- About
- Academic Programs
- Current Students
- Future Students
- Ensembles & Festivals
- Community
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Open search box
The CLA websites are currently under construction and may not reflect the most current information until the Fall Term.
Established in 1891, Oregon State University's band program is the oldest in the PAC-12. With more than 500 students participating, the OSU Bands are the largest program in the state of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Students from OSU music programs filter into majors across the entire campus and enhance the complete college experience for so many students. Whether you are looking to be a professional performer, a music educator or to just continue to learn and play your instrument, there is an opportunity for you with OSU Bands.
Director of Bands Dr. Erik Kar Jun Leung writes a quarterly newsletter to keep everyone up to date about events related to the concert bands.
Dr. Erik Leung, director
The Oregon State University Wind Ensemble is a 43-member ensemble that features the most outstanding brass, woodwind, and percussion players on campus. The focus of this ensemble is to explore new literature and perform the masterworks of the wind band ensemble genre. The group's latest commissions and consortium partnerships include works by award winning composers Billy Childs, Dana Reason, Kevin Walczyk, Gregory Youtz, Michael Coolen, DJ Sparr, James Mobberly, Dan Welcher and David Gillingham. Recent concerts have included numerous pieces of original music for wind ensemble by prominent wind band composers. The OSU Wind Ensemble’s reputation of excellence extends well beyond campus. Recent performances have included a concert tour in Japan; the College Band Directors National Association West/Northwest conference in Reno, Nevada; the All-Northwest Music Educators conference in Portland, Oregon; the Oregon Music Educators Conference in Eugene, Oregon; and Carnegie Hall in New York City. Open to all OSU students, auditions are held prior to the start of the academic year. The ensemble rehearses on Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. in the Captain Beard Band Hall (room 202) in historic Community Hall.
Olin Hannum, director
The OSU Wind Symphony is an auditioned group in the music department at Oregon State University. It is comprised of undergraduate students and is open to students of any major. The group strives to bring masterworks of the genre to new audiences and explore works by emerging composers and compelling modern staples.
The concept of the Wind Symphony as an ensemble dates to the interwar period, and was developed in the United States. Utilizing a part doubling and woodwind-heavy philosophy, the Wind Symphony instrumentation was designed to achieve a broad and powerful sound. Early pioneers of instrumentation commented on the weight and density of the sound, describing it as “the numbers of an orchestra, with the projection of wind instruments.” Many great works of the 20th century were written with this specific ensemble in mind.
The OSU Wind Symphony is directed by OSU Associate Director of Bands Olin Hannum. In addition to directing this ensemble, Hannum oversees and directs all aspects of the Athletic Bands program, including the Oregon State University Marching Band, Rhythm and Beavs travel band, Basketball Bands, and other ensembles. Outside of OSU, Hannum is the music director for the Oregon Brass Society, an active composer with published works performed nationally, and an arranger for marching ensembles.
Olin Hannum, director
Founded in 1891, The Spirit and Sound of OSU (the Oregon State University Marching Band) was the first band organized in the PAC-12 conference. Growth and quality of the OSU athletic bands program has garnered regional and national respect in recent years, as the program serves over 450 students each year through marching, pep, concert, and jazz bands. The OSU Marching Band is known as "The Spirit and Sound of OSU" and is composed of students representing majors across campus. The band performs at all home football games and at select away games. The band prides itself in presenting energetic, entertaining performances, bringing something new to every game, and taking a big part in the game atmosphere at Reser Stadium.
Dr. Erik Leung, director
Conducted by Dr. Erik Leung, the Oregon State University Campus Band meets all three terms and contains 50-70 members. The ensemble performs classic wind band literature from composers such as Reed, Holst, Sousa and Ticheli and classic transcriptions of the orchestral repertoire.
Ryan Biesack, director
The 20-member OSU Large Jazz Ensemble features the most outstanding jazz saxophones, trumpets, trombones and rhythm section players on the campus. The group performs professional level repertoire and holds concerts on campus and around the state of Oregon. Recent performances have included compositions from Jim McNeeley, James Miley, Douglas Detrick and John Hollenbeck as well as concerts and clinics with guest artists and performers. In addition to contemporary and new composers, the Jazz Ensemble studies and performs classic repertoire from Count Basie, Thad Jones, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.
Dr. Erik Leung, director
The OSU Chamber Winds are a small, flexible ensemble consisting of wind players from the OSU Wind Ensemble. The purpose of the ensemble is to give players an important chamber music experience that places responsibility on each individual. Students are exposed to the standards of the wind chamber repertoire, including works by such composers as Mozart, Krommer, and Beethoven and more contemporary repertoire by Hindemith and Milhaud.