Music Ensembles

Support for ensemble playing is an important element of the ASU Conservatory Program.  As the need arises, ensembles of many different kinds can be begun for either short-term or permanent duration.  The music ensembles listed below are regularly sponsored by the Conservatory.  Most of them are open to home school students, public and parochial school students, and others in appropriate age groups who wish to have another high quality ensemble performance opportunity.

Greater Augusta Youth Orchestras
Laura Tomlin, director

Orchestra I is for less-experienced students (usually middle school and grade school players or those with limited ensemble experience.)  Orchestra II is intended for those players who can successfully approach a more challenging repertoire (usually high school students and especially advanced middle school players).

Spring Semester 2008.  Auditions for all new orchestra members will be held between 5:00 and 7:00 PM on Monday, January 14, 2008.  This includes new members of the string sections, but also any wind instrument student who would like to participate in Orchestra II in the spring Semester.
Rehearsals are on Mondays (Orchestra I at 5:00 PM, Orchestra II at 6:00 PM), and at least one major performance is scheduled each semester.  Both orchestras are essentially string ensembles, with wind instruments added when dictated by the chosen orchestra repertory.  Membership is by audition only. 

Tuition is $50 per semester for strings, and $35 per semester for winds and percussion instruments.

Conservatory Wind Symphony (high school students)
Richard Brasco, director

The CWS is a concert wind ensemble for high school students (grades 9-12).  It meets only in the Spring semester each year, with rehearsals on Monday evenings from 7:15 to 9:00 PM.  An audition tape must be submitted for prospective new members in the Fall semester, and membership is announced at that time so that rehearsals can begin in January.  Information about the dates and audition requirements can be obtained from area high school band directors, or from the Conservatory Program office. 

Spring Semester 2008.   Most positions in the CWS for 2008 will have been filled by January 1, 2008 (see above paragraph).  Inquiries by others interested in membership should be directed to Mr. Richard Brasco at rbrasco@comcast.net

CWS members who would like to participate as members of the Greater Augusta Youth Orchestra will have to audition separately on the orchestra audition date, January 14, 2008.

Tuition is $50 per semester for the Conservatory Wind Symphony.  Tuition for CWS members who are accepted by audition into the Greater Augusta Youth Orchestra is an additional $25.

Conservatory Middle School Wind Symphony (7th-, 8th- & 9th-grade)
Dicky Fallin, director

The CMSWS meets in both Fall and Spring semesters.  It is open to 7th-, 8th- and 9th- grade students, thereby providing a significant leadership role in the ensemble to high school freshmen.  Rehearsals are scheduled for Monday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM., starting on Monday, January 14, 2008.  Registration for the spring semester will take place at this first scheduled rehearsal.

Tuition is $50 per semester.

Conservatory Jazz Band
Dr. John D. Bradley, director

This is a jazz band (“big band”) for experienced high school jazz players, and for those who want to become experienced.  The CJB performs a formal concert every semester at ASU, as well as at other venues throughout the CSRA.  Rehearsals are held on Saturdays, from 10:00 AM until 12:30 PM. Potential new members should come to the first rehearsal of the semester to talk to the director.

Spring Semester, 2008.  The first rehearsal will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2008.

Tuition is $35 per semester, payable at the first rehearsal of the semester.

Other Ensembles

The Conservatory has long-range plans to establish several other ensembles.  Among these possibilities are the following:

Conservatory Youth Choir, probably for students in the 11-16 age category;

Adult Wind Band for retirees and other seniors who played instruments in an earlier time of life, but who “temporarily” put the instruments aside

Recorder Orchestra for recorder players of any age who would like to participate in an ensemble for this most basic of wind intruments.

The most important element in the Conservatory Program’s decision about whether to try to start one of these ensembles is whether there is a viable number of people interested in the activity.  If you are interested in one of these ensembles, or in some other kind of musical activity, call the Conservatory Office to discuss the matter.