Performance Program

With music for all as our mission, we welcome all students who have a passion for music performance to make music via private lessons and ensembles regardless of their prior musical experience.

Ensemble opportunities

Students may audition for and join any of our faculty-led ensembles for credit or non-credit:

• Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra (Neal Hampton, dir.)
• Chamber Music Society (Jenny Tang and David Russell, dir.)
• Wellesley College Choir (Lisa Graham, dir.)
• Chamber Singers (Lisa Graham, dir.)
• Collegium Musicum (Laura Jeppesen, dir.)
• Wellesley BlueJazz Ensemble Program (Cercie Miller and Paula Zeitlin, dir.)
• Yanvalou Drum and Dance Ensemble (Kera Washington, dir.)
• Guild of Carillonneurs (Margaret Angelini, dir.)
• Organ Club (Erica Johnson, dir.)

Private lesson instruction

Students may pursue private instruction in a wide variety of instruments ranging from Baroque violin to guzheng to West African drums to saxophone. We offer classical and jazz study in voice as well as all string, wind, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments. Lessons may be taken for credit or non-credit, regardless of experience. Incoming students who expect to take lessons should take the music theory placement evaluation to determine their starting point for co-requisites. For more information on our faculty and lesson procedures, contact the Music Office.

Honors concert

Each spring, the Music Department hosts a concert honoring the immensely talented student musicians in our large and diverse performance program. Performers are chosen from across all disciplines (classical, jazz, and world music) and instrumental groups to present their recent repertoire. The concert is free and open to the public.

Instrument collection

The Music Department offers use of a vast musical instrument collection that includes 39 pianos, a wide assortment of modern orchestral instruments, guzheng, pipa, harmonium, and a collection of African drums. There is also an extensive collection of early Western keyboard, string, and wind instruments, including a fortepiano, two harpsichords, eight violas da gamba, Baroque and Renaissance flutes, and a dulcian.

Houghton Chapel features the Fisk Organ, an instrument constructed in 1981 after North German models. Our 32-bell carillon is located in Galen Stone Tower atop Green Hall.