The annual ‘Collage’ concert is an event that students and faculty members in the music department look forward to. It is a chance for each academic ensemble to prepare a piece to get more exposure for its programs and the music department as a whole. Some of the biggest ensembles in this group are the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra and the College Choir. To most of the campus, such a concert might not be high on their collective “to-do list,” but it always causes quite a buzz in Tyler Hall.

“The Collage concert is crazy,” said James DeBiase, a sophomore trombonist in the Jazz Ensemble, the Wind Ensemble and a vocalist for multiple student-run groups who participated in last year’s Collage concert. “As soon as one group is done, they have to run off, and the next group has to run on. There are at least two setups on the stage at any time, and the tech guys are constantly working.”

Fitting every ensemble in to one concert is a tall order in itself, but the music department also gives the opportunity for individual students and student groups to audition and perform in the concert. Graber is the head of the music department and is heavily involved every year in the planning of the collage.

“I’m especially looking forward to this year’s concert,” Graber said. “We have a lot of strong groups this year and a lot of students are looking to audition.”

When signups were open, three student individual performers and two student groups auditioned. All of those groups have passed their auditions are set to perform in the concert.

According to Graber, the individuals of that cohort include a pair of twins who are two classically trained pianists, Elizabeth and Evangeline Canfield and Keri Olds, a music major and a veteran flutist for many of the school’s groups.

The first of the student groups is Soul Underground, a soul/ R&B group that performs at some of Oswego’s bars. Their members include Tony Iannone on the electric bass, vocalists and guitarists Matt Baluyot and Ryan Grogan and drummer Manny Greene.

The second is an all-male a cappella group, the only one of its kind on campus, named The Emerald Five. The group performs a variety of styles, including barbershop, jazz, hip-hop, R&B and disco. According to DeBiase, the group will be performing a piece containing elements of barbershop, doo-wop and jazz.

The concert is Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Waterman Theater in Tyler Hall. Tickets are $5 for Oswego State students and are available at the box office.