Percussion Ensemble
The University of Tennessee at Martin Percussion Studio started in 1967 under the direction of Professor Nancy Matheson who directed the studio until 2005. Austin Shoupe is currently the Director of Percussion at UT Martin.
The UTM Percussion Ensemble has performed internationally at the Universidade Federal (UFBA) in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, the Universidade Federal (UFPE) and Conservatório Pernambucano de Música in Recife, Brazil, and the PercuSonidos International Percussion Festival in Tampico, Mexico. The group has also performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention as winners of the 2016 World Percussion Competition and regionally, with annual performances at the Discovery Park of America and frequent appearances at the Tennessee Music Educators Conference and Tennessee Day of Percussion.
Dedicated to community engagement, the UTM Percussion Studio provides regular educational clinics and concert opportunities to our community, including the "Roots of Rhythm" presentations, reaching over 6,000 students and community members annually.
The UTM Percussion Studio collaborates with world renowned artists each year. Past guests include Michael Burritt, So Percussion, The Percussion Collective, Robert Van Sice, Liam Teague, X4 Percussion, Caixa Trio, B. Michael Williams, N. Scott Robinson, Scott Kettner, Brian Rice, Anders Astrand, James Campbell, Michael Gould, Miles Osland, Steve Houghton, and many more.
The UT Martin Percussion Ensemble is active in promoting new works for percussion, including involvement in a number of commissions and consortiums with composers such as Adam Silverman, Steven Snowden, Cayenna Ponchione, Ivan Trevino, John Psathas, Halim El-Dahb, Gary Gibson, and Mark Zanter among others.
PE is open to non-majors with permission of the instructor. No audition required, just permission.
Contact
Mr. Austin Shoupe
Assistant Professor of Music
Email: ashoupe@utm.edu
Phone: (731) 881-7748
Piano Ensemble
The UTM Piano Ensemble presents a concert of music for multiple pianists every semester. Works presented are for piano duet (one piano, four hands), piano duo (two pianos, four hands), and two pianos, eight hands. Performers include UTM piano students, faculty, and area pianists. Themed programs have included Holiday Music, Music about Children, Music of French Composers, Schubert’s Piano Duet Music, and Music by Women. Emphasis is on works originally written for piano ensemble. UTM’s piano ensemble is the oldest piano ensemble program in the state and was started by Dr. Allison Nelson of the Nelson-Neal Piano Duo. Dr. Elaine Harriss has directed the ensemble since 2001. Students with a strong background are encouraged to join the group. Skills at the upper intermediate or early advanced levels are required.
Contact
Dr. Chan Mi Jean
Lecturer of Music
Email: cjean@utm.edu
Phone: (731) 881-7409
Woodwind Quintet
The Student Woodwind Quintet is comprised of UTM Music majors, minors and campus musicians and is dedicated to the performance of woodwind chamber music. The course is offered in the Fall and the group performs standard woodwind quintet repertoire as well as transcriptions by prominent composers. Rehearsals focus on musical performance, rehearsal technique, and goal setting, while instilling good rehearsal etiquette.
Contact
Mr. Charles Lewis
Lecturer of Music
Email: clewis55@utm.edu
Phone: (731) 881-1852
Lyric Opera Theatre
Each academic year, the Lyric Opera Theater presents a full opera or scenes from standard opera repertoire. The goal of the course is to provide opportunities for students to gain knowledge and experience in operatic and musical repertoire for the stage, and development of techniques for role preparation and performance. Any vocal and instrumental majors and other UTM students who possess adequate vocal skills are welcome to audition. After successful completion of the course, students will be able to think in character, to move on stage and to function as a singing actor.
Contact
Dr. Amy Yeung
Professor of Music
Email: kyeung@utm.edu
Phone: (731) 881-7408
Clarinet Choir
Clarinet Choir provides performance opportunities for clarinetists across campus, including clarinet majors and minors, students majoring in another instrument, and campus musicians. The ensemble plays a variety of repertoire; it provides students with the opportunity to take an active role in making musical decisions and to play the auxiliary clarinets.
The UTM Clarinet Choir meets in the spring semester and rehearses for one hour per week and typically performs once or twice per semester. If you’re interested in joining, please email Dr. Aleksander or enroll in the corresponding section of MUEN 368.
Contact
Dr. Liz Aleksander
Professor of Music
Email: ealeksan@utm.edu
Phone: (731) 881-7413
Contemporary Music Group
The Contemporary Music Group at the University of Tennessee at Martin is a flexible-instrumentation ensemble dedicated to performing works written since the turn of the twenty-first century. Since its formation in 2015, the ensemble has commissioned several works from composers such as Viet Cuong, John Supko, Sarah Wald, and others. Student composers at the University of Tennessee at Martin frequently have their works read or performed by the Contemporary Music Group. Past repertoire includes works by Louis Andriessen, Steve Reich, John Cage, Eve Beglarian, Christopher Cerrone, Dan Trueman, and many others.
The ensemble meets only in the spring semester, with rehearsals on Tuesday afternoons.
Contact
Dr. Michael Mathenia
Lecturer of Composition and Music Theory
Email: mmatheni@utm.edu
Phone: (731) 881-1847