The Department of Music offers a large variety of ensembles to enrich students’ musical experience at Winston-Salem State University. Membership in these performance ensembles is open to music majors and non-majors, based upon their interests, abilities, and in some cases, an audition. These ensembles provide music for a numerous events and venues both on campus and in the local and wider community.
The Brass Ensemble are comprised of students majoring in music and other disciplines. Interested students should contact at the Brass Ensemble director Dr. James Armstrong at (336) 750-2523.
This ensemble is designed to give students an opportunity to perform representative works in this field of music literature. It is open to students of any major who qualify and is required of music majors whose primary instrument is a stringed instrument. Interested students should contact the director, Dr. LaSaundra Booth via email: boothll@wssu.edu.
The Flute Choir is a chamber music ensemble comprised of students that major in music and other disciplines across the University. The instrumentation includes members of the flute family from the piccolo to the bass flute, and performs classical repertoire from the 18th-20th centuries. These students often serve the University by performing at various events in several ensembles, including the WSSU Red Sea of Sound Marching Band, Pep Band and the WSSU Symphonic Band. The Flute Choir has had the distinct pleasure of performing for various luncheons, donor events, and receptions for the University and the Winston-Salem community.
Jazz Ensemble Section One comprises students interested in performing jazz and blues at a functional level. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. L. David. Legette at 336-750-2530. Audition required.
Jazz Ensemble Section Two comprises students interested in performing jazz and blues at a functional level. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. James Armstrong, the Associate Director of Bands.
The Low Brass Ensemble is the low brass chamber music collaborative at Winston-Salem State University under the direction of Brent Harvey, Associate Professor of Low Brass at WSSU. The ensemble is comprised of undergraduate music majors, music minors, and students pursuing various non-music degrees of study. Originally known as the Harvey Globetrotter’s, the Low Brass Ensemble instrumentation incorporates trombone, euphonium, and tuba student musicians and began as a sextet in 2012. The group rehearses weekly, performs concerts on a semester basis, and additionally participates in university, community, and conference performances locally as well as across the southeast. Repertoire performed consists of original compositions, transcriptions, and arrangements from various time periods encompassing a variety of musical styles, ranging from renaissance to jazz and classical to pop culture music of today.
The Percussion Ensemble is comprised of students majoring in music and other disciplines. Interested students should contact the Department of Music at (336)750-2520
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The RamSax Quartet was created in 1992. It consists of students with saxophone as their primary instrument. These students have been and are music and non-music majors, who have studied saxophone with Dr. Legette, the founder of the group. This ensemble serves as an outlet for students of the saxophone to delve more deeply into its rich legacy and literature. The quartet consistently performs for a variety of on-and off campus events and venues. For more information about the RAMSax Quartet please contact Dr. Lee David Legette at 336.750.2530.
The Trumpet Ensemble consists of music majors and majors from other disciplines. The trumpet ensemble performs music of various styles arranged for this ensemble. Interested students should contact Dr. James E. Armstrong, Assistant Professor of Music/Associate Director of Bands.
armstrongj@wssu.edu
(336) 750-2523
The Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band are ensembles considered to be the premier performing entities of the Winston-Salem State University band program. The Wind Ensemble meets during the fall semester and comprises forty to fifty gifted musicians. The Symphonic Band consists of sixty to seventy talented students majoring in music and other disciplines throughout the University. Both groups have given performances of a wide range of orchestral transcriptions and original band compositions representing various musical styles, and periods. Emphasis, however, is placed on the standard band literature of the twentieth centuries.
