Workshops and Outreach at UMSL

UMSL Junior Honor Band

December 5, 2018. The University of Missouri-St. Louis Music Department is proud to announce the second annual UMSL Junior Honor Band. This one day event will provide 11th grade band students the opportunity to experience the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus and the UMSL Music Department through interaction with our faculty and current students. The day will include full band rehearsal and sectionals with the UMSL Wind and Percussion faculty. We will feature this Honors Ensemble with the UMSL Wind Ensemble on a concert December 5, 2018, in the Lee Theater of the Touhill Performing Arts Center. This concert is open to the public and we encourage parents, family members, and band directors to attend.

Click here for more information.

Arianna Chamber Music Festival

June 11-14, 2019.  The Arianna String Quartet hosts the Arianna Chamber Music Festival during June at the stunning Touhill Performing Arts Center. A fun and intensive week dedicated to the study of chamber music, the festival is open to individuals and preformance groups from 14-22 years of age. More information

Orff-Schulwerk Certification Workshop

[2019 dates TBA].  Orff-Schulwerk certification will be offered  [dates TBA] at UMSL in conjunction with the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA). Levels 1, 2, and 3 are scheduled, as well as a new Orff Curriculum Development program. The certification focuses on training music teachers to implement the creative music and movement approach developed by Carl Orff. This approach is known for using instruments such as xylophone to improvise and compose music. Training includes recorder and movement classes.

For more information, contact Prof. Gary Brandes (brandesg@umsl.edu) and visit this webpage.

E. Desmond Lee Fine Arts Education Collaborative Invitational Music Festivals

The E. Desmond Lee Fine Arts Education Collaborative Invitational Music Festivals are held annually during the first week of February.  The middle school music festival includes a 200-voice choir, a 110-piece concert band and a 110-piece string orchestra.  The high school festival includes a 180-voice choir, a 110-piece symphonic band, and a 110-piece string orchestra.  The all-day festivals conclude with free evening concerts open to the public at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.  The clinicians and guest conductors are UMSL music faculty and most recently included Gary Brandes, Jim Henry, Jennifer Mishra, James Richards, Gail Fleming and Robert Nordman.

The E. Desmond Lee Fine Arts Education Collaborative Invitational Showcase Concert features individual Des Lee school ensembles—choirs, orchestras, bands, jazz ensembles—in a showcase performance at Powell Symphony Hall.  This annual event is scheduled for late November or early December.