CofC Ensembles

CofC Ensembles is a series of student performances by our opera, orchestra, Concert Choir, Gospel Choir, Latin American Music Ensemble and steelband.

2025-2026 Concerts

Concerts are added throughout the year. Dates, times and venues are subject to change.

Orchestra
Monday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. | Sottile Theatre

The College of Charleston Orchestra, conducted by Yuriy Bekker, will present its fall concert featuring Gustav Holst's The Planets, Op. 32. Composed in 1917, this monumental work is a suite of movements, each named after a planet in our Solar System and its corresponding astrological character. This powerful and evocative piece will showcase the artistry of our institution's excellent orchestra.
The evening also will include a collaboration with the talented College of Charleston Opera, led by Amanda Castellone, highlighting students from both ensembles in American classics “Make Our Garden Grow” from Leonard Bernstein’s Candide and “The Promise of Living” from Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land.
Need help with tickets or want to purchase by phone or in person? Contact the George Street Box Office.
Learn about the orchestra and opera's upcoming performance at Boston Symphony Hall, in celebration of America's 250th!
Opera
Friday, Feb. 20 & Sunday, Feb. 22 | Sottile Theatre
Hänsel und Gretel is a German opera by Engelbert Humperdinck, based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, about two children who get lost in a forest and encounter a gingerbread house inhabited by a witch. The opera tells the story of Hansel and Gretel being sent into the forest to find strawberries, their misadventures, their discovery of the witch's house, and their eventual escape and return home. The opera is known for its charming melodies, often drawing from German folk songs, and its blend of accessible and sophisticated musical styles.
Sung in German with English supertitles.
For this production, CofC Opera is excited to partner with the Charleston Symphony, under the baton of Wojciech Milewski. Learn about College of Charleston Opera and its impressive projects and history.
- Purchase tickets (discounted admission for CofC students/faculty/staff)
Need help with tickets or want to purchase by phone or in person? Contact the George Street Box Office.

PAST CONCERTS:
Friday, Nov. 14 & Saturday, Nov. 15 | Chapel Theatre
The Operas Tour - Voice students perform a musical journey spanning operatic and American musical theater Eras. Immerse yourself in an up-close performance experience featuring opera buffa, bel canto, verisimo, and modern opera, as well as Broadway scenes and choruses. No matter your musical taste, you are sure to find an OP(ERA) piece that will delight you!
- The OpERAS Tour Performance Program
Choral Ensembles

The College of Charleston Choirs will present fantastic season of concerts, directed by Emily Bohl. Learn about our Choral Ensembles.
UPCOMING CONCERTS:
The College of Charleston Concert Choir will present Vespera, Somnia, Aurora -- a dynamic fall concert that explores themes of dusk, dreams, and dawn through the work of Brahms, Whitacre, Aleotti, Uusberg, Powell and more.
Friday, Nov. 21 at 7:00 p.m. | Simons Center Recital Hall
FREE admission

PAST CONCERTS:
College of Charleston Concert Choir: “Let Love, Peace, and Hope Abide”
The College of Charleston Concert Choir will showcase a diverse program of works by renowned composers George Frideric Handel, Joseph Haydn, R. Nathaniel Dett, Z. Randall Stroope, and Rosephanye D. Powell. This performance promises to be a contemplative and profound musical experience, offering a rich exploration of choral artistry across a variety of styles and historical contexts.

College of Charleston Gospel Choir: "Sounds of Blackness" collaborative concert with The Citadel and Morris College

Fall Gospel Fest: “Let the High Praise Begin!” – featuring the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern University Gospel Choirs.

College of Charleston Concert Choir: “Songs for a New Season” – featuring music by Handel, Mozart, Brown, Dawson, Wilberg, Hogan and more.
Wind Ensemble

The College of Charleston Wind Ensemble invites you on a musical journey across continents, featuring pieces inspired by Cajun traditions, Turkish folk melodies, Latin rhythms, and East Asian sonorities. Experience music that celebrates cultures from every corner of the world:
March, Op. 99 by Sergey Prokofiev (arr. Paul Yoder), A Trumpeter’s Lullaby by Leroy Anderson (arr. Philip J. Lang), When Spirits Soar by Brian Balmages, Üsküdar (Traditional Turkish, arr. Robert W. Smith & Michael Story), Asian Folk Rhapsody by Richard L. Saucedo, Latin Holiday by J. Olivadoti, and Cajun Folk Songs by Frank Ticheli
Sunday, Nov. 16 at 4:00pm | Simons Center Recital Hall
FREE admission
Latin American Music Ensemble

Otro Sur, the College's Latin American Music Ensemble, will present an interactive concert allowing the audience to dance along to live Latin American music performed by Otro Sur. The concert features fun music that’s meant to create a sense of community focused on three beloved genres of dance music: Dominican merengue, Brazilian forró, and cumbia.
The dances are easy to learn, and audience members can choose to step into a beginner’s dance class at 3:00 p.m. ahead of the 4:00 p.m. concert.
Sunday, Nov. 23 | Gage Hall, 4 Archdale St.
Suggested Donation: $10 for general audience / $5 for students

Concerts & Performances

Under the direction of Yuriy Bekker, the College of Charleston Orchestra is just one of the many ensemble performance opportunities available for our students to share their talents with Charleston audiences.