Music Performance Opportunities in Omaha
We provide private and group lessons at the Omaha School of Music and Dance. And each spring, our studio presents both dance and music recitals. The mere idea of performance can cause concern for some students, but for others, being center stage can motivate personal advancement.
But if a student is only in private lessons, where can performance opportunities be found?
- School Band, Orchestra, and Choirs
- School plays and musicals—for both dancers and musicians!
Public and private schools usually have bands, orchestras, and choirs. These classes are an excellent opportunity to learn new music, face challenges, perform in school concerts, and make new friends! The OSMD teachers are always glad to help musicians with their school music. Some schools also present full musical productions, which provide the OSMD dance students and opportunity to dance on stage outside of recitals. These musicals often require pit musicians, which is a unique experience for a young wind, brass, or string player.
- Omaha Area Youth Orchestras
Youth orchestras are another popular option for motivated musicians to rehearse and perform outside of their usual comfort zone. These organizations usually hold auditions in the late spring for talented young string, winds, brass, and percussion students to win positions in the orchestra. These groups perform arrangements of major symphonic works as well as new pieces, to inspire students and amaze parents.
- Omaha Symphonic Winds
- Orchestra Omaha
Community Bands and Orchestras a great option for middle/high school students to perform at higher levels than their school ensembles might afford. These groups are also an ideal match for the adult students of the Omaha School of Music and Dance to perform with similar age and skill levels. The membership for the groups listed above is also audition-based—so ask our teachers to assist in managing audition nerves!
Church services
Churches and other religious services can be one of the most supportive performing environments open to students of all levels. No only are the congregations and directors generally positive and understanding, the spaces in which services are held often have amazing acoustics.
- UNO
- Iowa Western
- Metro Community College
Sometimes local colleges are eager to round out their ensembles. Both advanced teens and beginning-to-intermediate adults are usually welcome to join orchestras, bands, choirs, and sometimes even theatrical productions. Contact the applicable faculty or heads of department of your nearest school about participation in these groups.
Music Competitions
In the vein of school performance, there are music competitions held throughout the country for young musicians. Local orchestras or charitable organizations often hold these competitions, with prizes including money or a performance as the soloist with a professional group.
Summer Music Festivals
One of the most rewarding outlets for performance, music festivals for students of all levels, usually up to age 25. They can be a week-long local day camp for music, or months-long summer camps with cabins, master classes, weekly lessons and performances. Life-long friendships, inspiration, and memories are only some of the experiences that can be gleaned from summer music camps.
Start a chamber/performance group
No matter what instrument—including voice—compositions can be found which combine said instrument with others. If the make-up of this type of ensemble is approximately less than 8, without requiring a conductor, it is called a “chamber” ensemble. This are a great opportunity to play with friends, and a very special skill set to master. Requiring excellent non-verbal communication, patience, and flexibility, creating a trio or quartet can be an excellent avenue for performance. Churches, open-mic nights, dinner party jam-session, and the odd wedding ceremony, are the perfect environment for this ancient yet always popular genre.
Busking
Not for the faint-of-heart, busking is playing for money on “the street.” The musicians seen on the corners of the Old Market are ‘busking’ for tips. This type of performance requires stamina, focus, personality, and—surprisingly—a permit. Most cities have rules about artists busking for money on public sidewalks. Sometimes, the rules are up to the private business owners on whose sidewalk the performance would be taking place.
Self-presenting a recital
An ambitious endeavor, presenting a recital means that the performer has total control over what pieces to play, how long they want the recital to be, and where, when, and why the recital is being held. Any level of student can perform a recital for friends and family, and accomplishing such a large feat is rewarding for the performer and their supportive audience.
While the OSMD presents recitals once a year, our students have the opportunity perform as much or as little as they like in the Omaha metro area. Performing in front of an audience is a particularly satisfying experience, and the Omaha School of Music and Dance supports our students in all of their performing endeavors. Call our office today to sign up for voice, strings, guitar, winds, brass, and drum lessons, or register online!
