Stanford Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Philharmonia, and Stanford Summer Symphony

The Stanford Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Philharmonia, and Stanford Summer Symphony provide outstanding opportunities for the practice and enjoyment of orchestral music. SSO and SP rehearse and perform throughout the academic year, with SSS taking place each July. Most concerts are performed in Bing Concert Hall. Collaborative performances often take place with the Stanford Chamber Chorale, Stanford Symphony Chorus, University Singers, Stanford Wind Symphony, and Stanford Live. Membership in SSO, SP, and SSS is open by audition to all Stanford students (undergraduate and graduate), medical students, Stanford staff and faculty, and members of the community of all ages, with priority given to Stanford students. Members do not have to major in music; in fact, fewer than 5% of SSO and SP members are music majors, with most orchestra members majoring in STEM fields. 

MUSIC 160/160Z Stanford Symphony Orchestra & MUSIC 160A/160AZ Stanford Philharmonia – Winter 2021

Using JackTrip, three orchestral ensembles are taking place in Winter Quarter:
• MUSIC 160/160Z, Section 1   SSO Strings  M Th 7:00-8:15pm  
• MUSIC 160/160Z, Section 2   SSO Winds  M Th 8:15-9:30pm
• MUSIC 160A/160AZ, Section 1   SP Strings  Tu 7:00-9:30pm

Led by Professor Paul Phillips, these three ensembles are rehearsing over JackTrip throughout Winter Quarter. Owing to the geographical limitation of JackTrip, which can provide quasi-simultaneous, high-quality audio but only within a certain distance, only students residing within 500 miles of Stanford are able to participate. Professor Chris Chafe, the originator of JackTrip, is guiding the SSO and SP members in the use of the technology, with TA Jan Stoltenberg also providing valuable assistance.

These SSO and SP ensembles range from about 12 to 18 musicians in size. SSO Winds consists of pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, and trumpets. The rosters for Winter Quarter (as of late January 2021) have been set, but students living within 500 miles of campus who are interested in playing this quarter might still be able to join on certain instruments. If interest, please fill out the Orchestra Participation Form and contact Professor Phillips at orchestra@stanford.edu asap to let him know of your interest.

All students who participate are expected to register for MUSIC 160 or 160A. Those who prefer to take the zero-unit version of SSO or SP are asked to fill out this form to receive the permission code, which is needed in order to register for MUSIC 160Z or 160AZ.

Each SSO and SP ensemble will live-stream performances toward the end of the quarter. Dates and times will be announced once they have been set. The repertoire being played this quarter by these ensembles includes music by Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de Saint-Georges), Florence Price, William Grant Still, Adolphus Hailstork, Henry Purcell, Edvard Grieg, Charles Gounod, and Gordon Jacob.

Whether SSO and SP will meet in person or over JackTrip in Spring Quarter will depend on Stanford’s instruction for next quarter, which will be announced by 1 March 2021.

Due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and to help protect the health of our communities, all Department of Music concerts are canceled until further notice.