Concert Ensembles

Concert Band

The University of Louisville Concert Band is a 50-member ensemble performing standard concert band literature. Auditions are not required. The ensemble is directed by Dr. Jason P. Cumberledge and meets during the spring semesters every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 4 to 5:50 p.m.  The Concert Band performs two concerts during the spring semester in Comstock Concert Hall at the UofL School of Music. Scholarships are available for all nonmusic majors. Recently performed literature has featured the music of David Maslanka, Julie Giroux, Michael Markowski, Jodie Blackshaw, W. Francis McBeth and Frank Ticheli.

This ensemble is dedicated to broadening the artistic level and interest of its members while performing music of artistic and historical significance. Students have the opportunity to interact with important composers including recent guests Kevin Day, Kathryn Salfelder and Katahj Copely. An important mission of the band is to perform music that is representative of all students in the ensemble, by programming music that connects to all musicians.

Symphonic Band

The University of Louisville Symphonic Band is comprised of approximately 60 undergraduate and graduate students from the university representing both music and non-music majors. The ensemble’s mission is to perform core works of the standard concert band repertoire. The regular concert season includes two concerts a semester as well as special clinics with public school programs. Under the direction of Dr. Amy Acklin, the ensemble has also championed new music, premiering works of Kevin M. Walczyk and Paul Brink and collaborated with composers David Maslanka and Steve Rouse. The UofL Symphonic Band has recorded multiple works of Steve Rouse, available at manhattanbeachmusic.com, and also regularly produces professional music recordings for C. Alan Publications.

The UofL Symphonic Band recently performed at the 2015 Kentucky Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference in Louisville, Kentucky and at the 2016 CBDNA Southern Division in Charleston, South Carolina. Both performances represent a first in the UofL Symphonic Band’s history.

Wind Ensemble

The University of Louisville Wind Ensemble is widely known for its persuasive performances of significant works representing a variety of styles in the wind band repertoire. Directed by Dr. Frederick Speck, the musicians aspire to the highest level of musical and artistic standards. The ensemble maintains an active schedule of performances and is comprised of the finest woodwind, brass, and percussion students at the university.

In addition to campus performances, the ensemble has been invited to perform at numerous professional association conferences. Such performances include Kentucky Music Educators Association In-Service Conferences, College Band Directors National Association-Southern Division Conferences, the Music Educators National Conference National Convention, the College Band Directors National Conference in New York City, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conferences in Killarney, Ireland and San Jose, California, the Jungfrau Music Festival in Interlaken, Switzerland and the American Bandmasters Association Convention.

The WASBE Conference performance in Killarney was acclaimed as “Un tour de force enorme” (Miguel Etchegoncelay, Argentina), “ein Konzert der Superlative” (Peter Bucher, Switzerland) and as possessing “assertive musicality and powerful precision” by Chris Woodruff, USA. Also commenting was Timothy Reynish, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Past-President, who observed that Karel Husa’s “Cheetah...has to be played as brilliantly as this. Frederick Speck is a meticulous conductor, and the ensemble was on outstanding form, throwing Husa’s virtuosity off effortlessly...a concert which centered on the Grawemeyer composers Husa, Penderecki, Takemitsu and Joan Tower, and this was an intriguing, brilliantly played and conducted programme.”