Auditions are required for some but not all ensembles.
The concert ensembles regularly perform repertoire ranging from classical, standard band literature to giving the premieres of contemporary works for the medium. The rich, musical heritage of the concert ensembles includes faculty conductors Raymond Dvorak, H. Robert Reynolds, Eugene Corporon, James Smith, and Mike Leckrone. Numerous guest conductors include John DeMain, Craig Kirchhoff, Frederick Fennell, Vincent Persichetti, William Revelli, H. Owen Reed, Donald Hunsberger, and Larry Livingston. Guest soloists have included Fred Hemke, Harvey Pittel, and Timofei Dokshitzer, as well as Mead Witter School of Music performance faculty.
The Band Program actively commissions new works for the wind band medium. Composers William Bolcom, David Del Tredici, David Maslanka, Carter Pann, Anthony Plog, D. J. Sparr, and James Stephenson are among the many composers the Band Program has commissioned. The ensembles have performed at prestigious conferences, including those of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA). Each year, the Band Program gives numerous performances on and off campus. Tours of the Midwest and run-out concerts within Wisconsin serve to enlarge the Band Program’s musical community while also establishing strong relationships with our middle and high school colleagues.
In addition, the annual Collage Concert has become a campus favorite. It is an exciting, non-stop showcase of Mead Witter School of Music ensembles in collaboration with other UW–Madison arts disciplines, including creative writing, dance, and musical theatre.