Ensembles at Mt. SAC

MUS 31: CONCERT CHOIR SECTION 1 - FERMATA NOWHERE

Director: Dr. Matthew Lyon Hazzard (mhazzard@mtsac.edu)

Meets MW, 1:15-2:40pm (plus arranged rehearsal hours)

Fermata Nowhere is our Tenor Bass ensemble here at Mt. SAC. In this vocal ensemble, we perform a whole host of genres from barbershop to sea shanty, and use it as a way to explore different cultures, stories, ideas, and more. We’ll also cultivate healthy singing technique, develop our music-reading muscles, and push ourselves to perform at our best. The only things you need are a pencil, an open mind, a good attitude, and a willingness to learn.

As one of the sections of Concert Choir, this group will perform both as a Tenor Bass ensemble and as a mixed ensemble together with our lead treble choir, Serenada. Members may also audition for our select ensemble, Encore, which is composed of our leaders from Fermata Nowhere and Serenada.

Auditions take place during the first two weeks of the semester. Come in, sing with us, and perform a short vocal exercise as an audition. Students who wish to take Classical voice lessons should also be prepared to sing a classical or music theatre piece.

MUS 31: CONCERT CHOIR SECTION 2 - SERENADA

Director: Dr. Matthew Lyon Hazzard (mhazzard@mtsac.edu)

Meets MW, 3:00-4:25pm (plus arranged rehearsal hours)

Serenada is our brand new premier treble ensemble here at Mt. SAC! In this vocal ensemble, we explore a whole host of genres from world music to folk, and use it as a way to explore different cultures, stories, ideas, and more. We’ll also cultivate healthy singing technique, develop our music-reading muscles, and push ourselves to perform at our best. The only things you need are a pencil, an open mind, a good attitude, and a willingness to learn.

As one of the sections of Concert Choir, this group will perform both as a Treble ensemble and as a mixed ensemble together with our lead Tenor Bass choir, Fermata Nowhere. Members may also audition for our select ensemble, Encore, which is composed of our leaders from Fermata Nowhere and Serenada.

MUS 39: LAB BAND

Director: Dr. Marcus Wilcher (mwilcher@mtsac.edu)

Meets TTh, 1:15pm-3:50pm

Study and performance of improvisation, jazz, and pop music of all types. Open to all students with prior instrumental experience. Audition may be required.

MUS 47: JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Director: Dr. Walter Simonsen (wsimonsen@mtsac.edu)

Meets MW, 2:15pm-4:20pm

The Mt. SAC Jazz Ensemble is a premier big band for passionate and dedicated jazz musicians. The ensemble has a proud legacy of award-winning performances, recordings, and collaborations with world-renowned artists. All of this is possible because of our students’ relentless hard work and dedication. The group has won Downbeat awards since 2013. This course focuses on the study, rehearsal, and public performance of advanced big-band literature with an emphasis on improvisation, swing feel, and ensemble precision. A wide variety of jazz styles, from classic swing to modern originals, are performed publicly several times each semester, and tours and festival appearances highlight the year. Students develop advanced musical skills, including reading, phrasing, articulation, and expressive soloing, while learning how to blend, balance, and groove as a unified band.

The ensemble is audition-only. Participation in off-campus performances and festivals is required.

MUS 45: CHAMBER SINGERS

Director: Dr. Matthew Lyon Hazzard (mhazzard@mtsac.edu)

Meets MW, 11:30am-12:55pm; F 8:30-11:20am (plus arranged rehearsal hours)

The Mt. San Antonio College Chamber Singers is an award winning choir meant for the most passionate and dedicated singers. The Chamber Singers have a rich legacy: they have performed at thirteen American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National and Regional Conventions; five California State Conventions; six European tours with performances; headlined concerts around the world; and won dozens of awards. This is all possible because of our students’ insatiable drive to make the best music they can. If you love choir music, work well with others, are invested in your personal/professional growth, and believe in the power of art to create positive change, this is the choir for you.

This course is for the study, rehearsal, and public performance of advanced choral repertoire with an emphasis on the development of skills needed to perform difficult and challenging choral pieces. A wide variety of choral literature is performed publicly several times each semester, and a performance tour occurs each spring semester. Emphasizes advanced musical skills and vocal techniques while focusing on the importance of blend, balance, and tone.

Auditions for this course are held each May for the following school year. This course is repeatable for credit the maximum times allowable by regulation. Off-campus performances are required.

MUS 49: WIND ENSEMBLE

Director: Dr. Karen Marston (kmarston1@mtsac.edu)

Meets MW, 11:30am-1:50pm (plus arranged rehearsal hours)

The Wind Ensemble is the premiere classical wind and percussion ensemble on campus. The group is comprised of music and non-music majors, performing challenging works from the standard and contemporary wind band repertoire. Enrollment is open woodwind, brass, and percussion students with a background performing in band. Instrument and mouthpiece rentals are available. The Wind Ensemble performs both on and off-campus each semester. Chair placement auditions take place during the first week of classes, so you can go ahead and add the course, prior to auditioning. Students are encouraged to add the course to their schedule prior to the start of the semester, but late adds are also welcomed.

MUS 50: JAZZ IMPROVISATION AND PERFORMANCE (Singcopation)

Director: Dr. Jeremy Fox (jfox30@mtsac.edu)

Meets MW, 4:45-6:35pm (with additional arranged rehearsals hours)

This course is for the study, rehearsal, and public performance of advanced vocal jazz literature with an emphasis on improvisation and skills needed to perform within a highly select vocal jazz ensemble. This choir will perform vocal jazz arrangements, and students will study the historical, theoretical, and technical aspects of both instrumental and vocal jazz. Solo singing techniques and scat singing will be rehearsed, and the choir will perform at least one concert each semester at Mt. SAC along with attending and performing at a variety of musical venues. Work with guest artists and make CD recordings. Attendance is required at assigned public performances. The course is repeatable for credit the maximum number of times allowable by regulation. Admission by audition. Off-campus performances are required.

MUS 51: CONTEMPORARY A CAPPELLA ENSEMBLE (Nu Aria)

Director, Jeremy Fox (jfox30@mtsac.edu)

Meets TTh, 3:00pm-5:35pm (with additional arranged rehearsal hours)

Study, rehearsal, and public performance of contemporary a cappella music with an emphasis on the development of skills needed to perform using microphones in a small a cappella setting. Different literature studied each semester. Ensemble specializing in a cappella performances of current rock, pop, jazz, and country hits. Topics include instrumental emulation, vocal percussion microphone techniques, choreography, pop and jazz solo techniques, and arranging. Off campus performances may be required.

MUS 53 - STRING ENSEMBLE

Director: Irene Shiao (ishiao@mtsac.edu)

Mt. San Antonio College's String Orchestra, directed by Professor Irene Shiao, is comprised of music majors and non-music majors. The String Orchestra is open to all Mt SAC students with instrumental experience on a string instrument: Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass. Students enrolled in the ensemble will gain experience in practice, in performance skills, extend their levels in string techniques, music rhythms, and develop musicianship skills through individual, ensemble practice and performances. The ensemble performs a wide variety of repertoire from standard orchestral literature to contemporary film music. The String Orchestra rehearses weekly and performs one concert each semester.

MUS 54 - PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

Meets W, 7pm-10pm

Director, Professor Ariel Campos (acampos84@mtsac.edu)

Study, rehearsal, and public performance of literature appropriate to percussion ensembles and percussion chamber music, with an emphasis on the development of skills needed to perform within this type of specialized ensemble, and the individual and ensemble techniques relevant to the instruments of the percussion family (including timpani, marimba, xylophone, drums, and auxiliary percussion). Different repertoire will be studied each semester.

MUS 55 - GUITAR ENSEMBLE

Director: Professor David Adele (dadele@mtsac.edu)

Meets Wednesdays, 4:45pm - 7:55pm

The Mt. SAC Guitar Ensemble under the direction of David Adele showcases the extensive talent of the college’s guitar students. Students are required to be able to read notes on the guitar in first position. The group performs as a large ensemble as well as duos, trios, quartets, etc. We will explore original music written specifically for guitar ensemble as well as popular works arranged in multiple parts.

MUS 56 - WOODWIND ENSEMBLE

Meets TTh, 11:30am-12:50pm

Director, Professor Nathan King (nking12@mtsac.edu)

MUS 57 - BRASS ENSEMBLE

Meets TTh, 11:30am-12:50pm

Director: Dr. Karen Marston, kmarston1@mtsac.edu

MUS 60 - MARCHING BAND (WINDS)

Meets TTH, 7pm-9:30pm

Director: Walter Simonsen, wsimonsen@mtsac.edu

The Mountie Marching Band is the heartbeat of campus life. From thunderous pregame entrances to halftime spectacles and the non-stop groove in the stands, the band is the soundtrack of Mt. San Antonio College. Performing chart-topping hits and the rousing Mt. SAC fight songs, it rallies students, alumni, and fans into one electric community. Whether on the field, across campus, or out in the community, the Mountie Marching Band doesn’t just play music. It powers the pride, energy, and spirit that define Mt. SAC.

MUS 61 - MARCHING BAND (PERCUSSION)

Meets TTH, 7pm-9:30pm

Director: Matthew Altmire, maltmire@mtsac.edu

MUS 181 - POP/ROCK BAND

Meets T, 4:00PM - 6:10PM

Director, Viviana Tolmasoff (viviana.tolmasoff@mtsac.edu)

The study, rehearsal, and public performance of commercial music in band configurations. Styles covered will include but are not limited to Pop, Rock, R&B, Country, and Hip Hop. The skills needed to perform live in commercial music settings will be emphasized. Combos will be made up of voice, guitar, keyboard, bass, drum-set, and other traditional instruments. Different literature will be studied each semester based on the ensemble composition. This course is repeatable for credit the maximum times allowable by regulation. Admission by audition.

MUS 185 - ADVANCED COMMERCIAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE

Meets TH, 4:00PM - 6:10PM

Director, Justa Hoang (jhoang8@mtsac.edu)

The study, rehearsal, and public performance of advanced-level and experimental commercial music. Genres covered will include Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, Country, Rhythm and Blues, Disc Jockeyed, Electronic Dance, and Experimental Music. This ensemble will focus on emerging techniques that integrate traditional live performance with modern controllerism using a variety of Musical Instrument Digital Interfaces. Students are required to have significant instrumental, vocal and/or disc jockey performance skills. Students will host and perform in innovative musical and multimedia experiences in a variety of settings. The course is repeatable for credit the maximum times allowable by regulation. Admission by audition.