Creative and Performing Arts Opportunities

Alma College's commitment to the creative and performing arts is reflected in its general education requirements through which all students complete coursework in art, dance, music, theatre or creative writing. In addition to classroom activities, professors and students collaborate through several creative and performing arts organizations. More than one-third of Alma's 1,400 students take part in at least one performing arts activity each year, including band, choir, dance, orchestra or theatre.

Oscar E. Remick Heritage Center for the Performing Arts

This distinctive facility provides performance space for the College's music ensembles, a permanent home for dance and theatre, and speaking and recording capability. Major components of the Center include:

Music

More than 25 percent of Alma College students perform with one or more of the College's musical ensembles. The bands, choirs and orchestra are an integral part of Alma College life. Membership in the ensembles is open to all Alma College students — auditions are required. Private voice and instrumental lessons are open to all students by audition.

Choirs. The Glee Clubs and Chorale are the heart of the choral program. Members represent virtually every academic major on campus and share a love of singing. The choirs perform regularly on campus including the annual Festival of Carols.

The Alma College Choir is the premier choir on campus and has earned a national reputation for choral excellence through recordings and tour performances. The Choir has performed in many major North American cities from Toronto to Miami. The Choir travels abroad every other year.

Alma Symphony Orchestra. The ASO presents four major concerts each year featuring a wide range of challenging and exciting music. The ASO collaborates with outstanding soloists, the College choirs, and sponsors a student concerto competition.

Jazz Band. Carrying on the traditions of the big band era, the Jazz Band performs in a variety of styles in both concert and dance settings.

Kiltie Marching Band. Famous throughout Michigan for their colorful performances in parades and Alma football games, the Kiltie Marching Band is also renowned as a concert band that excels in both traditional and contemporary band music.

Percussion Ensemble. The Alma College Percussion Ensemble is a multi-faceted performance ensemble. The group performs traditional chamber music as well as world music, jazz and steel drum music. Recent appearances include a main stage performance at the 2004 Ford Detroit Jazz Festival and for the Great Events Series at Michigan Technological University, and with the Alma Choirs at the Midland Center for the Arts.

Pipe Band. Alma College has long been known for its Scottish heritage, and the Alma College Pipe Band has become an iconic symbol for the college. The Highland Arts Program offers collegiate-level courses in piping and drumming, one of the few colleges in U.S. to do so, as well as workshops for the individual musician to focus on technique and to improve ensemble performance.

Dance

The Alma College Dance Company, Alma's performing dance ensemble, produces three major concerts each year and is open to all students by audition. The dance company has produced classical ballet works from Coppelia to Giselle as well as works of Limon, Humphrey and Hoving. ACDC collaborates with guest artist choreographers, faculty choreographers and promotes student choreography.

The Kiltie Dancers, Alma's performing Highland Dancing troupe, have long been a part of the College's Scottish tradition. One of the few colleges in the U.S. to offer a Highland Arts Program, collegiate-level highland dance courses and performance opportunities are available, along with opportunities to train for professional teaching and judging.

Theatre

Alma College Theatre (ACT) is dedicated to presenting a wide variety of theatrical styles ranging from the classics through contemporary theatre. Students are involved in all aspects of theatre — acting, directing, designing and building the physical environment for production. Theatre majors along with students from all academic disciplines present four major productions each year.

Student Publications

A selection of creative and performing arts opportunities enable students to utilize writing, photographic, artistic and creative skills. The Pine River Anthology is an award-winning juried literary magazine of student poetry, prose, art and design. Submissions are selected by student editors who design and typeset the spring publication. EPIC, the student literary society, coordinates student poetry readings and sponsors visits from writers each term; it also participates in national events such as the African-American Read-In during Black history month.

The Almanian, Alma's weekly student newspaper, is an excellent outlet for journalistic writing. The College yearbook, the Scot, provides yet another opportunity to learn and display writing, layout and design skills.