Do you love making and performing music? We offer instrumental and vocal music scholarships for books and in-state tuition, no matter what your degree major is.
For information on auditioning for a music scholarship and audition requirements, check out our department scholarships available to all majors. We also offer scholarships in theatre, art and mass communications.
Concert Band is the core of our Band Department. All instrumental students who play concert band instruments participate in Concert Band. Musicians must meet certain proficiency requirements set forth by the director. The band performs in a variety of settings including departmental concerts and community events.
The Grizzly Athletic Band is the face and voice of Butler Bands. The members of this group perform at home football and basketball games. A high level of commitment and energy is required to maintain the expected this top-tier level of performance.
Jazz Ensemble is a 17- to 19-piece jazz ensemble selected by audition. Emphasis is placed on learning stylistic concepts in all facets of the jazz idiom and on development of improvisational skills.
Jazz and Commercial Styles Workshop class includes a select nine- to ten-piece ensemble. We have an exceptionally large library of arrangements for this instrumentation. This band performs in the jazz, pop, and rhythm and blues styles, often with a featured lead singer. Also included in this class is a five- to six-piece combo. The combo performs literature requiring comfort with improvisation and performing in a small ensemble.
Percussion Ensemble features a drumline during football season and a Concert Percussion Ensemble following football season. This is a select, auditioned group.
The formation of Chamber Ensembles is highly encouraged. These groups play a variety of music from classical to popular styles and are formed based on student interest.
Concert Choir is a 120-voice ensemble and is directed by Matthew Udland. It is the largest auditioned group and all scholarship students are members of this select ensemble. Concert Choir performs at all home concerts and also has the opportunity to perform with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra at Century II and Music Theatre of Wichita. Concert Choir performs a wide variety of concert literature and members have the chance to volunteer in the community.
The nationally-acclaimed Headliners show choir is directed by Valerie Lippoldt-Mack. The mixed group is comprised of 36 singers, dancers and instrumentalists. They perform throughout the year at community functions, including local, state and national conventions. The Headliners also host the annual Show Choir Festival each fall, a workshop for more than 400 high school students. Headliners have established alumni in every performance field and we are proud of these Butler alums.
Chamber Singers are directed by Chad Ingram. This is a select ensemble that performs a wide variety of traditional choral literature as well as Masterworks. They perform at all home concerts and at many private and public concerts around the Wichita area.
A Cappella is directed by Matthew Udland. This select group of eight to ten singers and a beatboxer work together with Mr. Udland on arrangements of unique voices - only versions of pop songs. These singers also learn mic management and sound set-up. A Cappella members must have excellent ears and be able to learn music quickly and sight-read at a high level.
The Butler Ladies show choir is women's show choir with an instrumental combo. These ladies perform a variety of music for home concerts, from pop music to classic Broadway tunes and have the opportunity to work with various directors, choreographers and master teachers.
The Smorgaschords is our men’s barbershop quartet directed by Valerie Lippoldt-Mack. A breakout group from the Headliners, this quartet performs throughout the community and around the state. The Smorgaschords have a rich history of barbershop performance and partner with the internationally ranked SmorgasChorus, derived from past Butler Smorgaschords quartet members. They also have the opportunity to compete in barbershop conventions and competitions.
The Noteables is the lady’s quartet and also a breakout group from the Headliners. This quartet performs throughout the community and around the state. The Noteables are in high demand to perform at local and state-wide events. They also have the opportunity to compete in barbershop conventions and competitions.