Bridges Hall of Music
The Mabel Shaw Bridges Hall of Music, this 550-seat gem of a concert hall better known as "Little Bridges," sits within the beautiful grounds of Pomona College on Fourth Street just east of College Avenue. Each year, from September through May, the College sponsors a broad spectrum of nearly 45 concerts encompassing classical, jazz, folk, Western and non-Western music. The performances, which are traditionally free of charge, are open to the campus and surrounding communities.
Media Gallery
Concerts
Thatcher Music Building
Ensembles
🎼 Concerts
Nearly 45 concerts (classical, jazz, folk, Western and non-Western music) are held here annually, traditionally free of charge and open to the campus and surrounding communities.
📻 Thatcher Music Building
Just to the west of Bridges Hall of Music, Thatcher houses music department offices, classrooms and studios, Bryant Hall for ensemble rehearsals, the Victor Montgomery Music Library, practice rooms, listening rooms, and the College's student-run FM radio station KSPC.
🎻 Ensembles
Pomona College’s musical ensembles include Afro-Cuban, Balinese Gamelan, Band, Choir, Glee Club, Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra, West African Music Ensemble, and chamber music groups. They are open to all qualified students regardless of major.
Afro-Cuban Music Ensemble
A music ensemble focused in Afro-Cuban drumming with emphasis on the music of the polytheistic tradition known as Santería. Students play different rhythmic patterns on a variety of drums and other percussion instruments and sing traditional songs.
Balinese Gamelan Ensemble
Giri Kusuma, Pomona College's Balinese gamelan ensemble (Music 41), is directed by I Nyoman Wenten. The word gamelan means "percussion orchestra" and can refer to any of a variety of bronze, iron or bamboo ensembles found in southeast Asia.
Band
The Pomona College Band is the concert band for The Claremont Colleges. Funded by Pomona College, its membership is drawn from students, faculty and staff of The Claremont Colleges, and members of the local community. Its goal is to prepare significant music in a collaborative atmosphere for performance at the highest level.
Choir and Glee Club
Pomona’s choral tradition is a long and rich one, dating back to the College’s founding in 1887, and the current program is the beneficiary of the high musical standards set by my three principal predecessors: Ralph Lyman (1917-48), William F. Russell (1951-82), and Jon Bailey (1982-98).
Jazz Ensemble
The Jazz Ensemble is directed by Barb Catlin. This ensemble focuses on jazz improvisation, transcriptions, composition/arranging, and jazz techniques with an emphasis on playing/singing.
The Pomona College Orchestra
As one of the largest and most prestigious performing organizations on campus, the Pomona College Orchestra has a long tradition as an important creative and cultural outlet for the students, faculty, and staff of The Claremont Colleges. Although the majority of its members are Pomona College students, the orchestra also has representatives from Scripps, Harvey Mudd, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer colleges, as well as the Claremont Graduate University, other local colleges, and the greater Claremont community.
West African Music Ensemble
Nani Agbeli leads the ensemble performing Adzogbo, a type of dance and music that blends traditional dance with poetry and spoken words that encompasses the Ghanaian traditional music and dance.
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