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.

Chorus
The Lake Forest College Chorus performs repertoire ranging from motets to musical theatre and from medieval to modern. It places special emphasis on music of the world's cultures, singing in languages from Arabic to Zulu. Two concerts each semester feature the Chorus. Membership in the ensemble is open by audition to all students, staff, and faculty.

Forester Singers
A small number of more advanced students from the Chorus make up the Forester Singers, which performs a cappella  repertoire of various periods and styles. In addition to sharing concerts with the Chorus, the Singers occasionally appear at College functions or off-campus.

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.