Ensemble Courses

The Symphonic Winds Ensemble is dedicated to performing traditional concert band and wind ensemble music along with newly commissioned and original works by Berklee students.

A recording orchestra of 37 musicians, the Film Scoring Studio Orchestra will integrate and improve orchestral performance skills in an actual Hollywood-style scoring stage setting. A collaboration between the Ensemble, Music Production and Engineering, and Film Scoring departments, the orchestra will meet in Studio 1 of the 160 Massachusetts Avenue building. Each week the ensemble will play music composed by professional film composers or Berklee Film Scoring students, and be recorded by Berklee students in related MP&E classes. Through participation in film scoring sessions in a state-of-the-art scoring stage venue, students will improve their overall efficiency of sight-reading, technique, rhythm (including click track competency), intonation, articulation, style orientation, and ensemble-centered production (listening/response sensitivity).   

The Contemporary Orchestra is designed to feature Berklee's student performers, composers, and conductors through the use of standard repertoire, film, multimedia, and sound. Works of major 20th century composers, as well as Berklee students and faculty, are programmed. Student performers gain experience in orchestral auditions and have the opportunity to be featured as soloists. This ensemble meets two times per week; the second weekly meeting is used for workshops.

Note: students who have previously taken this course can enroll directly without written approval of course instructor. 

The Art of Music of Black Composers Ensemble studies and performs the richness of America’s roots music traditions. The students study all types of black composers stretching from roots music all the way to modern day pop. This ensemble emphasizes hearing and expressing musical ideas with stylistic integrity and melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic accuracy.

The Musical Theater Orchestra (MTO) Ensemble performs the music of Broadway shows. In this course, students participate in weekly supervised rehearsals. Students gain experience performing in a variety of styles inherent in each show. This ensemble emphasizes hearing and expressing musical ideas with stylistic integrity and melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic accuracy

Mixed instrumentation chamber ensemble, including brass, woodwinds, strings, voice, and guitar with piano accompanists. Ensemble will perform standard classical chamber music repertoire. Emphasis will be on developing accompanying skills while providing an outlet for soloists.

In the Neither/Nor Composer Ensemble, students compose new works for the ensemble and perform each other's music. Students are expected to perform and compose every week. This ensemble focuses on contemporary concert music, with an openness to including improvisation, unconventional notational styles, and other forms of experimentation. Instrumentation is based on the instruments of the students participating in class. Curriculum focuses on a workshop approach for both composing new music and performing extended techniques, microtones, chance procedures, and other contemporary techniques. The ensemble uses guided improvisation and graphic scores as a way to generate ideas for fully notated works. Each week students write notated scores for the entire ensemble to rehearse and play. The final project includes a new composition by each student to be performed by the ensemble.  

The Directed Study – Pop Performance Studies Ensemble is similar to an independent study. The lead student (who has at least 5th-semester standing), submits the approved application and proposal and is responsible for leading the rehearsals, delegating responsibilities, communicating week-to-week goals, planning the final performance, and promoting the final performance. These sections are created to support students who desire a show of covers or original music within the pop idiom. The assigned/selected faculty is responsible for mentoring the lead student in their directorial role, and assisting students with coordinating equipment and/or performance needs with the Ensemble Department and/or College, as necessary.

The directed study application process is as follows:

• Attend mandatory directed study meeting held during each midterm week
• Complete online application
• Complete detailed proposal
• Audition and assemble a full band

The Directed Study – Jazz Performance Studies Ensemble is a course designed to similar to an independent study. The lead student (who has at least 5th-semester standing), submits the approved application and proposal and is responsible for leading the rehearsals, delegating responsibilities, communicating week-to-week goals, planning the final performance, and promoting the final performance. These sections are created to support students who desire a show of covers or original music within the jazz idiom. The assigned/selected faculty is responsible for mentoring the lead student in their directorial role, and assisting students with coordinating equipment and/or performance needs with the Ensemble Department and/or College, as necessary.

The directed study application process is as follows:

• Attend mandatory directed study meeting held during each midterm week
• Complete online application
• Complete detailed proposal
• Audition and assemble a full band

The Directed Study – R&B Performance Studies Ensemble is a course designed to similar to an independent study. The lead student (who has at least 5th-semester standing), submits the approved application and proposal and is responsible for leading the rehearsals, delegating responsibilities, communicating week-to-week goals, planning the final performance, and promoting the final performance. These sections are created to support students who desire a show of covers or original music within the R&B idiom. The assigned/selected faculty is responsible for mentoring the lead student in their directorial role, and assisting students with coordinating equipment and/or performance needs with the Ensemble Department and/or College, as necessary.

The directed study application process is as follows:

• Attend mandatory directed study meeting held during each midterm week
• Complete online application
• Complete detailed proposal
• Audition and assemble a full band