Music Ensembles
Scholarships and Auditions for All Majors
We offer both instrumental and vocal music scholarships, no matter what your major is. You just have to audition and love making and performing music!
For information on auditioning for a music scholarship and reviewing audition requirements, visit the Arts, Digital Media and Communication Scholarships page.
Concert Band
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.
Pep Band
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 high level of performance.
Jazz Ensemble
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.
Show Band & Jazz Combo
Jazz and Commercial Styles Workshop class includes a select nine to ten piece ensemble. Butler has 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 which requires comfort with improvisation and performing in a small ensemble.
Percussion Ensemble
Percussion Ensemble features a drumline during football season and a Concert Percussion Ensemble following football season. This is a select, auditioned group.
Chamber Ensembles
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.
Scholarships and Auditions for All Majors
We offer both instrumental and vocal music scholarships, no matter what your major is. You just have to audition and love making and performing music!
All Butler students can audition for our 120-voice Concert Choir, which meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 p.m. – 12:55 p.m. Scholarship students who audition for our program fill the small ensembles, which offer more extensive performance opportunities.
For information on auditioning for a music scholarship and reviewing audition requirements, visit the Arts, Digital Media and Communication Scholarships page.
Concert Choir
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.
Headliners
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 November, a workshop for more than 400 high school students. Headliners have established alumni in every performance field and are proud of these Butler alums.
Chamber Singers
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
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.
Butler Ladies
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.
Smorgaschords
The Smorgaschords is the 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 Smorgaschords quartet members.
Noteables
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. This quartet is in high demand to perform at local and state-wide events. The Noteables also has the opportunity to compete in barbershop conventions and competitions.