Ensembles

The music department at Morningside College offers numerous ensemble opportunities for singers and instrumentalists. All Morningside College students are welcome to participate in music ensembles regardless of major.

Instrumental Ensembles Collaborative Piano and Piano Ensemble Fever Pep Band Instrumental Jazz Ensemble Morningside Outdoor Band Orchestra String Chamber Ensembles Symphonic Wind Ensemble Wind, Brass, and Percussion Chamber Ensembles

Vocal Ensembles Bel Canto Singers Eclectix Vocal Jazz Ensemble The Morningside College Choir The Morningside College Opera Theatre Singing Men of Morningside Choral Union

Instrumental Ensembles

The music department at Morningside College provides a wide range of playing opportunities for students who want to participate in instrumental ensembles. Music majors and non-majors are welcome to perform in any ensemble.

• Collaborative Piano and Piano Ensemble: Qualified pianists may receive academic credit for performing collaboratively with other student musicians. This may include chamber ensembles using piano, solo accompanying, and large ensemble accompanying. Piano performance majors may use up to six credits of Collaborative Piano to meet ensemble requirements.
• Fever Pep Band: The Fever Pep Band provides entertainment at all men's and women?s home basketball games. Students are selected by audition and are paid for their participation. The ensemble is student-led with faculty supervision.
• Instrumental Jazz Ensemble: The Jazz Band is an academic ensemble that performs music composed in any of the jazz styles through the use of big band and combos. Jazz Band is open to any student who wishes to play jazz and improve their improvisation skills. Membership is through audition and/or recommendation.
• Morningside Outdoor Band (MOB): The MOB is an athletic ensemble that performs and entertains at all Morningside College home football games. The band plays as a pep band during the game and performs a half-time show. The half-time performance is presented in "park and blow" style from the front of the field. The band performs a new themed show at each game; selections range from such classic pep band tunes as "Swing, Swing, Swing" and "Soul Man" to contemporary tunes like Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive, and Wail" as recorded by the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
• Orchestra: The Siouxland Youth Symphony consists of college string, wind, brass, and percussion players along with top high school instrumentalists of the Siouxland area. Students may also be offered paid positions in the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, providing valuable professional work experience and additional income.
• String Chamber Ensembles: Qualified string players perform in small string ensembles coached by members of the Morningside Trio (faculty ensemble).
• Symphonic Wind Ensemble (SWE): The SWE is Morningside College's concert band. The objective of the ensemble is to bring the finest traditional and contemporary wind literature to their audiences as well as representing Morningside College in the community. The band performs regular concerts and tours throughout the academic year. Recent SWE performing tours include a trip throughout southern Spain in May of 2009 and an Iowa tour in March of 2008. No audition is required for membership in SWE, but previous band experience is recommended, and membership may be at the discretion of the director. An audition at the beginning of each semester will be used for seating placements and for the purpose of identifying soloists.
• Wind, Brass, and Percussion Chamber Ensembles: Morningside offers chamber music opportunities as well as large ensembles, including Brass Quintet/Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble. Each performs a wide variety of literature written for their respective instrumentation. Membership in these ensembles is through audition and/or recommendation with the respective directors.

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Vocal Ensembles

Students at Morningside have the opportunity to perform in The Morningside College Choir (mixed chorus), Bel Canto Singers (Women?s Choir), Singing Men of Morningside, Choral Union (all choirs combined), Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Musical Theatre, and Opera Theatre. All vocal ensembles are open to all students, regardless of major.

• Bel Canto Singers: This is a unique group of female singers dedicated to the performance of music composed specifically for women's voices. Repertoire is selected from the finest compositions from the Renaissance era through the present. The ensemble is open to all women on campus who love to sing. No audition is required.
  Listen
  :: No Thank You John ... by Rossetti/Gray
• Eclectix Vocal Jazz Ensemble: The Eclectix perform an eclectic mix of jazz, show, and pop tunes both a capella and with a rhythm section. They have been featured on public radio broadcasts and at informal parties and gatherings throughout the Siouxland community.
  Listen
  :: In my Life ... by John Lennon and Paul McCartney / arr. Roger Emerson
  :: True Colors ... by Bill Stenberg and Rom Kelly / arr. Deke Sharon
  :: Blue Skies ... by Irving Berlin / arr. Deke Sharon
• The Morningside College Choir: The Morningside College Choir is an auditioned choir of approximately 50 students which tours every year. In 2005, the College Choir toured Eastern Europe, including Budapest, Hungary; Prague, Czech Republic; and Vienna, Austria. In March 2007, the College Choir toured Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. In May of 2008, the Morningside College Choir traveled to China. The choir performed throughout the tour, including concerts in Beijing, Shanghai, Guan Zhou, Hong Kong and Xi' an. In March of 2009, the choir traveled to California, performing nine concerts in ten days in six different states. In addition to its demanding schedule of touring and on-campus concerts, the Morningside College Choir regularly performs major choral/orchestral works with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and as part of the Morningside Choral Union. Recent performances have included the premier of John Cheetham's Gloria, Brahms' Schicksalslied, the Fauré Requiem, The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn, Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, and Orff's Carmina Burana.
  Listen
  :: Verbum Caro Factum Est ... by Hans Leo Hassler
  :: All That I Am ... by William Grant Stills
  :: Ezek'ul Saw De Wheel ... arranged by William Dawson

• The Morningside College Opera Theatre: Music majors and non-majors alike enjoy performing in this ensemble. Singers form small ensembles (trios, duets, etc.) to perform staged scenes from operas and operettas. Click here to see photos of recent productions.
• Singing Men of Morningside: This ensemble is open to any male student at Morningside, no audition necessary. The Singing Men perform music written specifically for male choirs in all varieties of music from classical to contemporary. They also sing the national anthem at athletic events both on and off campus.
  Listen
  :: Alma Mater ... by Dr. Paul MacCollin
  :: Who Are the Brave ... by Williams/Martin
• Choral Union: Each year, the Morningside College Music Department presents a Christmas concert entitled "Christmas at Morningside." It is a religious-themed concert involving many of our department's choral and instrumental ensembles. One of the featured performing ensembles is called the "Choral Union" an ensemble comprising all the choral groups on campus. Eppley Auditorium is decorated for the event and features an original mural on the stage. "Christmas at Morningside" has become an important tradition at the college and a must-see event for our community. Click here to see photos of recent "Christmas at Morningside" events.