KU Symphonic Band

Symphonic band members playing their instruments

The Symphonic Band is an outstanding ensemble consisting of highly talented music majors, and non-majors selected by audition. Dr. Matthew O. Smith conducts the Symphonic Band. This ensemble performs a wide range of repertoire for large concert band including the finest band masterworks in a full schedule of concerts. The Symphonic Band meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5:20 in the fall and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2:00-3:50 in the spring.

How to Join

Membership in the Symphonic Band is by blind audition and is open to all qualified students at the university. Auditions take place the first week of classes in the fall and in November for the spring semester. They are heard by the conductors and the appropriate applied music professor.

Auditions consist of prepared excerpts and sight-reading. The prepared excerpts may be downloaded.

2023 Repertoire

  • Early Light, Bremer
  • Nocturne, Dzubay
  • Taking the Fifth, Meechan
  • Firefly, George
  • Enigma Variations, Elgar/Slocum
  • Journey to the Lion’s Castle, Galante
  • The Governor’s Own, Adams
  • The Persistence of Memory, Greene
  • Acadiana, Ticheli
  • Sea Songs, Williams
  • Voyage of the Northern Lights, Piritta Morrill
  • The Humors of Hidden Shadow, Leverette
  • Symphony No. 2, Chance
  • Caribana Afterparty, Thomas
  • Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly, Van Zandt Lane
  • Greensleeves,Trad./Reed
  • Four Scottish Dances, Arnold/Paynter

2022 Repertoire

  • English Folk Song Suite, Williams
  • Hold This Boy and Listen, Pann
  • Perpetua, Meechan
  • Galop, Shostakovich/Hunsberger
  • Chester Overture for Band, Schuman
  • Ash, Jolley
  • American Hymnsong Suite, Milburn
  • Sleigh Ride, Anderson 
  • Medieval Suite, II. Homage to Perotin, Nelson
  • Roma, Coleman
  • Not Much Further is the Coast, Ono
  • Daylight Declines, Łukaszewski/Davoren
  • Forgotten Faces, Larson
  • Home Away from Home, Likhuta
  • Requiem, Maslanka
  • The National Game, Sousa
  • Poem, Frantzen
  • Whip and Spur, Allen/Cramer

Spring 2021 Repertoire

  • Eagle Squadron March - Kenneth J. Alford
  • The Old Flag Never Touched the Ground/Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight - Rosamond Johnson & Theodore Metz, arr. George F. Briegel
  • Funeral March - Edvard Grieg, trans. Espen Andersen
  • Washington Post - John Philip Sousa
  • The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme) - John Williams, trans. Stephen Bulla
  • South Rampart Street Parade - Ray Bauduc & Bob Haggart, arr. Johnnie Vinson
  • Serenity  - Ola Gjeilo, arr. J. Eric Wilson
  • "Apollo Unleashed" from Symphony No. 2 - Frank Ticheli
  • Danza de los Duendes - Nancy Galbraith
  • Only Light - Aaron Perrine
  • Paraphrase, Geschwindmarsch by Beethoven - Paul Hindemith
  • First Suite in E-flat, I. Chaconne, II. Intermezzo, III. March - Gustav Holst