1. The University of Minnesota Campus Orchestra was created in 1994 and directed for its
inaugural three seasons by
doctoral conducting student
Elizabeth Prielozny Barnes. Initially serving university
non-music major students, faculty, and staff who
were not eligible to participate in the standing
Symphony Orchestra, it later expanded its mission by
serving as a training
orchestra for younger, less-
experienced music majors, and finally by adding an active learning, educational component
for its members who, as non-music majors, or younger music majors, had little formal music
theory and history training.
THE INAUGURAL THREE SEASONS OF THE CAMPUS ORCHESTRA
• Established a new standing major performing ensemble at the University of Minnesota
• Performed concerts in non-traditional venues across a large, urban university campus each
academic quarter, as well as in a traditional concert hall setting
• Developed Learning Teams, a formal means for orchestra members to investigate, learn,
and lead their fellow orchestra members in activities designed to teach theoretical,
historical, and other elements contributing to a deeper understanding of both the orchestral
works currently in rehearsal, and in so doing, address larger musical issues as well
• Expanded members' musical experiences by performing in joint concerts with other
university ensembles, including choir, band, and jazz ensemble, and solo singers and
instrumentalists
• Initiated a program of member "service" to the orchestra as a means of supporting its
administrative needs, while giving orchestra members the opportunity to demonstrate and
contribute from their sometimes significant personal expertise outside of music
• Developed a Call for Scores to give university student composers the opportunity to
compose works to suit a specific student orchestra, while giving orchestra members the
opportunity to work annually with living composers who are also their peers
• Created a concerto competition for orchestra members who, as non-music majors and
younger music majors, would unlikely have other opportunities to perform as soloists at the
university
• Gave practical conducting and administrative experience to other conducting students at
the university
• Created chamber music opportunities for members, and chamber music coaching
opportunities for upper division and graduate music students
• Developed mentoring, teaching, and coaching opportunities for graduate and upper
division undergraduate music students who conducted weekly sectional rehearsals which
addressed the specific technical and musical needs of each section of the orchestra
• Created quarterly program evaluations that gave members the opportunity to have a voice
in shaping the development of the young orchestra
• Developed a Campus Orchestra web page to aid in the communication between and to
orchestra members (especially helpful to a membership scattered across a large, dual-
campus, urban university)