Winterguard

The Winterguard is a group of flags, rifles, and sabers that performs a choreographed show to music within the confines of a basketball court. One-hour of credit is given during the spring semester for participation. The Winterguard usually begins rehearsals after the end of marching season in the fall. The guard meets on a regular basis in the spring, with competitions beginning about February each year.  Their webpage is at MSU Guard.

The Winterguard has been a member of the Texas Color Guard Association, the Oklahoma Colorguard Circuit, and Winter Guard International. They currently are members of the North Texas Color Guard Association. They perform at competitions across Texas and Oklahoma and have performed at competitions as far away as Florida, Arizona, and Ohio. Membership is open to anyone with colorguard experience.  Interested students should contact Mr. Black.
 

Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band

The Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble meet during the spring semester only. The Symphonic Band usually enrolls about sixty students while the select Wind Ensemble has about forty-five players. Both groups perform formal concerts throughout the semester both on and off campus and tour in the public schools of North Texas. During the last seventeen years these bands have performed in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana. One or both of the groups will go on tour each spring. The Symphonic Band is open to anyone with band experience. Auditions for the Wind Ensemble take place in
November for students in the Marching Band during the fall semester and in January for new students. During the spring semester the Symphonic Band rehearses on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00-1:50 p.m. The Wind Ensemble rehearses on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2:00-2:50 p.m. For more information, contact Dr. Archambo.  In April 2007, the combined Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, University Singers, and Midwestern Singers performed in Houston and along the Gulf coast.

University Marching Band

The Golden Thunder Marching Band meets during the fall semester only and is comprised of students from all divisions on campus. The band performs at all home football games and several away football games each year. The band traditionally performs as the feature group at the Wichita Falls Public Schools Marching Exhibition during the first week of October and for the UIL Region II Marching Contest. The Band performs at several spirit rallies on campus each fall including the annual Homecoming Bonfire and at tailgate parties on campus and at the stadium before home football games. When the football season is over in November, the Marching Band begins preparation for the annual Christmas concerts. These concerts coincide with the annual Fantasy of Lights and take place in Akin Auditorium on campus. The Christmas concerts are highly anticipated by the community and the band performs for standing-room-only audiences.

The Marching Band is open to all students who have band experience. The band marches corps-style and incorporates a drum line, side ensemble (non-marching percussion), and colorguard. One-hour of credit is given each semester. Two years of marching band substitute for one Physical Education course. Four years of marching band substitutes for the entire PE requirement on any degree.

The band rehearses on Wednesday, and Friday from 1-3 pm, and on Tuesday evenings until mid-October.  Rehearsals begin about one week prior to classes in the fall. Uniforms are provided at no cost. Large instruments and percussion instruments are also provided at no cost. The student will need to provide white marching shoes, white gloves, white socks, and the band provides a new, band t-shirt. Marching music is usually memorized.  Contact Dr. Larry Archambo for more information.

Jazz Ensemble

The University Jazz Ensemble meets during both the fall and spring semesters and is made up of students from many majors. The band performs concerts throughout the year, both on-campus and off. The band is open to all students who qualify by audition. In April, 1999, the Jazz Ensemble performed in Wichita, Kansas for the Wichita Jazz Festival. Students interested in being in the Jazz Ensemble should contact Alan Black. The Jazz Ensemble rehearses in the Band Hall on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11:00-11:50 am.

University Singers

The University Singers is a select choral ensemble open to all students of the University who qualify by audition.  At least four hours of rehearsal are required each week and members must participate in all public performances.  An extended tour is taken in the spring.  Choral music from all historical periods in various genres is explored and performed.  The repertoire includes world music from a variety of cultures.  Contact Dr. James Schuppener for more information.

Oratorio Chorus

The Oratorio Chorus is a choral organization open to all interested students and townspeople specializing in the performance of major works with orchestral accompaniment.  Historical periods ranging from Renaissance to the 21st Century are varied each semester, as well as the birth origin of the individual composers, so as to provide a fresh multicultural musical experience with each major work.  Contact Dr. James Schuppener for more information.

Wichita Falls Chamber Orchestra

The WFCO is a large instrumental ensemble open to all interested students and townspeople.  Membership is by audition.  Fall and spring concerts are presented.  Additional concerts for the community are scheduled as needed.  Literature ranges from baroque to contemporary classics (fall and spring semesters).  Contact Dr. Ruth Morrow for more information.

Opera Workshop

The Opera Workshop is an ensemble open to all students by audition.  It trains singers and directors in the special problems of the musical stage (Spring semester only).  Contact Dr. Don Maxwell for more information.

Midwestern Singers

The Midwestern Singers is a chamber ensemble selected by audition from members of the University Singers.  The Midwestern Singers perform a wide variety of music from different countries, ranging from madrigals and motets to vocal jazz arrangements from America and abroad.  Contact Dr. James Schuppener for more information.

Percussion Ensemble and Steel Bands

The Percussion Ensemble meets during both the fall and spring semesters. Students who can play percussion instruments are encouraged to participate. The ensemble performs formal concerts both on-campus and off-campus throughout the year. The ensemble rehearses on Tuesdays from 1-2:20 in the Band Hall. In 1998, the Percussion Ensemble and the Steel Bandits were the featured groups with the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra.

The Steel Drum Band was new in 1996 when the band received a grant to purchase a full set of steel drums. Students who wish to play in the Percussion Ensemble or the Steel Band should contact Alan Black.

Men's and Women's Basketball Pep Band

The University Pep Band performs for all home men's and women's basketball games as well as home and away basketball playoff games. Membership is open to all students with band experience. The Pep Band is made up of a standard band instrumentation with the addition of electric bass, electronic keyboards, and trap set. MSU basketball games are always exciting and take place in D. L. Ligon Coliseum on the MSU campus. In 1999, the Pep Band played for packed houses of over 5,000 people at several home basketball games.  Contact Dr. Larry Archambo for more information.