Contemporary Chamber Players presents the first of two free improvisation concerts, bringing together musicians from diverse musical backgrounds for a unique collaborative performance.

Join us for the annual Choral Sampler, a signature concert featuring all University of Memphis choral ensembles alongside invited choirs from the Mid-South region. Audiences will experience Collegiate Choir (SATB), Tigerchor (TTBB), Mazi (SSAA), and the Choral Area’s flagship ensemble, the University Singers, in a shared program that highlights the breadth of choral artistry at UofM.

As part of the day’s invitational experience, guest choirs participate in clinics, rehearsals, and masterclasses with UofM’s choral, vocal, and opera faculty. The event culminates in this evening concert, including a combined performance featuring all participating ensembles.

Conductors include Dr. Francis Cathlina, Director of Choral Activities; Dr. Emily Frizzell, Assistant Professor of Music Education; and participating guest conductors.

he University of Memphis Trombone Choir, under the direction of Dr. Martin McCain will present a concert of works originally written for the trombone ensemble in addition to exciting newer arrangements. The concert will include works by Crespo, Reichenbach, Sharpe, Buono, Lee, Bolter and more!

Join the University of Memphis Wind Ensemble for an evening of exceptional musicianship and powerful repertoire. Featuring some of the School of Music's finest wind, brass and percussion performers, this concert highlights the artistry, precision and expressive range that define one of the university's premier instrumental ensembles. Audiences can expect a dynamic program that showcases both beloved masterworks and exciting contemporary compositions.

 

Step into the rich tradition of big band jazz as the Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra and 901 Jazz Orchestra take the stage for an evening of timeless favorites and contemporary works.

From the swing era of Duke Ellington and Count Basie to the innovations of today’s jazz artists, this concert celebrates the evolution of the big band sound through electrifying performances, soaring solos and unforgettable grooves. Experience the energy, artistry and enduring influence of one of America’s most iconic musical traditions.

The University of Memphis University Singers presents its annual fall concert featuring a local choral ensemble.

As the School of Music’s flagship choir, University Singers is recognized for its artistic excellence and dynamic performances. The ensemble maintains an active performance schedule that has included appearances at state and national conferences, a 2023 international tour of Greece and concert tours throughout the United States.

Conducted by Dr. Francis Cathlina, director of choral activities, University Singers welcomes students from all academic disciplines who share a passion for choral music. Don’t miss this award-winning ensemble as it presents an evening of inspiring music and collaborative performance alongside a local choir.

Saxophonist John Sampen and composer-engineer Mark Bunce have traveled throughout the world, presenting master classes and concert performances that explore the intersection of saxophone and electronic media. Their tours have included appearances across the Pacific Northwest, the Carolinas, the Southwest, New England and many other locations throughout the continental United States, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Italy, Greece and Canada.

Their current multidisciplinary presentation, In Two Worlds, offers an immersive musical experience featuring projected visuals, interactive electronics and theatrical elements. The program includes works by John Cage, Toru Takemitsu, Morton Subotnick, Brian Egan, Marilyn Shrude, William Bolcom and Mark Bunce. Recorded readings and poetry incorporate the voices of the composers themselves, bringing their presence into the live performance.

The presentation begins with contemplative pre-concert chance music by John Cage as audience members enter the hall. Special lighting effects transition into Marilyn Shrude's Trope, enhanced by the composer's animated visual projections.

James Mobberley's Spontaneous Combustion, a classic work for saxophone and fixed media, is paired with video imagery by Michiko Saiki. Bunce's Schrödinger's Cat, composed specifically for performances with Sampen, explores the origins of the universe through interactive electronics and film.

The program continues with Takemitsu's Distance, a work for soloist and shō, a Japanese mouth organ. In this presentation, the piece is accompanied by interactive sounds and visuals inspired by Japanese rock gardens.

William Bolcom's theatrical Short Lecture on the Saxophone offers a satirical look at the instrument and its colorful history. Sampen combines humorous anecdotes with quoted and original saxophone excerpts while projected visuals enhance the presentation.

The performance concludes with Morton Subotnick's energetic In Two Worlds, which contrasts traditional acoustic sounds with modern technology, bringing the concert's exploration of music and media full circle.

The Tigerchor Tenor/Bass Choir presents its fall concert, Simple Gifts, an evening of music celebrating gratitude, community and the value of life’s simple pleasures.

Featuring a diverse repertoire of folk songs, spirituals and contemporary choral works, the program explores themes of connection, reflection and appreciation for the everyday moments that enrich our lives. Join Tigerchor for a meaningful and uplifting concert that highlights the power of music to bring people together and celebrate life’s simple joys.

This concert showcases Mazi, UofM’s premier SSAA choir, and Collegiate Choir, UofM’s non-auditioned SATB choir. Mazi contains the finest soprano-alto voices in the Mid-South region. The ensemble is open to all singers through an audition. Collegiate Choir is an exemplary mixed-voice ensemble that welcomes singers of all levels from across the UofM campus.

University Singers presents a final performance with the ensemble’s Assistant Conductor, one of the graduate choral conducting majors. The performance will feature a lunch-hour concert in Harris Hall that features the Assistant Conductor’s repertoire selection and teaching.

Join the University of Memphis Wind Ensemble for an evening of exceptional musicianship and powerful repertoire. Featuring some of the School of Music's finest wind, brass and percussion performers, this concert highlights the artistry, precision and expressive range that define one of the university's premier instrumental ensembles. Audiences can expect a dynamic program that showcases both beloved masterworks and exciting contemporary compositions.

The long-standing UofM Honor Choir features approximately 250+ high school singers from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. The high school musicians rehearse with our Honor Choir Clinician and Dr. Francis Cathlina, UofM’s director of choral activities.

Additional opportunities include: sectionals with current Graduate Choral Conductors, a voice masterclass with the Voice Faculty, an Honor Choir Social, and networking with other young musicians. Interested students can audition for the School of Music during this event (prior sign-up required). The two-day event culminates in a final concert featuring the School of Music’s flagship choir, the UofM University Singers.

All teachers will participate in the “Conductor Track,” featuring a Directors Chorus led by Dr. Francis Cathlina, sessions led by choral faculty and the Honor Choir Clinician, and collegiate choral rehearsals.

Join the University of Memphis Jazz Singers for an evening of dynamic vocal jazz featuring exceptional musicianship, rich harmonies, and an engaging repertoire spanning jazz standards and contemporary favorites.

Discover the unique voices of University of Memphis composers in a concert celebrating original music, innovation, and the artistry of the university's creative community.

Witness the next generation of exceptional musicians as the winners of the 2026 Annual Concerto Competition perform with the University of Memphis Symphony Orchestra in an evening celebrating virtuosity and musical achievement.

The University of Memphis University Singers have been invited to perform at the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association—a distinction that marks the Choral Program’s first appearance on a national stage. Conducted by Dr. Francis Cathlina, this preview concert offers the only opportunity to hear their full conference program before they travel to Minneapolis. The evening captures a pivotal moment for the ensemble: a program shaped for national presentation, shared first with the Memphis community. The University Singers will be joined by a guest choir in a collaborative performance that reflects both local partnership and national aspiration.

The University of Memphis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Brier, presents Restless Oceans by Anna Clyne, followed by the Piano Concerto by John Joubert with faculty soloist Artina McCain. The program concludes with Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2 by Sergei Prokofiev.

The Masterworks Concert returns in its second year, bringing the entire UofM Choral Program together with the UofM Symphony Orchestra in Plough Hall. What began as a landmark collaboration now takes shape as a defining tradition—four choirs and full orchestra sharing a single stage. The result is a sound of rare scale and intensity, where choral and orchestral forces converge in one expansive musical statement.

Experience an evening of exceptional jazz artistry with the University of Memphis Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra. Featuring talented student musicians performing works from across the jazz spectrum, this concert showcases the energy, creativity and sophistication of one of the School of Music's premier jazz ensembles. Audiences will enjoy a program filled with compelling arrangements, dynamic improvisation and the timeless spirit of jazz.

Our concert will be featuring works by composers from the University of Memphis

This concert showcases Mazi, UofM’s premier SSAA choir, and Collegiate Choir, UofM’s non-auditioned SATB choir. Mazi contains the finest soprano-alto voices in the Mid-South region. The ensemble is open to all singers through an audition. Collegiate Choir is an exemplary mixed-voice ensemble that welcomes singers of all levels from across the UofM campus.

A concert organized by the composers of UofM, featuring their works