Boasting a full complement of strings, winds, and percussion, Purdue’s orchestras perform everything from masterworks of the symphonic literature to movie music and lighter fare.
Philharmonic Orchestra
This ensemble offers a creative challenge to the most skilled musicians on campus with a standard full symphony instrumentation, and performs a concert series each semester on campus and around the state. Numbering around 90 each semester, the Purdue Philharmonic is traditionally made up of students who have distinguished themselves in high school orchestral programs around the country. It meets three days a week for 90 minutes and performs two concerts each semester.
Symphony Orchestras
Symphony Orchestras provide performance opportunities for students who want an ensemble experience with a more relaxed atmosphere. The Purdue Symphony ensembles use a standard instrumentation. String players rehearse twice each week, and wind player and percussionists play with the orchestras one day each week. The orchestras performs two concerts each semester.
In the past, Purdue orchestras have performed special concerts for the Indiana Music Education Association at its annual convention, and collaborated with the Purdue Musical Organizations in performances at the Hilbert Circle Theater, the home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Soloists for the Hilbert Circle Theatre concert series have included: Susan Rider, trumpet performer with the United States Marine Band, Daniel Rodriquez, America’s Singing Policeman, whose career as a performer began following events of 9/11, 2001, Doug LaBreque, Broadway’s “Phantom of the Opera,” Byron Stripling, jazz trumpet legend and Broadway’s “Satchmo.”
