All ensembles are open to all students by audition with the ensemble director during the first week of classes. Participation in ensembles is welcomed, whether receiving credit or no credit for the course.

All instrumental & choral ensembles participate in our Winter & Spring Music Festivals, as well as requested on and off campus events.

Participants in our Class Ensembles will be coached by a faculty member and encouraged to perform in our Winter & Spring Music Festivals.

Chamber Ensemble: An ensemble course designed for more advanced performers to explore the repertoire for various small groupings of instruments and voices.  Such groupings may include brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion and various keyboard instruments.

Eastern Winds: comprising brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments, exposes students to the standard wind band repertoire.  Students will apply the fundamentals of instrumental performance in an ensemble setting as well as develop sensitivities in intonation, articulation, tone quality and color, rhythmic accuracy, and performance styles.

Jazz Band: acquaints students with music in standard jazz and commercial styles.  Students apply fundamentals of instrumental performance in a jazz ensemble setting and learn to develop musical independence while maturing in teamwork, responsibility, and joy in shared achievement.

Marching Band: The Marching Band is a musical marching ensemble unit consisting of woodwinds, brass, percussion instrumentalists, color guard and appropriate auxiliary personnel with an emphasis to provide a spirited musical atmosphere for athletic, campus, and community events. The Marching Band provides entertainment at home football games, other athletics events, university events, local parades and special events. Goals of student development includes learning a wide variety of musical styles and genres, focused development in time management, organization, performance competency and leadership skills. The Marching Band serves as both a performance-based academic course and a service organization.

Pep Band: The Pep Band is an ensemble of instrumentalists consisting of woodwinds, brass, percussion instrumentalists, who play at events, usually athletic, with the purpose of entertaining and creating enthusiasm in a crowd. Often members of a pep band are a subset of people from a larger ensemble such as the Marching Band or the Concert Band. The Pep Band provides entertainment at home basketball games, other athletics events, university events, and special events. Goals of student development includes learning a wide variety of musical styles and genres, focused development in time management, organization, performance competency and leadership skills. The Pep Band serves as both a performance-based academic course and a service organization.

Percussion Ensemble: This ensemble course is designed to give students exposure to the Percussion ensemble literature.  Students will be able to use the fundamentals of percussion performance in a small ensemble setting and develop musical concepts such as rhythmic precision, pitch and note accuracy, timbre, dynamics, balance, and phrasing.  This is an opportunity to work with multiple percussion setups.

String Ensemble: The string section is the largest group of instruments in an orchestra, and is often referred to as the “workhorse” of the orchestra. The string ensemble is a musical group consisting solely on the bowed string instruments of the orchestra, the violin, viola, violoncello (cello) and double bass violin. Students will develop techniques and musical skills necessary for successfully playing orchestral repertoire. 

Angels of Harmony: This ensemble is a Gospel choir committed to ministry and diversity.  The repertoire includes the richness of African-American heritage coupled with contemporary Black Gospel music.  This group performs throughout the tri-state area during the academic year as well as Eastern University's Spring Commencement (alternate years).

Turning Point: Turning Point is a small touring ensemble giving approximately 15 concerts a semester in churches and schools.  This highly selective ensemble is chosen by audition and is usually comprised of upper-class students.  In addition to touring, this ensemble participates in other on-campus events as well as the Music Gala Benefit Concert.

University Choir: The University Choir is open to all Eastern students.  The choir provides intensive training in all aspects of choral singing, aiming at performances that display vibrancy and beauty.  The choir performs music from all historic periods, including music of the 21st century. The choir tours annually throughout the East Coast at the end of the spring semester, and has also toured in Europe.  All students who enroll in University Choir assume the obligation to participate in touring choir if selected.  This ensemble participates in the Music Gala Benefit concert in the spring, as well as performs regularly for local churches and on-campus events. Prerequisite: By audition.

Jazz Combo: This course is designed to help the student develop the ability to perform jazz in a small group format.  Songs (“jazz standards”) will be performed in various styles in different keys and varying tempos.  The emphasis will be on developing student’s sight reading, eighth note swing feel, soloing and group interplay skills.  It is also structured to prepare students to function in and/or lead a group where sight reading, interacting with other musicians and playing in various styles are required such as: church groups, wedding bands, theater or any public performance.  Students taking Jazz Combo are also encouraged to participate in Jazz Improvisation.

Jazz Improvisation: This course is designed to help the student cultivate the ability to improvise a solo on their given instrument using major and minor scales including their intervals and basic seventh chords.  Songs from the Tin Pan Alley era including Rogers and Hart, Gershwin, and Porter will be analyzed.  Students taking Jazz Improvisation are also encouraged to participate in Jazz Combo.