New Student Orientation Information

FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

Students who submit the Music Interest Form will receive audition information (day and time) through their St. Olaf email from the Music Department. Please contact Lisa McDermott with any questions.

ENSEMBLES

First-year students are welcome to audition for:

St. Olaf Band
(meets Monday 3:15–4:45 p.m., Tuesday 4:30–6 p.m., and Thursday 5:10-6:30 p.m.)
Norseman Band
(meets Monday 5-6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 4:30–6 p.m.)
St. Olaf Orchestra
(meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 4:30–6 p.m.)
St. Olaf Philharmonia
(meets Tuesday 3:15–5:15 p.m. and Thursday 3:45–5:45 p.m.)
Manitou Singers
(first–year soprano and alto voices; meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 3:15–4:15 p.m.)
Viking Chorus
(first-year tenor and bass voices; meets Monday and Wednesday 4:30–5:30 p.m., and Thursday 4:50–5:50 p.m.)
Collegiate Chorale
(soprano and alto voices only, no audition required; meets Tuesday 6–7 p.m.)
Jazz Ensembles (see details below)
(Jazz I meets 6:45-8:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays; Jazz II meets 3:10-4:10 p.m. on Tuesdays and 3:45-4:45 p.m. on Thursdays)
Handbell Choirs (see details below)
(St. Olaf Handbell Choir: Tuesday 3:45–4:55 p.m. and Sunday 8–9:15 p.m./Chapel Ringers: Tuesday 5:05–6:15 p.m.)

TRANSFER STUDENTS

May auditions for all of the above (except Manitou Singers and Viking Chorus), plus

St. Olaf Choir (MTWF 4:30 – 6 p.m. and Thursday 4:50 – 6:15 p.m.)
St. Olaf Cantorei (meets Tuesdays, 3:10-4:20 p.m., Wednesdays, 4:15-5:20 p.m., and Thursdays, 3:50-4:50 p.m.)
St. Olaf Chapel Choir (meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 3:10–4:15 p.m.).
Chamber Singers
(meets Tuesday, 3:10 p.m.–4:20 p.m. and Thursday, 3:45–4:45 p.m.)

Read more about Ensemble Auditions here: (https://wp.stolaf.edu/music/incoming-audition-information/)

BANDS AND ORCHESTRAS AUDITION INFORMATION

Audition information for St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Orchestra, Norseman Band, and Philharmonia can be found here.

JAZZ AUDITION INFORMATION

There are two jazz bands (Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble) that are open to all musicians, regardless of experience or skill level.

Auditions for all groups will begin on Sunday of NSO weekend. More information will be available here. Feel free to contact Dr. Joseph Jefferson if you have questions.

HANDBELL CHOIRS AUDITION INFORMATION

More information will be posted here closer to NSO weekend. A sign-up sheet for auditions will be posted outside of CHM 101.

For more information, contact Prof. Jill Mahr.

EARLY MUSIC INFORMATION

Students who are interested in studying early music are invited to attend the Collegium Musicum Open House which will be held the Tuesday after classes begin at 7:00 p.m. in Fosnes (CHM 233).

An interest sign-up sheet will be posted outside of CHM 101.

For more information, contact Prof. Dana Maeda.

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE INFORMATION

Students interested in joining Percussion Ensemble should contact Prof. Matt McClung.

There will be a mandatory meeting for incoming music majors on the Tuesday before classes begin at 8 AM in CHM233 (Fosnes), with Louis Epstein (Music Department Chair) and others. This meeting will provide general information about the department, degrees offered, and other details, plus some fun and prizes!

Meet music education faculty member Leigh Ann Garner to learn about Music Ed program options, expectations for admission to the major, and degree requirements, at 9:00 am on Tuesday before classes begin in CHM 233 (Fosnes) immediately following the first-year music major meeting

Incoming music majors and music scholarship recipients will be registered for lessons over the summer by Music Department staff.

If you are a non-major but are interested in music lessons, please complete the appropriate Music Lesson Request form on this webpage. Depending upon space availability in the performance studios, we will register and notify you of your studio placement. Please note that there is an additional music lesson fee of $670 per semester for .25 credit music lessons that will be added to your tuition statement. There will be no refund of the lesson fee if you choose to drop the music lesson after the sixth day of classes.

Stop by the Music Department office (HOM 245) to grab a piece of chocolate and ask Lisa any questions about the music lesson process.

Please contact Faith Kimbrell, Instrument Coordinator (CHM 123) to be assigned an instrument and/or locker. Instrument and locker requests will only be filled for students enrolled in official St Olaf music ensembles or St Olaf music lessons.

Are you undecided, looking to add a music major to your current major, or interested in changing majors? We encourage you to email Dr. Tracey Engleman and Lisa McDermott so they can help you get on the right track!

If you are considering a music major, be sure to register for Music 112 in the fall semester of your first year. If you scored a 5 on the AP Music Theory test, please contact Dr. Christine Boone when you get to campus for placement in the appropriate theory class.

New Student Orientation Information 2026-2027

Welcome, Incoming First Years & Transfer Students!