UNT Symphony Orchestra The UNT Symphony orchestra was established in 1938 and has played concerts regularly for 63 years. During this time the orchestra has had only six regular conductors. With the return of Maestro Anshel Brusilow in 1989, the orchestra has catapulted into international prominence. The 100 member ensemble, including students from 12 countries and from throughout the United States, is recognized as one of America's top training grounds for professional orchestral players. In 1992, the UNT Symphony Orchestra toured Spain and the Mediterranean for two weeks. The following season the orchestra was invited to play Verdi's Requiem in Monterrey, Mexico. Students at UNT have the opportunity to study and perform under the baton of Maestro Brusilow, former conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and one of the great concertmasters of the 20th century. Maestro Brusilow was concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell and the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy for many years. UNT Chamber Orchestra The UNT Chamber Orchestra was organized in 1973 by Maestro Brusilow during his first tenure at this school. It consists of 40 of the most experienced and advanced players in the school. It gives students the opportunity to discover a body of orchestral literature that is subtle, complex, and largely unexplored. The Chamber Orchestra was invited to play at the Mozart Bicentennial at Lincoln Center in 1991. This all-Mozart program marked the orchestra's first professional New York appearance. The UNT Chamber Orchestra also performs an opera each semester with the UNT Opera Theatre. Repertoire performed in recent seasons includes: Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony No. 1; Britten - Serenade on a Theme of Frank Bridge; Dvorak - Czech Suite, Op. 39; Gretry Mottl - Ballet Suite from Cephale et Procris; Handel * Watermusik; Mendelssohn * Symphony No. 3; Mozart - Symphonies No. 29, 31, 33, Coronation Mass and Horn Concerto No. 2; Ravel - Le Tombeau de Couperin; Schubert * Symphony No. 5; Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 35; Stravinsky - Pulcinella Suite Operas: Humperdinck - Hansel and Gretel; Franz Lehar - The Merry Widow; Mozart - Don Giovanni; Poulenc - Dialogues of the Carmelites; Puccini - La Boheme; Ravel - L'enfant et les sortilege; Verdi - La Traviata; and Robert Ward - The Crucible Early Music Ensembles The University of North Texas Early Music Program is one of the largest and most active programs of its type in North America. With its collection of over 200 instruments, nearly any ensemble of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries can be assembled. Regular ensembles open to string players include: the UNT Baroque Orchestra, a complete Baroque orchestra of 17-25 members; a broken consort (Morley Consort) of plucked and bowed instruments; and Les Agréments, a Baroque chamber ensemble. The Collegium ensembles are open to all members of the student body by. Addition scholarships for string players are available for participation in the Early Music Ensembles. Private instruction is offered in many instruments: Baroque violin (Cynthia Roberts); Baroque oboe (Joyce Alpers); recorder (Sarah Funkhouser); Baroque bassoon (Kevin Hall); Baroque flute (Lee Lattimore); Baroque trumpet (Leonard Candelaria); natural horn (William Scharnberg); harpsichord (Lenora McCroskey); and lute (Lyle Nordstrom). The program director, Dr. Lyle Nordstrom, was awarded the year 2000 Thomas Binkley Award by Early Music America for his outstanding work at the collegiate level. For information contact Lyle Nordstrom. The Jazz Strings The Jazz Strings gives string players an opportunity to play music in jazz, latin, rock and other contemporary styles. Also, players are given a chance to develop improvisational skills. The Jazz Strings consist of 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, bass, piano and drums. Occasionally, soloists on other instruments may be featured. Also, a string quartet , whose members come from the larger group, is featured. The quartet performs unaccompanied pieces such as repertoire from the Turtle Island String Quartet. The Jazz Strings meets twice per week and performs several times each semester, both on and off campus. click here for Jazz Strings Photos NOVA NOVA, the new music forum, is a venue for the performance of recent chamber works by established and emerging composers, as well as significant works from the early 20th century. The primary mission of NOVA is to present works which represent a diversity of musical, aesthetic and cultural influences. String players have the opportunity to explore cutting edge new music as well as established works of recent times. Ensembles of any size and instrumentation are encouraged and provided ample performance opportunities. UNT Concerto Competition The Orchestral Studies program holds an annual concerto competition open to all students of the College of Music. The competition consists of two rounds. In the first round, the faculty of each performance area (strings, keyboard, woodwinds, brass, voice, and percussion) hold a preliminary audition. Five finalists are chosen from each area to play for the Director of Orchestras and Assistant Director of Orchestras in the second round. Winners of the competition perform a movement/aria with the UNT Symphony Orchestra and conducting students of Anshel Brusilow.