Ensembles

The School’s ensembles offer students a welcoming, hands-on introduction to music across eras, styles, and tradition while building the confidence to rehearse, refine, and perform.

 Meeting once a week onsite at Diller-Quaile, students take part in rehearsals that culminate in performances throughout the year. Ensembles appear in many of the School’s major concerts, including the Winter Ensembles Concert, Holiday Choral Concert, Spring Chamber Soirée, and Spring Ensembles Concert.

To inquire about joining an ensemble, please contact Coordinator Jaana Kantola at jkantola@diller-quaile.org.

Jazz Ensemble

Whether you’re new to jazz or already love it, Diller-Quaile’s new Jazz Ensemble is a place to develop your skills, strengthen your musical voice, and experience the excitement of making jazz together. Under the lead of saxophonist and composer Stan Killian, students explore the rich world of jazz through a variety of jazz styles such as swing, blues, bebop, and Latin jazz. The ensemble builds jazz theory foundations and applies their knowledge to guided improvisation. Students learn to improvise phrases that fit the style and chord changes while developing confident ensemble and performance skills. All instruments are welcome!

Grades 6-8

Tuesdays | 6:00-6:45 PM

Grades 9-12

Tuesdays | 7:00-7:45 PM

Chorus

Diller-Quaile's Choruses provide sequential study of choral literature for young voices and teach the fundamentals of vocal technique. Through choral repertoire spanning various periods and styles, students develop ensemble skills, sight-singing skills, comfort with score reading, and music literacy. Diller-Quaile choruses perform in the School’s large ensemble concerts each semester.

Young Children’s Chorus
Grades 1-3

Wednesdays | 3:40 - 4:25 PM

Intermediate Chorus
Grades 4-8

Wednesdays | 4:30-5:20 PM

The Diller-Quaile Chorus
Grades 5-8

Mondays | 4:45-5:30 PM

Orchestras

Diller-Quaile’s orchestras provide ensemble and performance opportunities for intermediate through advanced players. The orchestras focus on the development of strong ensemble skills and reading, as students learn to follow a conductor and become acquainted with music of various periods and styles. All orchestras perform each semester at the School’s large ensemble concerts.

Advanced students audition for The Diller-Quaile Orchestra. Playing is on a highly polished level, with emphasis on stylistic nuance, phrasing, sight-reading, and sophisticated ensemble playing. Orchestra coaches play along with the students and conduct sectionals, offering advice and practical suggestions on all aspects of orchestral playing. Orchestra mentors rehearse and play alongside students in performance, providing students a glimpse at the work of the young professional musician.

Intermediate Orchestra

Mondays | 6:30 - 7:30 PM

The Diller-Quaile Orchestra

Mondays | 7:45 - 8:45 PM

Diller-Quaile Youth Opera

Diller-Quaile Youth Opera provides a unique opportunity for young singers to experience the preparation and performance of opera in a supportive setting. Students rehearse and perform solos, scenes, and choruses from Baroque through Contemporary operas, musicals, and staged works, with an emphasis on works composed specifically for young singers. rehearsals focus on musical style, language, diction, character development, and stagecraft, leading to a performance at the end of the season. An important aspect of Diller-Quaile Youth Opera is that students have the opportunity to be mentored by and perform with professional singers. Repertoire assignments are based on age, level, and voice category, as music is customized for individual singers and the ensemble. An audition is required.

Diller-Quaile Youth Opera

Wednesdays | 5:30 - 6:30 PM

 Chamber Music

Intermediate and advanced students explore ensemble playing and score reading in ensembles of two to eight players or singers, which meet weekly throughout the school year. Ensembles study a wide range of repertoire from the works of Baroque through Contemporary composers and are shaped according to level. Placement auditions are held in the spring for returning students and during interviews for new students.

Chamber ensembles

Mondays | 7:00 - 7:45 PM

Fridays | 7:00 - 7:45 PM

Additional ensemble times are customized based on students’ playing level and program schedules.