Conductor

Dr. Luis Millán

The University of Montana Symphony Orchestra (UMSO) was founded in 1903 and has developed into one of the best university orchestras in the Northwest.  The ensemble performs a number of unique programs throughout the academic year including an annual tour as well as the School of Music's spring Honors Convocation and Concerto/Aria Competition.  UMSO works with faculty, student, and guest soloists and collaborates with UM Choirs and Opera Theatre.  Membership in UMSO is determined by auditions held at the beginning of Fall semester and is open to both music majors and non-majors.

Audition Information

To audition for the 2023-2024 UM Symphony Orchestra, visit the Auditions webpage for information about the audition process and the excerpts provided for your instrument.  Auditions will take place on August 25-28, 2023. 

Winds and percussion will have the same excerpts for UM Symphony Orchestra and
Symphonic Wind Ensemble auditions.  Percussionists: Auditions for orchestra and wind ensemble will be combined. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to Dr. Millán at: luis.millan@umontana.edu.

Recent repertoire highlights include:

• Symphonies by Beethoven, Borodin, Brahms, Dvorak, Haydn, Kalinnikov, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schubert, Sibelius, and Tchaikowsky
• Tone Poems by Liszt, Mussorgsky, and Smetana
• Operas by Mozart and Puccini with UM Opera Theatre
• Mozart’s Coronation Mass with UM Chamber Chorale
• Many world-premieres, including works by UM student composers
• Other masterworks including Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol and Berlioz’s Roman Carnaval Overture

UM Symphony Orchestra has been under the direction of Dr. Luis Millán since 2003.