Ensembles

Jump to an ensemble: 
Chamber Singers • Jazz Ensemble • Spartan Spirit Band • String Ensemble • University Chorale • Vocal Unrest • Wind Symphony • 

The Castleton Music Department offers numerous opportunities for all students in the Castleton University community. Our ensembles are unique in that they provide not only an educational experience for our students but include performances in a wide variety of settings that include supporting the Castleton community, educational outreach, directly working with composers, and much more. Additionally, students will have several opportunities not only for performance experience, but opportunities to conduct and hold organizational leadership roles as well.

Chamber Singers

The Castleton Chamber Singers is a select ensemble dedicated to preparing high-quality repertoire suitable for chamber choir. The Chamber Singers perform a variety of works from Renaissance motets and madrigals, to contemporary choral literature. Performances include concerts and tours with the University Chorale, special events, and off-campus venues. Membership is open to University Chorale members by audition in the fall and spring.

Castleton Chamber Singers are directed by Dr. Sherrill Blodget.

Jazz Ensemble

The Castleton University Jazz Ensemble allows instrumentalists and vocalists to gain performance experience in all styles of jazz as well as offering the opportunity to develop improvisation skills. Recent performances have included works from The Buddy Rich Orchestra, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Charlie Mingus, and other jazz standards.

The Jazz Ensemble is directed by Michael Craner.

Spartan Spirit Band

The Spartan Spirit Band is made up of students from a variety of majors across campus and students of all levels of ability are welcome! If you like playing fun, upbeat music and cheering your fellow students on, the Spartan Spirit Band is for you! We rock the house at football and hockey games to support our athletic teams while providing entertainment in the stands with a variety of popular music selections. The group also performs at various campus and community events throughout the year.

The Spartan Spirit Band is under the direction of Dr. Heidi Welch

String Orchestra

The String Ensemble is our newest addition to Castleton's music program. The ensemble performs pieces from a wide variety of composers from the classics to contemporary. This ensemble is designed to work with string musicians of all abilities and enrollment is open to all majors at Castleton. 

The String Orchestra is under the direction of Peter Miller.

University Chorale

One of Castleton’s oldest traditions, the University Chorale is comprised of music majors, minors, and non-majors, bringing a wealth of diversity and energy to the ensemble.

Chorale activities include concerts each semester at Castleton, choir retreats, a regional tour in the spring, and an international tour every four years. The chorale performs a variety of repertoire from different eras and cultures and combines with professional instrumentalists to perform large-scale works such as the Fauré Requiem, Jose Vitier's Misa Cubana, and the Vivaldi Gloria. The Chorale has recently performed Italy and Cuba, and worked with noted artists including Tony Leach, Gwyneth Walker, and Robert DeCormier. 

The University Chorale is directed by Dr. Sherrill Blodget.

Vocal Unrest

Vocal Unrest is the student-run, co-ed a cappella group at Castleton University. Comprised of members across classes and majors, the ensemble holds auditions during the opening weeks of the Fall semester each academic year. Vocal Unrest performs arrangements of popular music from a variety of genres, including Sia’s Chandelier, Classic by MKTO, and is known to bring out a Christmas carol or two for the holiday season.

Vocal Unrest's rehearsal schedule is based on the member's schedules, to make it as accommodating as possible to students.

If you’re interested in more information about the group or about booking inquiries, please contact vocalunrest@castleton.edu.

Wind Symphony

The Castleton University Wind Symphony performs band literature for woodwinds, brass, and percussion from all eras of music, old and new. Recent performances have included works by Brian Balmages, Julie Giroux, Gustav Holst, Gordon Jacob, Olivia Kieffer, Cait Nishimura, Eric Whitacre.

The ensemble has also performed with visual and mixed media, works with narration and various non-music performers, as well as works that feature guest musicians from the region and our own faculty.

Enrollment is open to all Castleton students; non-music majors are encouraged to participate.

The Wind Symphony is under the direction of Joshua Thompson.