jazz Ensemble
- Conducting Faculty
Auditions
The School of Fine and Performing Arts offers a wide range of performing ensembles. These ensembles are open to all students at the university, regardless of major, and, in some cases, to community members. Auditions are required for all music majors/minors throughout their course of study. Placements will be determined by the ensemble director in collaboration with your applied studio instructor.
Wind Symphony
- Rehearses MWF 2:30–4 p.m. [MUE 2690/4690/6690]
- Audition required; for more information contact shelley.jagow@wright.edu
Concert/Symphonic Band
- Rehearses TR 2–3:20 p.m. [MUE 2660/4660/6660]
- NO AUDITION; simply register for the course and show up for rehearsal
Jazz Band
- Rehearses TR 11 a.m.–12:20 p.m. [MUE 2680/4680]
- Audition required; for more information please see the Jazz Ensemble section below, or contact stephen.wadsack@wright.edu
Pep Band
- Rehearses W 6:10–9 p.m.) [MUE 2670/4670]
- Audition required; for more information contact matthew.weaver@wright.edu
Wright State University Bands
Steps to Audition for Wright State Bands
Band Auditions will be held Friday, August 19, 2022, for all Woodwinds and Brass, and on Monday, August 22, 2022 for all Percussion.
- Complete the online Band Registration Form.
- Download and prepare audition music for your instrument.
- Be on time for your audition. You must be ready to perform at the beginning of each of these time blocks.
- 9 a.m. - Bassoons
- 9:20 a.m. - Oboes
- 10 a.m. - Flutes
- 11 a.m. - Clarinets
- Noon to 1 p.m. - Lunch Break
- 1 p.m. - Trombones
- 2 p.m. - Trumpets
- 3 p.m. - Horns
- 3:30 p.m. - Saxophones
- 4:30 p.m. - Euphoniums & Tubas
Wind Symphony
The school's premier wind band, this ensemble performs original compositions and transcriptions for band and wind ensembles. Audition required.
The Wright State University Wind Symphony (MUE 2690/4690/6690)
Shelley Jagow, Ph.D., director
shelley.jagow@wright.edu
The Wright State University Wind Symphony is the university’s most elite symphonic band organization. Its student members, typically comprised of approximately 50 students, are chosen annually by competitive audition. Representing Wright State as the university’s premier wind band, the Wind Symphony performs the finest in symphonic wind repertoire, ranging from transcriptions to state-of-the-art original compositions.
Over the past decade, the Wright State Wind Symphony has become recognized across Ohio and the Midwest as one the region’s most outstanding collegiate band organizations. In 2000, the Wind Symphony conducted its first-ever international performance tour to Matsusaka, Japan, and Seoul, Korea, and returned for a second tour to Japan in June 2004.
In addition to annual tours, the ensemble performs for various conferences and events, including state conferences of the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA).
Over the past five years, the Wind Symphony has performed under several internationally renowned guest conductors, including Timothy Foley, John Bourgeois, H. Robert Reynolds, Mallory Thompson, Frank Battisti, William Wakefield, and Frederick Fennell.
The ensemble, and its satellite organization, the Wright State Chamber Players, perform at professional conferences and conventions across the country and abroad.
Symphonic (Concert) Band
Performs band music of all styles. Open to all students without an audition.
The Wright State University Symphonic (Concert) Band (MUE 2660/4660/6660 section 01)
Shelley Jagow, Ph.D., director
shelley.jagow@wright.edu
The Wright State University Symphonic Band is a performing wind band open to all Wright State students from a wide variety of fields of study within the university. The band rehearses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3:20 p.m. in Room 190 in the Creative Arts Center. The band performs at least one concert each semester with musical repertory ranging from pop concerts to wind band classics and contemporary compositions. In addition, a one-day off-campus tour performance is often organized at a high school within the greater Dayton area.
Varsity Pep Band
Performs jazz, rock, and contemporary music at all home basketball games and for other campus activities. Audition required (contact the director for details).
Varsity Pep Band (MUE 2670/4670/6670)
Matthew Weaver
937-775-2346
weaver.154@wright.edu
The Wright State University Raider Pep Band provides musical entertainment and spirit at home men’s and women’s basketball games, as well as other select events around campus and the community. The ensemble, comprised of Wright State students, performs traditional rock, high energy contemporary music, and cheers to help excite the crowd and drive the Raiders to another Horizon League championship and NCAA tournament berth. Members of the band receive free admission to all games performed, plus the opportunity to receive scholarship money. The band travels to the Horizon League tournament and select members of the band have traveled with the men’s basketball team to NCAA tournament games.
The band splits into green and gold bands of equal instrumentation to cover all the events and is made up of flutes, clarinets, saxes, mellophones (F horn), trumpets, trombones, tubas, electric bass, and drum set. Membership is open to all Wright State students, and is limited only by instrumentation, so sign up early to ensure a seat!
Jazz Ensemble
The university's premiere jazz ensemble, this group performs repertoire of the 20th and 21st century, primarily using the traditional 17 to 18-piece Big Band format and instrumentation. Students learn crucial elements of ensemble execution, professionalism, jazz history, style, and improvisation. While membership is open to any Wright State student regardless of major, auditions are required (to access the Jazz audition excerpts, click on the appropriate link below).
The Wright State University Jazz Ensemble (MUE 2680/4680/6680)
Stephen M. Wadsack, Director
stephen.wadsack@wright.edu
The Wright State University Jazz Ensemble is a 17 to 18-piece 'Big Band' ensemble, open to all Wright State students by audition. This group performs music ranging throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, with a special emphasis placed on both historically significant and more contemporary composers; Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Maria Schneider, and Jon Fedchock, to name a few. The Wright State Jazz Ensemble performs in a wide variety of styles including bebop, pop, rock, historical swing, Latin, and avant-garde.
The band performs multiple times each semester, both on-campus and within the greater Dayton community. While improvisation is strongly encouraged for interested members, students have the opportunity to develop their improvisatory skillset, and the band is always looking for solid 'section players' to contribute to the ensemble. Auditions are held each fall, and subsequently when slots open up mid-year. The traditional Big Band instrumentation is five saxes, four trumpets, four trombones (one bass), and rhythm section (piano, bass, guitar, and drum set). Occasionally, the ensemble is augmented with the addition of woodwind doubles (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet), vibraphone, auxiliary percussion, and vocalists.
Students interested in joining the Wright State University Jazz Ensemble should look at the audition materials (below), and contact Stephen M. Wadsack at stephen.wadsack@wright.edu.
Conducting Faculty
Shelley M. Jagow, Ph.D.
Department:
School of Fine and Performing Arts
Title:
Professor
Address:
Creative Arts Center 085B, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Dayton, OH 45435-0001
Email:
Stephen M Wadsack, M.M.
Department:
School of Fine and Performing Arts
Title:
Instructor of Trumpet Director, Jazz Ensembles
Address:
Creative Arts Center 93D, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH 45435-0001
Email:
Matthew Grant Weaver
Department:
School of Fine and Performing Arts
Title:
Adjunct, Support Staff
Email:
