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The University of Arkansas at Monticello Division of Music is recruiting talented musicians and vocalists to join its bands and choirs for the 2024-2025 academic year. Scholarship opportunities are still available for qualified applicants.

UAM has two jazz ensembles, including its award-winning UAM Jazz One, open to all students by audition during the first week of class. Instrumentation for the jazz ensembles resembles a traditional, large band. The ensembles present on-campus performances of traditional jazz forms, along with popular styles. UAM Jazz One also performs at jazz festivals and contests.

The UAM “Pride of Southeast Arkansas” Boll Weevil Marching Band, directed by Dr. Kristen Zelenak, is open to all university students who play band instruments and those who have experience on auxiliary lines (color guard/flag, twirlers, etc.). The marching band employs a variety of musical styles and performs at all UAM home football games, as well as area parades, fairs and festivals.

The UAM Concert Band and the UAM Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Zelenak, both perform original wind band pieces encompassing music from the Classical period through the present. The concert band delivers on-campus performances of works transcribed from the orchestral repertoire. Members of the wind ensemble concurrently participate in the concert band. The ensemble performs concerts on and off campus and tours every other year.

UAM offers two choir options, the UAM Chamber Choir and the UAM Concert Choir, directed by Dr. Dana Ihm. The concert choir performs a wide variety of choral and choral-orchestral literature ranging from the Renaissance era through the present and performs concerts on and off campus, touring every other spring semester. The UAM Chamber Choir is an ensemble of 18-24 singers taken from the membership of the UAM Concert Choir. They engage in literature conducive to a small group, such as the Madrigal Feaste, Bach cantatas, chansons, part songs, madrigals and some of the more difficult chamber literature of the 20th century.

Dr. Justin Anders, chair and associate professor of music at UAM, encouraged any interested student to inquire, stating, “Students shouldn’t be timid about speaking with us. Some students can be shy if it’s been a year or two since they played in a high school band. Other students think they must be a music major to be eligible for a scholarship or enroll in band. Still others believe they aren’t good enough. We work with everyone, always strive to meet students where they are and work diligently to take them to where we need them.”

The deadline to apply to a UAM band or choir is August 23.

For more information about UAM Division of Music programs of study, bands, choirs or scholarships, contact Dr. Anders at anders@uamont.edu or 870-460-1860.