DEPARTMENT  OF  FINE  ARTS Music - Instrumental Program

 
Community Participation Welcome!

There are exciting new opportunities to participate in music at Francis Marion University. This is a rapidly expanding program that is generously supported by scholarship money for qualified students regardless of choice of major. These programs give you a chance to make music, become involved with other students in campus life, and help pay for your education.

We have 3 instrumental performance ensembles. These ensembles perform in a wide variety of musical styles, entertain at campus and community events, and have plans to tour. Participants in all ensembles earn academic credit. Here is a brief description of our instrumental groups:  

• Wind Symphony - performs the very best of the concert band and wind ensemble literature.  Participation by Community Musicians Welcome!   
• Jazz Express - an opportunity for exceptional performers to develop jazz improvisation skills in a small-group jazz setting.
• String Ensemble - for students and faculty interested in learning and performing chamber music.

We also offer, for credit, individual instruction on brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments with plans to expand into stringed instruments in the near future.

If you enjoy performing music, we are interested in including you in our ensembles. While we have some very talented performers in our groups, we do rely heavily on dedicated individuals with limited experience who simply love to perform.

Scholarships: Qualified students can receive up to $500 per academic year for participating in these groups. To apply for a scholarship you need to perform an informal audition. It is preferred that a personal audition be arranged, although in instances where great distances are involved a taped audition may be acceptable. The audition will include:

• Basic scales.
• A piece you have prepared that you think demonstrates your ability.
• Sight reading.

To take advantage of these opportunities, please contact Craig Alberty, our instrumental music director, as soon as possible. You may write, e-mail, or call us at the number listed below. We want you involved in the music program at Francis Marion University.