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Music - Ensembles

Participation in CMU Ensembles is open to all students enrolled for at least one course each semester at CMU. All CMU students are encouraged to join a music ensemble. Ensemble members are not required to be music majors. However, all music majors participate in ensembles.

Admission to all CMU Ensembles is on an audition basis. Acceptance into the music program does not automatically qualify a student for placement in CMU Ensembles. Students planning to audition for ensembles must register for the appropriate courses. CMU Ensembles are credit courses and fees are commensurate with credit hours. Students who would like to be full participants in ensembles, but do not wish to receive credit for them, may register according to audit procedures. However, the same course requirements (full participation and attendance at all events) apply. Students who have registered for ensemble credit, but who are not chosen to participate, will be fully reimbursed.

Audition Requirements: Students should be prepared to play or sing one piece, as is appropriate to their intended ensemble. A pianist is provided where needed.

Auditions for all CMU ensembles occur during the registration days and the first few days of classes in September. Audition sign-up sheets are posted on the bulletin board by the Chapel (south campus) on Labour Day.

For more information about ensembles, contact Christie Anne McCullough at cmccullough@cmu.ca.


CMU Chamber Choir

Janet Brenneman and Rudy Schellenberg, Conductors

The CMU Chamber Choir is a 16-voiced auditioned mixed ensemble whose members are selected for their high levels of vocal/choral proficiency. Each year, the choir’s mandate is to study and perform a challenging body of choral repertoire chosen from a variety of genres and styles, providing opportunity for advanced students to strengthen and increase their musicianship skills. It performs regularly in concert and in worship throughout Manitoba and on their yearly tours across Canada and throughout the Northern U.S.A. Frequently, it can be heard on Golden West Radio broadcasting throughout southern Manitoba. The CMU Chamber Choir has recently collaborated with the other CMU choral ensembles to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and in the release of CMU’s new CD, On Earth as in Heaven. In April 2005, the performance of the Chamber Choir was well received at the University of Toronto’s Spring Gala Concert, and acclaimed by conductor Doreen Rao for a “joy of singing and deep sense of purpose heard in every note by every listener.” Members of the CMU Chamber Choir are also members of the CMU Women’s Chorus or the CMU Men’s Chorus.


CMU Singers

Janet Brenneman and Rudy Schellenberg, Conductors

The CMU Singers is one of five auditioned choral ensembles at Canadian Mennonite University. This 45-voiced mixed ensemble is comprised of students from a variety of undergraduate academic programs at CMU. The CMU Singers’ diverse repertoire is highly acclaimed among its audiences and includes sacred and secular music from all eras and musical cultures. It performs regularly in worship services and concerts at CMU, throughout the city of Winnipeg and in communities across Manitoba. Each spring, the choir tours across Canada or through the northern U.S.A. Recently, the CMU Singers collaborated with the other CMU Choirs in the world premiere of T. Patrick Carrabre’s Creation Stories at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival, and in the release of CMU’s newest CD, On Earth as in Heaven. The choir can be heard regularly on Golden West Radio broadcasting throughout southern Manitoba. Members of the CMU Singers are also members of the CMU Women’s Chorus or the CMU Men’s Chorus.


CMU Women’s Chorus

Janet Brenneman, Conductor

The CMU Women’s Chorus, open to all CMU students, is an auditioned choir known for its challenging and innovative programming. In weekly rehearsals, this energetic and highly motivated ensemble explores the vast and demanding repertoire written for women’s choirs with a specific commitment to performing the music of women composers. Along with the CMU Men’s Chorus, it hosts the annual Choral Connections event on campus at CMU, where high school choirs are invited for a collaborative concert. The CMU Women’s Chorus also performs regularly in concert and in worship.


CMU Men’s Chorus

Rudy Schellenberg, Conductor

The CMU Men’s Chorus is recognized for its warmth and beauty of tone along with its enthusiastic and robust singing. The choir’s breadth of repertoire ranges from the motets of the Renaissance to the new and exciting music of eastern Europe, as well as gospel, folk and jazz stylings. This auditioned ensemble welcomes singers from all majors at CMU, rehearsing weekly. Along with the CMU Women’s Chorus, it hosts the annual Choral Connections event, and performs regularly in concert and worship settings. In the spring of 2006 the Men’s Chorus was the guest choir in performances of Busoni’s Piano Concert in C together with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin.


Guitar Ensemble

Willie Wiebe, Director

The purpose of the 4-8 member CMU Guitar Ensemble is to develop a high level of ensemble skills on the classic guitar. This ensemble is recognized for its precision of playing, its vibrant rhythmic delivery and expressively nuanced musicianship. Repertoire is expansive, ranging from the Renaissance dance arrangements to settings of Spanish composers such as Albeniz and de Falla to the music of contemporary composers for guitar such as Stephan Rak and the LA Guitar Quartet. The Guitar Ensemble performs at the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society, Winnipeg Music Festival, and other local events as well as playing at the annual CMU Christmas and Spring Concerts.


Instrumental Chamber Ensembles and Collaborative Piano

Verna Wiebe, coordinator

These ensembles offer students opportunities to collaborate in a variety of duos, chamber trios and quartets, jazz combos, and other small groups. Performing opportunities are provided throughout the year.








Jazz Band

Chad Pollard, Director

The CMU Jazz Band pursues the authentic performance of jazz repertoire. The ensemble is made up of traditional big band instrumentation and the repertoire is selected from a wide variety of styles including jazz, Latin, and funk. Students develop their understanding of jazz and their personal musical skills through both their reading of written notation and individual improvisation. The CMU Jazz Band has performed at the Brandon Jazz Festival, as a guest at ChoralFest and at numerous events both on and off campus such as the Christmas and Spring Concerts and the year-end jazz concert.


Vocal Jazz Ensemble: Wholey Jazz

Cynthia Wahl, Director

“It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing” This highly skilled vocal jazz ensemble is an 8 – 10 voiced auditioned mixed ensemble that performs a cappella as well as with a rhythm section. It encourages students to broaden their musical experiences and deepen their understanding of jazz as well as creating many varied performance opportunities. Wholey Jazz has been a guest performer at numerous events throughout the city – Choralfest, schools, conferences, vocal jazz workshops, etc. as well as on campus performances. At the end of the academic year it shares a concert Jazz at CMU with the CMU Jazz Band.

Flute Choir

Michelle Miller, Director

The CMU Flute Choir plays a variety of contemporary and traditional repertoire, written or arranged for flute ensemble. It plays at CMU functions, as well as off-campus events.







Mennonite Community Orchestra

The MCO is a 30-35 piece ensemble made up of CMU students and members of the larger community, continuing a long tradition of nurturing fine amateur orchestral playing. It serves as CMU's orchestra in residence. The MCO generally performs two concerts per year with orchestral repertoire primarily centered in the Classical and early Romantic periods. As well, it participates in various choral collaborations with CMU choirs as well as other Winnipeg choral groups.


Worship Band

Christine Longhurst, Director

The Worship Band exists to lead people in contemporary worship music at a variety of contexts including CMU chapels and events, as well as church services and other worship gatherings. Participants will gain experience in leading worship as well as in choosing, arranging and, as appropriate, writing music. Instrumentalists, singers and sound technicians are encouraged to audition.




Opera Workshop

David Klassen, Director

Opera Workshop includes the study and performance of opera, operetta, and musical theatre literature. This is a second semester course, with auditions early in the first term and performances in late March. Singers, collaborative pianists and production assistants are encouraged to participate.