Listen to a sample from the Conservatory Orchestra:
The Conservatory Orchestra, under the direction of
Robert Olson, is recognized as one of the premier orchestras in the
Midwest. Composed entirely of Conservatory students, the 90-member
orchestra has received repeated critical acclaim from The Kansas
City Star:
"Electrifying...the most exciting musical experience I've had in
eight years here. Period."
"But the most amazing revelation was the playing of the Conservatory
Orchestra, under Robert Olson. It was more spirited, better tuned
and far more expressive than anything I've heard ."
Combined with the Conservatory Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra,
students perform ten concerts a year.
Conductor
Robert Olson, Director of Orchestras
Audition requirements
a 2-3 minute selection from a major concerto for your instrument
plus 1-2 orchestra excerpts. Strings must include an example of
"spiccato" playing.
Recent repertoire list for prospective students
Beethoven, Symphonies No. 3, and No. 9
Bernstein, Symphonies No. 2 and No. 3
Dvorak, Symphonies No. 8 and No. 9
Shostakovich, Symphonies No. 1, 5, and 9
Tschaikovsky, Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6
Strauss, Don Quixote and Till Eulenspiegel
The Conservatory Chamber Orchestra performs three
concerts per year, performing a mixture of the great standard repertoire
for smaller orchestra (e.g., Beethoven's Symphony #6, or
Schoenberg's Chamber Symphony) to works for strings alone
(e.g., Stravinsky's Concerto for Strings or Dvorak's Serenade
for Strings). The ensemble meets once a week.
Conductor
Robert Olson, Director of Orchestras
Audition requirements
Chamber Orchestra: participants are taken from the Conservatory
Orchestra; thus, there is no separate audition requirement.
Recent repertoire list for prospective students
Beethoven, Symphonies No. 6 and No. 8
Copland, Appalachian Spring
Stravinsky, Concerto for Strings
Bizet, Symphony No. 1
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