Symphony | Philharmonia
| Opera Orchestra
Libraries | Competition | Tickets
| Auditions | Season Programs
The School of Music supports a wide array of orchestral activities including a full symphony, chamber orchestra, and opera orchestra. The LSU Orchestra program presents more than ten performances each academic year with classical concerts, chamber orchestra concerts, the concerto concert, the major work concert with choirs, and operas. More information can be obtained by contacting Mr. Dennis Parker, at (225) 578-2590 or dparke5@lsu.edu.
The LSU Symphony Orchestra is a major performing ensemble at the School of Music. Its repertoire encompasses established masterworks in orchestral literature from the Baroque to the twentieth century as well as works by contemporary composers. Recent concert seasons have included compositions such as Adams's The Chairman Dances, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No.3, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, and Elgar’s Enigma Variations, etc. Each academic year the Symphony Orchestra performs an average of five plus concerts in the LSU Union Theater, and it collaborates with distinguished guest artists as well as LSU School of Music faculty soloists on a regular basis. Its membership of 90 players represents some of LSU’s most talented student musicians who are from 25 states in the nation as well as from 15 foreign countries.
The LSU Philharmonia is a chamber orchestra. It performs in the Recital Hall of the School of Music each semester during the period of opera production. It is conducted by the graduate students majoring in orchestral conducting with occasional appearances of the Director of Orchestral Studies.
The LSU Opera Theater presents a fully staged production each semester for which the Opera Orchestra serves as the resident ensemble. Recent productions have included The Bartered Bride by Smetana, Falstaff by Verdi, La Boheme by Puccini, and Dialogues of the Carmelites by Poulenc.
Each year the LSU Symphony Orchestra holds a competition to select outstanding student soloists to be provided with an opportunity to perform with the orchestra on its annual concerto concert. Each winner receives a certificate from the Dean of the School of Music. In addition, the first, second, and the third prize winners receive a cash award of $1000, $500, and $250, respectively. Recent winners have performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, Arnold’s Flute Concerto, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, and Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 2. Winning the Concerto Competition is considered one of the highest honors at the School of Music.
The LSU School of Music maintains, as a part of the LSU Orchestra Library, the Lucile Blum Lending Library, which is a substantial collection of orchestral scores and parts. The Blum collection provides academic and professional orchestras the opportunity to rent sets of parts for a low fee during fall and spring semester of the academic year. Summer rental is not available. For information about the collection and lending policies, please call the Orchestra Library at 225/578-2662.
Tickets to performances by LSU's orchestras are available online. There is usually no admission charge for performances given in the Recital Hall.
The Orchestra membership is open to all LSU students through a successful audition. The audition dates for the 2009-2010 academic year will be announced soon. Each player has a ten-minute slot to play a solo piece/movement of his/her choice, the required excerpts, and sight reading. The required excerpts for each instrument are as follows.
Flute:
The first flute part of Debussy Faun from beginning to #3; Mendelssohn Midsummer Night Dream Scherzo–from pick up to 1 before letter P to the end.
Piccolo
Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony 2nd movement from 2 after letter E to G; Sousa Stars & Stripes Forever last 32 bars.
Oboe
The first oboe part of Strauss Don Juan from the beginning to letter B; Brahms 1st Symphony 2nd movement 10 before letter A to letter C.
English Horn
Dvorak 9th Symphony 2nd movement the beginning solo.
E-flat Clarinet
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 5th movement solo from number 63 to 65.
Clarinet
The first clarinet part of Mendelssohn Midsummer Night Dream Scherzo beginning to 17 after letter F; Beethoven 6th Symphony 1st movement–from bar 418 to the end, and 2nd movement–from letter D to 5 after F.
Bass Clarinet
Strauss Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks from number 35 to the end of 37.
Bassoon
Mozart Bassoon Concerto, K.191 Movement. I though bar 71; The first bassoon part of Mozart Marriage of Figaro Overture bars 131-171; Ravel Bolero Solo; Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 Waltz - 2 and ½ bars before to 18 after letter D; Tchaikovsky Symphony No.6 Movement I Solo - bars 1-12; Shostakovich Symphony No. 9 Movement IV and V (through figure A).
Contrabassoon
Brahms 3rd Symphony 4th movement from 19 after letter L to 3 after N.
French Horn
The first horn part of Brahms 3rd Symphony 3rd movement solo at letter F for 12 bars; Brahms 2nd Symphony 1st movement–bar 454-477; Strauss Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks–beginning solo, and #37-#38; Tchaikovsky 5th Symphony 2nd movement–beginning solo; Fourth horn part of Beethoven 9th Symphony 3rd movement–solo from Adagio to Lo stesso tempo.
Trumpet
Stravinsky Petrushka cornet solo in Dance of Ballerina; The first trumpet part in Mussorgsky-Ravel Pictures at An Exhibition movement VI from number 58 to 62; Off-stage solo in Beethoven Leonora Overture No. 3, both times.
Trombone
Wagner Ride of the Valkiries, the B major section. Rossini, La Gazza Ladra.
Saint Seans 3rd Symphony, solo part. Strauss Ein Heldenleben, battle scene.
Bass Trombone
Brahms 1st Symphony 4th movement from letter C to D; Haydn Creation from 26 to letter C.
Tuba
Wagner Meistersinger Prelude from letter J to the end; Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 4th movement from number 56 to 6 after number 57.
Timpani
Beethoven 9th Symphony 1st movement from 18 before letter S to the end; Elgar Enigma Variations from number 23 to the end of 29.
Percussions
TBA by the orchestra director and percussion professor.
Harp
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 2nd movement from number 28 to 35; Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Waltz of the Flowers solo.
Violin
The first violin part of Brahms 2nd Symphony 1st movement from the beginning to letter B; Strauss Don Juan from the beginning to 13 bars after letter C; Prokofiev Romeo & Juliet Suite No. 1 Death of Tybalt from number 70 to 74.
Viola
Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream Scherzo beginning to letter D; Strauss Don Juan the first page (beginning to 9 after letter B); Beethoven 5th Symphony 2nd movement from the beginning to 8 before letter C.
Cello
Brahms 3rd Symphony 3rd movement from the beginning to letter B; Brahms 2nd Symphony 2nd movement from the beginning to letter A; Mozart Symphony No. 35 Finale from the beginning to letter A.
Bass
Wagner Meistersinger Prelude from letter J to the end; Beethoven 5th Symphony 3rd movement from bar 140 to letter B; Mozart Symphony No. 35 Finale from the
beginning to letter A.
The excerpts are available from the School of Music office. Those who wish to obtain a copy may call 225-578-3261 or e-mail Ms. Kelly Eaglin (keagli1@lsu.edu). The audition sign-up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board in front of the Orchestra Room.
LSU Orchestra Program 2008 Concert Season
8:00 PM Monday, October 20, 2008, Recital Hall
Philharmonia
Conducted by LSU Conducting Minors
Program of Beethoven, Bizet and Jennifer Higdon
8:00 PM Monday, October 27, 2008, Recital Hall
Philharmonia
Edward Benyas, guest conductor
Program of Rossini, Barber and Mendelssohn
Time TBA Sunday, November 9, Recital Hall
LSU Concerto Competition, Final Round
8:00 PM Tuesday, December 2, 2008, First Baptist Church
LSU Symphony Orchestra
Dennis Parker, conductor
Program of Copland, Mahler and Beethoven
Spring 2009 dates to be announced soon
