Woodwind Ensembles

The School of Music offers a variety of chamber music opportunities for woodwind players, including both same and mixed instrument ensembles. Though emphasis is on more traditional mixed-instrument groups, such as wind quintets, wind quartets and reed trios, other groups, including piano, strings, and other combinations, are common.

Coaching of woodwind chamber music groups is typically assigned to an appropriate studio professor. Coaching occurs weekly with schedules based upon the availability of the ensemble members. Other appropriate studio professors often work with individual players outside of ensemble time and/or work with the ensemble on an as needed basis. Guest artists typically offer master classes on campus that include coaching for many of our woodwind chamber groups.

Performance opportunities for student chamber music ensembles include various recital formats on campus as well as off-campus possibilities, including outreach series, professional conferences, and competitions.

If you would like to play in a chamber group, please speak with your applied studio teacher.

The Ball State Flute Choir, a group of flute players focused on multipart (four to eight parts) flute repertoire, consists of a large number of flute players, using piccolo, flute, alto flute, and bass flute.

An extension of the flute studio, the Flute Choir is primarily offered as a laboratory for flute majors and minors to develop skills for playing together in a large ensemble and for pedagogical purposes.

The Flute Choir has performed on the School of Music Showcase concert, studio recitals, and at other on-campus venues. Repertoire includes everything from pop music using beat boxing technique, orchestral repertoire arrangements, folk song arrangements representing different countries, originally composed works for flute choir, and compositions by Ball State students and faculty.

Coaching is offered by the flute professor and by the flute studio graduate assistant(s).

To learn more about the ensemble or how to join, contact Prof. Mihoko Watanabe.

The Ball State Clarinet Consort focuses on large ensemble repertoire for all members of the clarinet family, from E-flat to B-flat contrabass.

Members of the group are primarily majors and minors in the clarinet studio and range in education level from freshman to doctoral.

With an emphasis on music particularly written for clarinet choir, the ensemble also explores unique arrangements of popular band and symphonic works.

If you would like to join the Clarinet Consort, contact Prof. Elisha Willinger.

The Ball State Saxophone Ensembles are composed of members of the saxophone studio and performs works written/arranged for various combinations of players. 

To learn more about the saxophone ensembles or how to join, contact Prof. Nathan Bogert.

The Ball State University Bassoon Ensemble focuses on small ensemble repertoire for bassoon and contrabassoon with additional performance of larger “bassoon choir” works possible.

The ensemble is an extension of the bassoon studio, with activity mainly offering a platform for bassoon majors and minors to work together for pedagogical reasons and for “bassoon fun.” Bassoonists will occasionally perform together on student recitals and other on-campus venues.

The ensemble gives bassoonists the opportunity to arrange music, ranging from classical repertoire to popular songs, for combinations of bassoonists and contrabassoons.

Coaching is offered by the bassoon professor and by guest artists.

If you are interested in joining the ensemble, contact Prof. Michael Majors.