The University of Wisconsin-Madison Band Program offers a comprehensive selection of ensembles for students. Bands are actively commissioning new works from world-renowned composers and performing with internationally acclaimed soloists and guest conductors.
The wind band program consists of numerous ensembles of varying degrees of ability. The wind ensemble is mainly comprised of music-majors and minors, graduate and undergraduate students alike. It performs traditional and contemporary repertoire of the highest caliber, ranging from the 16th century to premiers. The instrumentation of the wind ensemble changes in order to accommodate the requirements of the repertoire being performed. Like the wind ensemble, the concert band is comprised of both music majors and non-majors, who perform standard symphonic band and chamber repertoire and orchestral transcriptions. Each ensemble performs a minimum of two concerts each semester.
Three University Bands are offered to students who are non-majors but interested in playing recreationally. Each ensemble rehearses once a week and performs standard and exciting popular repertoire. All University Bands share a concert at the end of each semester.
The Marching Band maintains a high profile among musicians and fun-lovers throughout the state and region. The Varsity Band is part of this program as well, providing performance opportunities for students from the entire University during the winter and spring, culminating in its annual extravaganza at the Kohl Center.
For information on each ensemble, click on the links to your left.
