Symphonic Band

symphonic-band-2023-880x300.jpg

Music Director

Shawn Chabot

Auditions

Audition required. Open to all Western University students.

Complete Audition Information

Rehearsals

Tuesdays & Thursdays
3:30 - 5:30pm

Complete Rehearsal Information

Repertoire

Download Cumulative Repertoire (PDF)

Quick Links

Course Outlines

Complete Ensembles Information

Winds, Brass & Percussion at Western

The Western University Symphonic Band has a long-standing history of musical achievement. It was the first large instrumental ensemble at the university over 50 years ago. The ensemble’s goals are to explore quality music written for the wind band, and to perform it with mastery. Typical repertoire consists of music written in a variety of styles, including transcriptions, the core standard band repertoire, and some of the best new pieces for the genre.

Comprised of approximately 60 musicians or more, the Symphonic Band is open to music majors and non-music majors by audition. Auditions take place immediately before classes begin in the fall. The Symphonic Band performs four concerts per year on the university campus in the Paul Davenport Theatre.

2023-24 Performances

Joining us on campus for an in-person event? For always-up-to-date health and safety protocols, check our Audience Information webpage before you leave home.

All concerts are approximately 1 hour in length unless otherwise noted. Download concert program in advance.

Saturday, October 21 | 3pm (approx. 2.5 hour duration)
Paul Davenport Theatre
Community, Connection and Celebration
Join us and the Wind Ensemble for the first of two joint concerts of the season. Featured works include A Jubilant Overture by Alfred Reed, Donald Coakley's Lyric Essay, Suite Provençale by Jan Van Der Roost, The Rusty Bucket by Carol Britten Chambers, and closes with Bruce Yurko's Danza No. 2.

Saturday, December 2 | 3pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
Twisted Variations
Our second concert contains both contemporary and traditional works that feature compositional twists and variations. Works include Hunsberger's arrangement of Galop by Shostakovich, October by Eric Whitacre, Third Suite by Robert Jager, Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein a tango by Erika Svanoe, and Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance.

Saturday, February 10 | 3pm (approx. 2.5 hour duration)
Paul Davenport Theatre
Real or Imagined?
This is a joint concert with the Wind Ensemble. The third concert pays homage to music and composers from the medieval through contemporary eras. The concert opens with English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, followed by Swiftriver Passage by Paul Suchan, Rock Bottom by award winning composer Derek Jenkins, Adam Gorb's Eine Kleine Yiddishe Ragmusik, and closes with Homage to Perotin the second movement of Ron Nelson's Medieval Suite.

Saturday, April 6 | 3pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
Emblems of Spring
Our final concert of the season features Riptides; an evocative work by guest composer Katahj Copley. Come hear The Hounds of Spring by Alfred Reed, Grainger's Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon, Divertimento by Roger Cichy, and National Emblem by E.E. Bagley.


Performance Excerpts

Excerpt from "Illumination", David Maslanka
Excerpt from "Footsteps", Dana Wilson

Conductor, Shawn Chabot
2021-22

 

Excerpt from "Pastorale de Provence - I. La Villageoise", Franco Cesarini
Excerpt from "Pastorale de Provence - II. Le petit berger", Franco Cesarini
Excerpt from "Pastorale de Provence - III. La Princesse", Franco Cesarini
Excerpt from "Pastorale de Provence - IV. Le Lutin", Franco Cesarini

Conductor, Shawn Chabot
2021-22


Subscribe to our monthly events email for event notifications year-round, or visit music.uwo.ca/events for more information.