History and Highlights

The UL Symphony Orchestra was formed in the 1940's under the direction of George Barth. The Orchestra's musicians include: students at USL, members of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and members of the surrounding communities. This collaboration between the community and the university has been an important part of the history of the UL Symphony.

 The orchestra performs three to four concerts per year in Angelle Hall located on the campus of UL. Recent performances include Mars from Holst’s The Planets, Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Tchaikovsky's Second Symphony, and Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer. Each year the orchestra sponsors a concerto competition open to all music students at UL.  Several winners may be chosen to solo with the UL Symphony Orchestra.

 UL offers scholarships by audition to all participants in the UL Symphony, regardless of your major.  We also offer additional scholarships by audition to all music majors.  Endowed scholarships auditions for Orchestra will be held on February 7, 1998, in Angelle Hall. The majority of string students participating in the UL Symphony receive some type a scholarship.

 The current conductor of the UL Symphony Orchestra is Michael Blaney. For more information about the UL Symphony or the string program at UL, please contact Mr. Blaney at (318) 482-6050 or the UL School of Music at (318) 482-6016.

The UL Chamber Players

UL Faculty members Michael Blaney, Catherine Roche-Wallace, Susie Garcia, and Mark Wallace formed the UL Chamber Players in the Spring of 1997.  This unique chamber ensemble performs regularly throughout the Acadiana area.  The group performs all types of chamber works often involving guest performers from the Acadiana Symphony as well as other universities and orchestras.  Recent performances include Brahms’ Trio for Horn, Violin, and Piano, Mozart’s Trio in B flat, K. 502, for violin, cello, and piano,  and Prokofiev’s Overture on Hebrew Themes.  On. December 7 1997, the Chamber Players will present a world premiere performance of Yehudi Wyner’s Trio for Horn, Violin, and Piano.