Orchestras home

Symphony Orchestra poses for a photo on the Bates Recital Hall Stage

Orchestras

Welcome!

The University of Texas Symphony Orchestra (UTSO) and The University of Texas University Orchestra (UTUO) consist of the finest string, wind, and percussion musicians University-wide. Giving at least ten concerts per season, the two orchestras perform a repertoire covering a 350-year span that allows for student musicians to collaborate and perform for audiences in the local Austin area and beyond.

Symphony Orchestra

The Symphony Orchestra consists primarily of graduate and undergraduate music majors in the Butler School of Music and performs three concerts per semester, playing everything from large masterworks, new and emerging works, and standard literature. The ensemble collaborates often with faculty from the Butler School and professional musicians from around the county. UTSO holds a series of concerto competitions each Spring that feature student musicians from the Butler School, including competitions for strings, brass woodwind & percussion, piano, voice, and composition. 

University Orchestra

The University Orchestra is comprised of both music majors and students from schools all across campus, and presents a similar balance of repertoire performed at a very high level. Led by graduate students in orchestral conducting, this ensemble rehearses in the evenings and gives two concerts per semester.

Degrees

The Butler School of Music offers both master’s (M.M.) and doctoral (D.M.A.) degrees in orchestral conducting for qualified applicants. Information on how to audition and apply for these programs can be found on our Prospective Students page.

Contact

Contact orchestras @  utorchestras@utexas.edu

Faculty

Teaching Assistants

Upcoming Events

Black and white photo of a student holding a french horn in front of a black and aqua background.

 

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor

Donald Grantham
Baron Cimetiére’s Mambo (premiere of orchestral arr.) 

Gara Garayev
Seven Beauties Ballet Suite 

Igor Stravinsky
The Firebird Suite

Black and white photo of Jonathan Gunn holding his clarinet in front of a black and aqua background.

 

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor
Jonathan Gunn, clarinet 
Featured Guests Austin Youth Orchestra 

Richard Strauss
Romanze for Clarinet and Orchestra 

Eldar Hudiyev
“Circus” for Clarinet and Orchestra 

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, Symphony of Fate

+ more...

Black and white photo of a student holding a violin in front of a black and aqua background.

 

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Titan

Black and white photo of Ebonee Thomas holding her flute in front of a black and aqua background.

 

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor
Ebonee Thomas, flute 

John Corigliano
Voyage (for flute and orchestra) 

Sergei Rachmaninoff
Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27

Black and white photo of baritone Donnie Ray Albert in front of a black and aqua background.

 

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor
Donnie Ray Albert, baritone 
Combined Choirs

Aaron Copland
Old American Songs 

Johannes Brahms
Nänie, Op. 82 

Alexander Borodin
Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor

+ more...

Black and white photo of a student holding a clarinet in front of an aqua and black background.

Concerto Competition Winners Concert 1

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor

Repertoire will be announced after competition finals in December.

Black and white photo of a student holding a viola in front of a black and aqua background.

Concerto Competition Winners Concert 2

Event Status
Scheduled
to

Farkhad Khudyev, conductor

Repertoire will be announced after competition finals in December.