Fall 2019 rehearsals announced for MC community ensembles

July 24, 2019

Fall 2019 rehearsals will begin in August for Maryville College’s community music ensembles.

MC3Band begins rehearsals Aug. 21

The MC3Band, under the direction of Dr. Eric Simpson, will begin fall rehearsals for its 2019-20 concert season on Wed., Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre.

Rehearsals, which will be held on Wednesdays from 7 until 9 p.m., will focus on preparation for performances during the fall/winter of the band’s 27th season.

Area musicians who play a wind or percussion instrument are encouraged to audition. Serious high school participants are also welcome. Band members include working musicians, educators, college students, business professionals and retirees from throughout East Tennessee.

New community members must complete a successful audition to join the ensemble. Auditions for the fall will be held on Wed., Aug. 21 from 7 until 9 p.m. Woodwinds, brass and string bass performers should be prepared to: play the chromatic scale (full practical range in a tempo that demonstrates skill with clarity); play a short lyrical section of a solo, etude or excerpt (30-40 seconds max); play a short technical section of a solo or etude (30-40 seconds max); and sight-read a short selection. Percussionists should be prepared to: play a section of a snare drum solo, etude or excerpt (30 seconds max); play a section of a xylophone or marimba solo, etude or excerpt (30 seconds max); play a section of a timpani solo, etude or excerpt (30 seconds max); and sight-read a short selection.

For additional details or to schedule an audition, please visit maryvillecollege.edu/mc3band and complete the form on the page. If you have any questions, please contact Simpson at eric.simpson@maryvillecollege.edu or the Division of Fine Arts at 865.981.8150.

Youth Choirs begin rehearsals Aug. 22 and 27

The Scottie Singers, a youth choir for students in grades three through eight, will begin fall semester on Tues., Aug. 27. The group rehearses on Tuesdays from 4:15 until 5:15 p.m. in the Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal Room of the Clayton Center for the Arts and is directed by Martha Robinson. A “Meet & Greet and Registration” event for interested singers will be held on Tues., Aug. 20 from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ William Baxter Lee III Grand Foyer. Rehearsals will begin the following Tues., Aug. 27. The ensemble will present a fall concert on Tues., Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall. For more information, please contact Robinson at martha4robinson@gmail.com.

The Highlander Chorale, an ensemble for high school age students that is directed by Hannah White, will begin rehearsals on Thurs., Aug. 22. The group rehearses on Thursdays from 5 until 6:30 p.m. in the Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal Room of the Clayton Center for the Arts. The ensemble will present a fall concert on Tues., Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall. For more information, please contact White at Hannah.white@maryvillecollege.edu.

The fee is $85 per semester. Registration for both ensembles can be completed online at maryvillecollege.edu/youth-choirs. The focus of the ensembles is to learn the fundamentals of music and the foundations of singing. Music education majors from Maryville College also assist with the groups.

Orchestra at MC begins rehearsals Aug. 26

The Orchestra at Maryville College, under the direction of Dr. Eric Simpson, will begin fall rehearsals on Mon., Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre.

A college and community ensemble, the Orchestra at Maryville College brings live symphonic performances to the public stage three times per season.

Rehearsals will be held on Mondays from 7 until 9 p.m. and will focus on preparation for a fall performance on Mon., Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre. The orchestra will also be performing in Handel’s “Messiah” featuring several Maryville College music ensembles on Fri., Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre.

The Orchestra at Maryville College uses a traditional symphony orchestra instrumentation. Area string musicians are encouraged to join. Serious high school string players are also welcome. Wind players and percussionists may audition for placement at the beginning of the season. Auditions for interested wind players/percussionists will be held on Mon., Aug. 26 from 7 until 9 p.m. For additional details, to schedule an audition or to request a list of required audition excerpts, please contact Simpson at eric.simpson@maryvillecollege.edu or the Division of Fine Arts at 865.981.8150.

Maryville College Community Chorus begins rehearsals Sept. 3

The Maryville College Community Chorus, under the direction of Alan Eleazer, will begin fall rehearsals at 7 p.m., Tues., Sept. 3 in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Harry H. Harter Choral Rehearsal Room.

Rehearsals will be held on Tuesdays from 7 until 9 p.m. and will focus on preparation for a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” featuring several Maryville College music ensembles on Fri., Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Center for the Arts’ Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre.

The chorus is open to all area singers of all talent levels above the age of 16. Music reading experience is helpful but not required. Registration for the choir will be at the first rehearsal, and singers are encouraged to provide their own copy of G.F. Handel’s “Messiah.” Any edition will work, but the preferred edition is the Watkins-Shaw version published by Novello.

This established chorus of over 50 singers has a strong tradition of presenting quality choral music and frequently joins other community ensembles such as the Maryville College youth choirs and the Orchestra at Maryville College. The chorus performs quality literature of various styles and genres in the highest caliber and often features the music of area composers and arrangers, as well as the classic gems of the masters. Eleazer is in his 12th season as conductor of the chorus.

For more information, please contact Stacey Wilner, coordinator of choral music, at stacey.wilner@maryvillecollege.edu or 865.981.8151.

Maryville College is a nationally-ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders, to study everything, so that they are prepared for anything — to address any problem, engage with any audience and launch successful careers right away. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, Maryville College offers nearly 1,200  students from around the world both the beauty of a rural setting and the advantages of an urban center, as well as more than 60 majors, seven pre-professional programs and career preparation from their first day on campus to their last. Today, our 10,000 alumni are living life strong of mind and brave of heart and are prepared, in the words of our Presbyterian founder, to “do good on the largest possible scale.”