Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra
The Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra comprises students, faculty, staff, and associates of Wellesley College and Brandeis University.
Following successful collaborations in recent years, the orchestras at each institution formally united in the Fall of 2002 under the direction of Neal Hampton. By sharing talents and resources, the orchestra provides unique creative opportunities for the communities at both institutions and specifically for students within the context of a liberal arts education. Uniting the high standards of excellence associated with Wellesley and Brandeis, the orchestra is dedicated to bringing inspiring performances of the great orchestral literature, both past and present, to a new generation of musicians and audiences.
Programs have included symphonies and other works by Brahms, Copland, Dvorak, Mozart, Haydn, Elgar, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev. Major works performed by the orchestra include Mahler's Second Symphony (in collaboration with the orchestra of Tufts University and the combined choirs of Brandeis, Tufts, and MIT) Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Brahms' A German Requiem and Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.
Auditions: Prepare a brief selection of a piece that demonstrates musical and technical ability. It is recommended to include a selection from a first movement of a classical sonata or concerto, or any medium-to-fast tempo piece that shows an ability to play in a steady tempo. If you arrive without music, prepare a scale of your choice in as many octaves as your technique permits you to play steadily and in tune.
Time Commitment
The Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra rehearses weekly on Thursdays from 7:30-10 pm alternating campuses. Shuttle buses will take students between schools.
The Orchestra presents a major performance at the end of each semester, once at Wellesley College and then again at Brandeis University.
Academic Credit
Students may elect to take Orchestra for 0.5 credits per year. It is not mandatory to seek credit. Students who participate in Orchestra during the Fall semester can register for it in the Spring with the director's approval. MUS 260 is for the first two years of participation, and MUS 270 is for the second two years of participation (prerequisite: MUS 260). Students seeking credit must participate in the ensemble all year.
Concerto Competition
The BWO holds an annual concerto competition at the end of the fall semester. The winner(s) of the competition will be featured in the Orchestra's spring concert.
For concerto competition registration, please complete the registration form by way of the link. The deadline for submission is November 15, and auditions will be held in December.
Neal Hampton, Conductor
Founder and Director of the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra, Neal Hampton was born in New York City and raised in Philadelphia. He currently serves on the faculties of Brandeis University and Wellesley College and is Assistant Conductor of the Plymouth Philharmonic (MA). He has led performances with the Savannah Symphony, The Rhode Island Philharmonic, The Handel and Haydn Society, The Tallahassee Symphony (with Marcus Roberts), The Springfield (MA) Symphony, and London's Westminster Philharmonic (concert tour to Nova Scotia), among others. Past conducting posts include Music Director of the Genesee (NY) Symphony, the Lowell (MA) Philharmonic, Conductor of the Boston College Symphony Orchestra, and Associate Director for Orchestra Activities at the Boston University School of Music.
He has premiered numerous contemporary works and written music for ballet, theater, and film, including incidental music for the Canadian Premier of Lanford Wilson’s Book of Days, a choral arrangement featured on the Columbia Pictures release of Mona Lisa Smile and music and lyrics to Find Our Voice, premiered by the Plymouth Philharmonic. His musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, (book and lyrics by Jeffrey Haddow) received its world premiere at the Denver Center Theatre Company staged by Tony-nominated director, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, and had its UK premiere by the Surrey Opera. Upcoming productions include a limited run at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall, England June 17-21, 2024, and a concert presentation of selections from the show by the Plymouth Philharmonic on November 22, 2024, at 7 pm.
Mr. Hampton holds degrees in conducting and composition from the Eastman School of Music and Boston University School of Music. Additional conducting studies include master classes at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and at the Tanglewood Seminar for Conductors.
