My name is Lauren Porter and I'm a senior at Caltech as well as the president of the Caltech Bands. On these pages you'll find audition and rehearsal times, as well as concert dates for the upcoming year. We've put on some great concerts in the past, and this year is sure to be both fun and rewarding.
In addition to the Caltech-Occidental Orchestra and small chamber wind groups, there are three bands: the Monday and Thursday Jazz Bands, and the larger Concert Band. All three bands are very casual - we rehearse one evening a week for two hours, and they are composed of a mixture of undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, JPL staff, and alumni from both Caltech and Occidental College. The bands perform one concert each term and two in May. Recent highlights have included performing the Lord of the Rings suite by Johan de Meij, as well as pieces that were written and guest-conducted by contemporary composers such as Frank Ticheli.
Auditions for the bands are being held on September 30th and October 1st. It's an informal process - you select one piece or segment of a piece to perform for the director, William Bing. Don't worry if you haven't played all summer; the auditions are more for balancing the different parts within a section than to make rigid seating assignments, and returning members of the band don't audition at all. The bands accept players of all ability levels.
Even if you're not sure you'll have the time to play in the band, I'd encourage you to give it a try. Rehearsals are a lot of fun, and they're a great way to meet other undergraduates and see some of your professors and TA's outside the classroom. It's okay to miss a week here and there - and you might even find yourself looking forward to the break from classes and work. If you do decide you're too busy to join, you can always join second or third term, as well. Just remember to bring your instruments with you, though there are some brass instruments available here for students who don't have their own.
I hope this answers any questions you might have about the Caltech bands. Feel free to email me (LPorter AT caltech DOT edu) if you have any other questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Lauren Porter