Ensembles at Our School of Music
Crescendo has several ensemble opportunities available at our school of music. Ensemble membership is by teacher recommendation and/or audition.
Chamber Music Ensembles
Crescendo Chamber Ensembles are for students of all instruments including voice interested in exploring chamber music repertoire. Placement in a group is based on playing level and age. Groups include duos, trios, quartets, quintets, and more. Rehearsals culminate in a recital.
Ensemble coaches include Mark Portolese (violin/piano), Ann Cirvencic (viola/violin), Nicholas Jeffery (viola/violin), Silvia Sidorane McClish (cello), and Jesse Williams (clarinet/saxophone).
Class Fees:
$20 per one-hour coaching session
(Students not currently taking private lessons at Crescendo will also be charged an annual $20 registration fee.)
Community Voices
Instructors: Corlis Watkins-Nass, Cindy Cross, and Kim Licavolli
Led by a board-certified music therapist with assistance from community teaching artists, this program provides teens and adults with a variety of intellectual disabilities a unique opportunity to work collaboratively to learn and perform music.
Note: Vaccination is required for all Crescendo voice students. Masks are recommended, but not required.
To register: use our new online portal or call the office at 269-345-6664.
Class Days and Times:
School-year session meets Thursdays, 4:00-5:00 pm; fall session begins on October 6.
Summer session meets Thursday, 3:00 – 4:00
Class Fees:
This grant-supported program only costs $30 per session
Crescendo Fiddlers
Director: Joanna Steinhauser
Crescendo Fiddlers gives violinists, violists, cellists, bassists, and guitarists of all ages the opportunity to explore their interest in folk fiddle music. The Crescendo Fiddlers perform at a variety of locations, including Farmers’ Markets in Kalamazoo, Springfield, Athens, Vicksburg, Richland and Texas Township, as well as for the Oshtemo Historical Society, the VanBuren Historical Society, the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital, the Scotts Harvest Festival and Old Time Steam Show, and more!
Two to three years of playing experience is usually required to handle our repertoire, which includes fiddle tunes from the folk music traditions of New England, Appalachia, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, and China.
Class Days and Times:
Monthly academic-year fiddle club meets the second Saturday of the month from 1:00-2:00 pm
Summer fiddle class meets Mondays from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Class Fees:
Monthly Fiddle Club is $15 per class
Cost for the summer session is $200
Kalamazoo Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra
The Kalamazoo Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra is a plucked string ensemble consisting of mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, guitars, and bass. Membership is gained by audition.
The KMGO was founded in 2003 to revive the mandolin orchestra tradition in Kalamazoo. The orchestra enjoys performing a wide variety of music including classical, ethnic, and “golden era” mandolin orchestra music. The orchestra has premiered original music composed for the orchestra and has sponsored workshops with international mandolin virtuosi.
Class Days and Times:
Tuesday evenings at 7:15 pm
Class Fees:
Registration fee is $75 per year
