Musical groups on campus are accepting members from the college and the local community to create musical ensembles to perform throughout the year.

On campus three main performance groups are open to anyone willing to join, and take the time to rehearse every week.

Assistant Professor Josh Calkin, conductor of the symphonic band, welcomes anyone interested in creating music to join. Knowing how to play an instrument is preferred, but not required.

“If you want to play in a group here, then realize you don’t have an instrument, we have some available for students to use too,” Calkin said. “Which I also think is really important for people to understand. If you are not a music major you can still play, if you don’t own an instrument you can still play, and if you don’t have a lot of time you can still play.”

The symphonic band meets every Tuesday evening in room 23 of the Petersons Fine Arts Building from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The Wayne State College Orchestra meets every Sunday evening in Ramsey Theatre in the Fine Arts Building from 5 to 7 p.m., and is conducted by Shelly Armstrong. No auditions are required, and although the bands are registered as a class, students and community members are not required to enroll to participate.

Calkin said the symphonic band will perform a number of pieces this year, including the works of Percy Granger, Edward Elgar, and John Philip Sousa.

To celebrate this election year Calkin is preparing to perform President Garfield’s Inauguration March, which is the only piece made specifically for an inauguration itself.

“I always try to give the band some works to do that are not only fun, but have some meat on the bone,” said Calkin. “It’s going to challenge them, but it’s also flat-out good music.”

“Students are welcome to join the chorale,” the conductor of the Wayne State Chorale Philip Pfaltzgraff said. “Anybody can participate.”

He said that the chorale is also known as the “whoever will may sing choir.” The deadline to join is Monday, September 26. Pfaltzgraff said anyone wanting to join the chorale should attend the rehearsal and contact him. The group rehearses every Monday in the Fine Arts Building from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

“It’s a well-balanced group,” Pfalzgraff said. “We have about 50 people who sing. It’s an energetic group.”

The chorale is set to perform twice this semester. One of the performances will be the fall concert, which will also feature the concert choir.

The second performance will be at the President’s Holiday Gala on December 11.

More information is available from the WSC Music Department.