Orchestra

Dear Friends of the ASU Orchestra Program:

For hundreds of years orchestras have captured the imagination of music lovers and instrumental performers alike. As living, breathing arts institutions, they seem to combine and maintain the individual tonal and psychological characteristics of each and every member of the ensemble while making music whereby the total product is more than the sum of the parts.

The ASU Orchestra Program in the ASU Herberger College School of Music believes in the power of music to transform lives – those who perform and those who listen. We understand that orchestral music is an expression and celebration of the human spirit, humanity’s lifeblood. We provide the finest musical and educational opportunities for those qualified individuals interested in studying and performing a wide variety of orchestra music.

We affirm our commitment to these shared key beliefs and core values:

• We recognize that we are a diverse group with differing backgrounds and different ultimate career and life goals, but together we are all aspiring to the highest levels of artistic and academic excellence.
• We believe in making music with passion and joy.
• We believe in always putting forth our best effort, making use of a tireless work ethic.
• We value teamwork, striving to work together as a group who shares a set of common artistic ideals.
• We believe in mindfulness, contagious enthusiasm, honesty, integrity, focus, intensity, and a demanding environment that leads to musical and personal growth and satisfaction.

We believe that as joyful musicians, we hold the power to enlarge people’s minds, touch their hearts and ennoble their spirits. Our work and play together culminate in a series of concerts throughout each and every school year. The University Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta and Chamber Orchestra possess the artistic integrity to present a variety of well structured, entertaining, enlightening and challenging programs of classical music, contemporary American repertoire and chamber music. Our concerts celebrate great music and create a spirit of community. We invite our audiences to share in these exciting programs and to experience our energy and insight.  Our hope is that the music will transcend and enrich their lives and transport them to many different times and places.

We know that as performing artists we make connections. Our hope is to connect with the deepest places of human existence and the higher places of spiritual existence. As performing musicians, we make connections with composers.  We make connections with other musicians, while re-creating the sounds that composers have conceived.  We work to connect with audience members while we perform, enabling the listeners to connect with the composers.  Audience members connect with their friends while attending our live concerts. Together all of these people connect with the greatness of the human spirit, sharing in a grand journey of emotions and imagination.

Music continues to be both an expression and celebration of the human spirit.  We invite you all to join the celebration!

Yours sincerely,

Timothy Russell
Professor of Music
Director of Orchestras