Click here to play Prelude to Die Meistersinger by Richard Wagner
Click here to play Elegy for Cello and Orchestra by Gabriel Faure with Amy Chang Simon, Faculty cellist
Recorded live in performance on December 7, 2004
Click here to play Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Click here to play Overture of Diamonds by Gwyneth Walker
Is The University of Toledo Symphony Orchestra a class? Yes, it is a 1 credit hour class that meets Tuesday afternoons from 5:30-8:00, with an additional sectional rehearsal for string players that meets Thursday afternoons from 5:00-6:30. The UTSO presents at least two concerts each semester. Membership is open to all members of The University of Toledo community. The majority of members are Music students, but non-Music majors are also welcome. The orchestra normally consists of 50-65 players.
How can I get in? Acceptance into the UTSO is by audition. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester. Repertoire for auditions includes a solo of your choice, scales in all keys, sight-reading, and required excerpts for each instrument (these change for each audition, so contact us before you arrive on campus to find out the requirements for your instrument). The auditions are generally 10 minutes, and are relatively painless.
Can I fit orchestra into my schedule if I am a non-Music major? Yes you can. Non-Music majors routinely play in the UTSO. Orchestra members with majors outside Music currently include students majoring in Pharmacy, Pre-Med, English, Foreign Languages, and Engineering.
Repertoire for the UTSO? Repertoire for the UTSO is chosen from the greatest music written for orchestra over the past 300 years. Recent repertoire has included Symphonies by Mozart, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Phillip Glass, William Grant Still and tone poems and orchestral suites by Smetana, Grieg, Nielsen, Bizet, Enesco, and others. Please see a list of our recently performed repertoire here.
Solo Opportunities? The UTSO holds an annual Concert/Aria Competition open to all University of Toledo Music majors. The competition is held during the spring semester and several winners are featured as soloists with the orchestra on the final concert in April.
Who is the Director? The Director of the UTSO is Rico McNeela, Director of Orchestral studies at the University of Toledo. Mr. McNeela has been a member of the UT faculty since 2002, and is also the violinist in the Toledo Trio.
Are scholarships are available? Yes, scholarships are available by audition. Scholarship awards vary from small awards up to full-tuition and fee waiver. All Scholarships for the UTSO also require private study with a University of Toledo instructor on the instrument you perform in the orchestra. You do not need to be a Music major to receive a scholarship to play in the orchestra.
Who are the instrumental teachers at UT? Private instruction for course credit is available on all instruments of the orchestra. The University of Toledo has a large staff of highly qualified full time instrumental faculty, and in addition, many principal players with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra are available as instructors through The University of Toledo for course credit.
Questions, or to arrange an audition? If you have questions about the orchestra, the audition process, or you would like to schedule an audition please contact the UTSO director:
Rico McNeela
(419) 530-4553
Rico.McNeela@utoledo.edu