Instrumental Music

 Bachelor of Music in Performance

The mission of the Conservatory of Music at Chapman University is to provide an outstanding education for the professional and intellectual development of artists and scholars in a supportive, rigorous liberal arts environment that enriches the human mind and spirit.

The Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Performance is an intensive performance degree which focuses on classical training for solo, chamber, and orchestral experience.

Instrumental students at the Conservatory of Music have ample performance opportunities in state-of-the-art facilities. The Conservatory has three large ensembles (Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Wind Symphony) and several small ensembles (New Music Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, University Jazz Ensembles, and a student-led Pep Band).

There is no system of seniority in the Conservatory of Music. Students are selected and seated based on their talent and level of commitment, which means that a Freshman has as much opportunity as a Senior to participate in any given ensemble. In addition, Chamber Music is not only encouraged but is a required part of a major’s curriculum.

Chapman Conservatory of Music faculty hold prominent positions in major ensembles in Southern California, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera and Chamber Orchestra, to name a few. Our faculty has earned degrees at the Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, UCLA, The Cleveland Institute of Music, USC, and together bring a wealth of knowledge and experience unparalled in Southern California. With a student body of 225 majors and a faculty ratio of 1:14, Chapman’s Conservatory of Music provides students with personalized education and direct contact with faculty with no substitutions and teaching assistants.

Chapman University Orchestras

Chapman University’s two main orchestras, the Chapman Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and the Chapman Chamber Orchestra (CCO), have received wide recognition for their outstanding performances and are considered among the finest collegiate orchestras on the West Coast. In frequent demand for performances, the orchestras have performed at the Music Educators National, Divisional, and State Conferences. In addition, the Chamber Orchestra tours biannually throughout the Western United States and has also concertized in Europe and Asia.

Chapman University Wind Symphony

The Chapman University Wind Symphony has earned a reputation for its breadth of musicality and consistently high level of performance. The ensemble is frequently featured at notable festivals and conferences, including CMEA: The California Association for Music Education and the Invitational Band Festival at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Recently the Chapman University Wind Symphony was honored on the national level with a prestigious invitation to perform as one of only four university wind ensembles at the 2008 Biennial Conference of MENC: the National Association for Music Education. The Wind Symphony presents both national and international tours, performing in such prestigious concert halls as the world-renowned Sydney Opera House. Goals of the Wind Symphony include the development of musical expression, and individual and ensemble skills through the identification, rehearsal, and performance of the finest wind literature.

Chamber Music

Chapman students have the opportunity to participate in chamber music ensembles coached by members of the instrumental faculty. These ensembles perform the finest string, woodwind, brass, percussion, and guitar literature, and are featured throughout the semester in public concerts.

New Music Ensemble

The New Music Ensemble presents works by current composition majors as well as those by many of the major composers of the last fifty years. Instrumental and vocal faculty, along with distinguished guest artists, often participate in the ensemble, thus offering the students a chance to perform with their teachers and mentors as well as their peers. The ensemble regularly collaborates with other groups on campus in presenting the New Music at Chapman concert series.

Jazz @ Chapman

The Conservatory of Music proudly offers courses in Jazz Studies to enrich the student and to enhance their learning experience within the traditional music conservatory curriculum. The University Jazz Ensembles perform music encompassing all periods of the jazz idiom. This wide range of literature ensures that students will be well versed in the stylistic interpretation of jazz, as well as develop a solid foundation in improvisation.

Resident Ensembles, Artists-in-Residence, Master Classes

The Conservatory of Music invites guest artists and ensembles on a regular basis to work with students and ensembles in their respective fields of expertise.  Recent Ensembles-in-Residence include California’s E.A.R. Unit, a chamber ensemble dedicated to the creation, performance, and the Penderecki String Quartet.  Additionally, the Conservatory has hosted Ariana Ghez, Principal Oboe of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as its Instrumental Artist-in-Residence and acclaimed operatic sopranos, Milena Kitic and Carol Neblett as Vocal Artists-in-Residence.

The Conservatory of Music has a long and proud tradition of hosting world-renowned artists for master classes.  Recent guest artists include Linda Watson, Anne Akiko Meyers, William Burden, Sergei Babayan, Vladimir Chernov and others.

Getting Started

To begin your application process, please visit the Admissions web page to complete an the Common Application to Chapman University.  Please note in your application that you intend to major in Instrumental Performance.

All students auditioning for acceptance into the Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Performance or the Bachelor of Music in Music Education–Instrumental Emphasis should visit the Conservatory of Music website for a detailed listing of audition requirements by instrument.  Prospective students should schedule an instrumental audition appointment during the posted audition dates.  Additionally, please indicate whether or not you will require an accompanist at your audition.

The Conservatory of Music offers a complimentary, half-hour lesson for prospective students with one of our applied instructors. Please contact Daniel Alfred Wachs to arrange for a lesson.

We welcome your interest in our program and look forward to helping you live your dream.

Daniel Alfred Wachs, M.M
Director of Instrumental Studies
Music Director, University Orchestras
Conservatory of Music

Chapman University
One University Drive
Orange, CA 92866

(714) 997-6914
wachs@chapman.edu