Academics

Department of Music > Performing Ensembles at Lake Forest College

The Department of Music at Lake Forest College offers a variety of performance opportunities, open to the entire College community. There are a number of existing ensembles directed by faculty members, and students are also encouraged to start their own, with the support of the Music Department.

Chamber Orchestra
The Lake Forest College Chamber Orchestra is an ensemble devoted to the performance of Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century repertoire. The group performs two concerts each semester and is open to all members of the College and Lake Forest communities, by audition.

Chamber Ensembles
Student ensembles may include a woodwind quintet, string quartet, brass quintet, and flute choir, directed by faculty members from the Music Department and open to all students.

Lake Forest College Concert Choir & Chamber Singers
The Lake Forest College Concert Choir participates in a variety of choral music exploring classical, global, and popular repertoire for mixed chorus from the Renaissance through the 21st century. Concerts, both on and off campus, may include convention presentations, touring, and collaborations with other ensembles including the Lake Forest College Chamber Orchestra, other college and community choruses, and a wide range of soloists. The Lake Forest College Chamber Singers is a smaller choral ensemble whose members are drawn from the larger Concert Choir roster. The Chamber Singers perform music ranging from intimate unaccompanied pieces to works with instrumental accompaniment from all styles and genres of repertoire. Admission to the LFC choral ensembles is determined by voice placement hearing, however all students-- regardless of major-- as well as all faculty and staff are welcome to participate. Voice placement hearings will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2008 from 11:00-6:30 PM in Reid Hall 100. Hearings will consist of vocal exercises and a brief sight-reading sample. No prepared solo selection is required.

Jazz Ensemble
The jazz Ensemble performs music from big band classics and contemporary repertoire. The ensemble is open to all members of the College community and performs at least once every semester.

Concert Band
The Concert Band performs marches, overtures, waltzes, and suites by such composers as Vaughan Williams, Holst, Sousa, and others. The band is open to all members of the community.

Instrumental Lessons
Private instruction is available for all instruments and voice. Lessons can be taken for credit. Workshops are held twice each semester for students to perform for one another in an informal setting. Applied music faculty are professional performing musicians from the Chicago area, committed to teaching and performing.

Master Classes
Annual master classes give student the opportunity to play for and receive feedback from professional instrumentalists in an informal lesson, open to the College community. Working with a renowned artist offers a wonderful learning experience for all those who participate as performers as well as observers. Past master classed have been given by such performers as nationally renowned pianist Igor Kipnis, Chicago Symphony Orchestra clarinetist John Bruce Yeh, acclaimed flutist Mary Stolper and Alex Klein, principal oboist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Recitals
Each semester students taking private lesson at the College perform in a joint recital open to all.

Lake Forest Lyrica
A professional series of chamber music concerts performed by some of Chicago's finest musicians is held in Lily Reid Holt Memorial Chapel. Concerts are free to the Lake Forest College Community. There are four concerts per season.

The Facilities
The Department of Music is located in Reid Hall. The first floor houses classroom space, faculty offices, and a small recital hall which is equipped with a find grand piano and used for chorus and chamber orchestra rehearsals as well as workshops and recitals. On the lower level there are five practice rooms each containing a piano. The Nelson Electronic Music Studio is furnished with current MIDI equipment, several different types of synthesis modules, a computer and recording equipment.

Lily Reid Holt Memorial Chapel, which adjoins the music department building, was recently renovated with improved acoustics and holds concerts of the College ensembles as well as outside performing artists.

The College owns several brass, woodwind and percussion instruments all of which can be used by students in the Applied Music Program and College ensembles. Other instruments can be bought or borrowed as needed.