Our Ensembles

Become By Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ

Make Music with Us

All Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ majors are welcomed and encouraged to join one of our ensembles. Whether you’re ready to audition for a top group or want to keep playing for fun, there’s a place for you to perform, grow, and belong.

Two pianists perform together on stage, playing side by side on grand pianos during a concert.

Bands

Student musicians perform with the Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Symphonic Winds, playing saxophones and brass instruments during a concert.

Symphonic Winds

A 50–60 member ensemble performing traditional and contemporary wind works. Open by audition to music and non-music majors; year-long commitment required.
The Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Wind Ensemble perform on stage in Las Vegas with a full ensemble of musicians led by a conductor.

Wind Ensemble

CPP’s premier wind band featuring 50 select musicians performing exceptional traditional and contemporary works. Audition and year-long commitment required.

Orchestra & Strings

A musician performs on stage playing an upright bass during an orchestra concert.

Philharmonic Orchestra

Open to all majors by audition, performing traditional and contemporary orchestral works. Build musicianship and leadership with chamber, festival, and showcase opportunities.
Student playing a violin during the String Ensemble concert.

Opus String Ensemble

Open by audition to skilled string players performing diverse classical works. Develop technique, ensemble blend, and leadership through rehearsals and performances.

Choirs & Voice

Members of the Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ choirs perform on stage, singing from sheet music during a concert.

Kellogg Chamber Singers

Select mixed choir of 20–24 voices performing madrigals, Baroque, contemporary, jazz, and global repertoire. Audition required.

Student conductor during a University Concert Choir concert.

University Concert Choir

Large mixed choir of 55–80 singers from all majors performing diverse repertoire. Open to students seeking to enhance choral, sight-reading, and ensemble skills.

A vocal ensemble performs on stage under stage lighting, directed by a conductor facing the group.

African American Vocal Ensemble

Auditioned a cappella group of 8–12 singers performing vocal jazz and contemporary arrangements. Strong musicianship and sight-singing skills required.

Jazz & Contemporary

Black Music Ensemble member, Makhi, at a microphone on stage, wearing a Cal Poly hoodie and LA cap, gesturing while speaking behind a music stand.

Black Music Ensemble

Explores popular music rooted in the African American experience, building stylistic understanding, historical context, and practical performance skills across genres.

A saxophonist performs a solo on stage with a jazz ensemble seated behind music stands under stage lighting.

CPP Jazz Band

Student big band performing diverse jazz works from all eras. Develops ensemble skills, musicianship, and confidence through rehearsals and live campus performances.

Student musicians perform in a jazz combo, playing trumpet and saxophones on stage during a concert.

CPP Jazz Combos

Large mixed choir of 55–80 singers from all majors performing diverse repertoire. Open to students seeking to enhance choral, sight-reading, and ensemble skills.

A singer performs into a microphone on a dimly lit stage, wearing a black dress with lace sleeves, with instruments and stands in the background.

Songwriter Showcase

Celebrates CPP student creativity with performances of original music across genres. Open to songwriters, vocalists, musicians, and technicians through MU 3690L.

Cultural & Community

A mariachi singer performs on stage holding a violin, wearing a traditional charro outfit, with guitarists playing behind her.

Mariachi Ensembles

CPP has TWO Mariachi Ensembles - Mariachi Los Broncos de Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and Mariachi Los Caballeros de Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ. Depending on student interest, there may also be small combos of other regional styles.

Chamber & Specialized

Brass musicians perform on stage, playing tubas and trombones from sheet music while seated in an ensemble setting.

CPP Brass Ensemble

Full brass ensemble performing a wide range of repertoire, with opportunities for both large ensemble and chamber-style performance.

A flutist performs on stage behind a music stand, with another flute blurred in the foreground and colorful stage lighting.

CPP Flute Choir

Ensemble for flute players performing a wide range of repertoire while developing tone, blend, and ensemble musicianship.

A guitarist in a dark suit plays a classical guitar on stage, focused on the fretboard under soft stage lighting.

CPP Guitar Ensemble

Explores the guitar’s versatility through high-quality repertoire, new works, and collaborations with composers, performers, and interdisciplinary partners.

Two performers face each other on stage, gesturing expressively across music stands during a contemporary performance.

New Music Ensemble

Student ensemble dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century music, featuring works by living and student composers. Explores contemporary techniques; placement interview required.

Three percussionists perform on stage, playing drums and mallet instruments in coordinated rhythms under dramatic lighting.

Kellogg Percussion Ensemble

Percussion ensemble performing each term, focused on advanced rhythmic reading, diverse instruments, ensemble precision, and a wide range of percussion styles.

A pianist performs at a grand piano on stage, reading digital sheet music on a tablet under soft concert lighting.

CPP Piano Ensemble

Collaborative keyboard ensemble performing classical and newly written works, including multi-piano and extended formats, with frequent composer and artist collaborations.

Two saxophonists perform side by side on stage, reading from music stands under warm concert lighting.

CPP Saxophone Ensemble

Includes the Saxophone Choir and elite Saxophone Quartet, open to CPP saxophonists by permission. Weekly rehearsals prepare for performances throughout the year.

Music Theater & Interdisciplinary Performance

Two performers act a musical theater scene on stage, arranging flowers at a table while gesturing expressively.

Music Theater Workshop

Annual fully staged production open by audition, offering performance and backstage experience in opera, operetta, and musical theatre.