Music Ensembles

All performing ensembles at Pacific are open to music majors as well as non-majors. We encourage musically experienced students to participate in:

Chamber Singers

The Pacific University Chamber Singers is comprised of 34 undergraduate students drawn from a diverse variety of disciplines across the Pacific University campus. Open through audition, the group seeks to explore a wide variety of repertoire drawn from diverse choral traditions including sacred and secular, ancient and modern, global and local. The group tours both nationally and internationally and has sung for audiences in North America, Europe and Asia. The ensemble strives to perform music at the highest artistic levels, while engaging audiences through a variety of choral styles and techniques.

Concert Choir

The Pacific University Concert Choir is open to all university students regardless of their major. A brief audition is required for admittance. The Concert Choir performs on campus at the end of each semester.

This choir is designed to provide a large ensemble choral experience for students on multiple levels of vocal skill. Students will learn basic vocal and choral techniques, including breath support, correct posture, diction, tone production, blend and balance. Additionally, basic musicianship and performance skills will be taught through the rehearsal and performance of a diverse selection of choral literature from a variety of historical periods, styles and cultures. Repeatable for credit. Fulfills large ensemble requirement. 0-1 credits.

For more information on the Pacific University Chamber Singers or Concert Choir, please contact:

Dr. Katy Green | Director
kgreen@pacificu.edu | 503-352-2155

Pacific Philharmonic

The Pacific Philharmonic Orchestra is a full symphonic ensemble that performs works from the Baroque to Contemporary eras. Both undergraduate and graduate students from various areas of study at Pacific participate in the ensemble along with faculty and community members. Instrumental and vocal students are selected each semester to perform solo works with the orchestra.

Dr. Dijana Ihas | Director of Orchestral Activities
dihas@pacificu.edu | 503-352-2102

Various Chamber Ensembles

There are various instrumental and vocal chamber ensembles at Pacific University that may be taken for credit (upon the discretion of the student). These ensembles are comprised of students, and they perform regularly on campus as well as around the region.

Some major chamber ensembles currently on campus are strings, saxophone, and guitar. Chamber Ensembles are coached weekly by our faculty.

Jazz Band

The Pacific University Jazz Band is open to all university students regardless of their major, and is an auditioned ensemble. The band performs regularly with regionally and nationally known soloists, and usually plays a "Jazz Nite" concert on campus at the end of each semester.

Jazz standards as well as newly published literature are included in each concert, and the focus is on the ability to perform in a variety of styles. The ability to improvise is desired, but not required of all students. Literature includes arrangements by Count Basie, Matt Harris, Pat Metheney, Stan Kenton, Les Hooper, Don Sebesky, Mike Tomaro, Mark Taylor, and many more.

For more information on the Pacific University Jazz Band, please contact:

Dr. Michael Burch-Pesses | Director of Bands
michaelbp@pacificu.edu | 503-352-2897

Symphonic Band

The Pacific University Symphonic Band is a large instrumental ensemble open to university students regardless of their major, as well as faculty, staff and community members.

The band performs major concerts of standard wind literature by such well-known composers as Holst, Grainger, Vaughan Williams, Ticheli, Gillingham, Alfred Reed and many others. Transcriptions of orchestral literature are also performed on band programs, including works by Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Mozart, Bach and many others. The ensemble normally performs two concerts each semester, sometimes jointly with the Pacific University Chamber Singers or Orchestra.

For more information on the Pacific University Symphonic Band, please contact: