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, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. | Gaillard Center
Join the College of Charleston’s orchestra and opera programs for a send-off concert featuring repertoire that will be performed on tour just days later at Boston Symphony Hall.
This concert celebrates America’s 250th with a vibrant program of iconic American composers, featuring Bernstein’s energetic overtures from Candide and West Side Story; Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess, bringing a touch of Charleston’s charm to Boston; and Copland’s stirring The Promise of Living from The Tender Land, evoking the spirit of American hope and community. The evening will culminate with the uplifting Make Our Garden Grow from Candide.
This performance is a celebration of America’s musical heritage, showcasing the College of Charleston Orchestra and Opera programs as they present this rich and diverse repertoire first in Charleston, then in the heart of Boston. Conducted by Yuriy Bekker.
- Purchase tickets
- Need help with tickets or want to purchase by phone or in person? Contact the Gaillard Ticket Office at 843.242.3099.
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.

Thursday, March 12, from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. | Simons Center Recital Hall
Renowned tenor Nils Neubert will give a masterclass to voice students. Open to the public at no cost.
Neubert was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, and maintains careers as a performer, coach, educator, scholar, and administrator in the United States and abroad. He is a sought-after interpreter of song, oratorio, opera, and chamber music, and has appeared as a soloist and small ensemble singer throughout North America and Europe.

Monday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. | Gaillard Center
Join the College of Charleston’s orchestra and opera programs for a send-off concert featuring repertoire that will be performed on tour just days later at Boston Symphony Hall.
This concert celebrates America’s 250th with a vibrant program of iconic American composers, featuring Bernstein’s energetic overtures from Candide and West Side Story; Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess, bringing a touch of Charleston’s charm to Boston; and Copland’s stirring The Promise of Living from The Tender Land, evoking the spirit of American hope and community. The evening will culminate with the uplifting Make Our Garden Grow from Candide.
This performance is a celebration of America’s musical heritage, showcasing the College of Charleston Orchestra and Opera programs as they present this rich and diverse repertoire first in Charleston, then in the heart of Boston. Conducted by Yuriy Bekker.
- Purchase tickets
- Need help with tickets or want to purchase by phone or in person? Contact the Gaillard Ticket Office at 843.242.3099.
Learn about the orchestra and opera's upcoming performance at Boston Symphony Hall, in celebration of America's 250th!
Choral Ensembles

The College of Charleston Concert Choir will present fantastic season of concerts, directed by Emily Bohl. Learn about our Choral Ensembles.
College of Charleston Concert Choir presents Echoes, a concert featuring repertoire composed before 1600 and after 2000. While the composers and their music are separated by the centuries, universal experiences forge a connection through the texts and experiences which inspired them.
Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. | Grace Church Cathedral
FREE admission
Wind Ensemble

Directed by Nisan Ak, the Wind Ensemble's spring concert "Rhythm & Shape" will be an interactive educational concert. The audience will sing, clap, and even conduct with the ensemble.
Saturday, April 11 at 5:00pm | Simons Center Recital Hall
FREE admission
Fabiola Méndez Quartet and Latin American Music Ensemble (Otro Sur) Concerts
Guest artist Fabiola Méndez and her quartet will perform.
A singer, composer, poet and documentary producer, Méndez made history as the first-ever graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music to choose the Puerto Rican cuatro as a primary instrument. The cuatro is a traditional 10-stringed instrument, a relative of the guitar known for its bright, percussive resonance and its role as the "voice" of Puerto Rican countryside music.
While deeply rooted in the traditional sounds of trova and jíbaro music, Méndez has gained international acclaim for her ability to "play circles" around genre boundaries. Her quartet’s recent NPR Tiny Desk Concert showcased her sophisticated blend of folk and jazz, but it was her appearance backing up global icon Bad Bunny on his own Tiny Desk set that solidified her status as a bridge between ancestral tradition and modern global pop. During the concert, Bad Bunny acknowledges Méndez's talent, "¡Puedo estar tó el día escuchando eso!" ("I could listen to that all day long!").
The concert will feature repertoire from her acclaimed quartet, showcasing the technical rigor and emotional depth that has made her a sought-after collaborator for the likes of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Thursday, April 2 at 7:30pm | Simons Center Recital Hall
- FREE for CofC students, faculty and staff
- General admission $10: Purchase tickets online.
- Need help with tickets or want to purchase by phone or in person? Contact the George Street Box Office.
***A public Q&A with the musicians will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3, in the Simons Center for the Arts, room 357.

Otro Sur's spring concert “É Proibido Proibir" (It is forbidden to forbid) draws its name and inspiration from a song of the same name by Brazilian musician and countercultural icon Caetano Veloso.
Democracy and freedom of speech have been fragile concepts in much of Latin America. Musicians who have spoken up in, or against authoritarian governments have faced censorship, exile, torture, and even death. In this concert, CofC's student ensemble Otro Sur celebrates the musicians who have spoken up against authoritarianism in countries including Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. The ensemble will be joined by special guests including members of the CofC Concert Choir and violinist Laura Díaz Coronado '22.
Tuesday, April 21 at 7:30pm | Simons Center Recital Hall
Admission is free.
Sol Y Sombra - Before Flamenco (Steve Rosenberg/Brio)
Enjoy a bonus Monday concert in April!
The concert is in celebration of former department Chair Steve Rosenberg’s 80th birthday titled Sol Y Sombra: Before Flamenco. Rosenberg, a dazzling recorder player, will be joined by the incredible Brio Ensemble to perform instrumental works — from the Renaissance, medieval and Baroque eras to the Sephardic songs and dances from early Spain.

After hearing ensembles play as a child, Rosenberg fell in love with the recorder. He later went on to study in Paris and tour with Les Menestriers, a popular French ensemble. In 1986, he joined the College of Charleston Department of Fine Arts as a faculty member, and when the Department of Music was formed, he was appointed as the Chair. While at the College, he directed the Monday Night Concert Series, organizing concerts every Monday night at the Recital Hall in the Simons Center for the Arts. Currently, he is working on his 40th season as director of the Piccolo Spoleto Early Music Series.

Performing alongside Rosenberg in the Brio Ensemble are three internationally renowned performers: José Lemos, a vocalist and College of Charleston music alumnus, has performed and recorded with major opera companies around the world; Mary Anne Ballard, a viola da Gamba player, is a member of the Baltimore Consort and a prominent figure in early music revival; and percussionist Danny Mallon who performs internationally with major ensembles. Also accompanying Rosenberg will be organist and College of Charleston faculty member Julia Harlow.

The Brio Ensemble was founded at the College in 2002 as an offshoot of the Charleston Pro Musica, and its main goal was to explore medieval and Renaissance repertoire. They recorded two albums for Dorian - Sono Luminus and have performed and toured internationally.

“This fresh repertoire explores the exotic rhythms, modes and sounds that were lost during the centuries. It certainly has connected to our audiences. Plus, the amazing singing of countertenor José Lemos has given us a singular identity,” says Rosenberg.

Monday, April 27 at 7:30pm | Simons Center Recital Hall
TICKETS:
Need help with tickets? Contact the George Street Box Office.

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.