Welcome to the Yale Bands

Thomas C. Duffy, Director, Yale Bands
Wayne Escoffery, Director, Yale Jazz Ensembles
Stephanie Hubbard, Operations and Productions Manager

Performance, Scholarship, an​d Leadership​

The Yale Bands is a thriving cultural community. Its members are given opportunities to prepare and perform great music; learn about the arts and their place in society and international cultures; and develop skills to become leaders. Through a robust series of musical activities, many Bands members work with and become serious performers, conductors, composers, arrangers, writers, archivists, historians, photographers, producers, choreographers, media producers, critics, and teachers. Band members develop and master these skills through service to the University, performing and producing commencement music, benefit concerts, university ceremonies, theater shows, international tours, reading sessions for classes, and special events.

MUSI 190. Yale Concert Band. (Do not register for this 0-credit, P/F class until you have been admitted to the 2024-25 Yale Concert Band.)  The Yale Concert Band is an ensemble of 45-65 wind, brass, and percussion players who perform repertoire ranging from wind band classics to premieres, commissions, and the newest wind band literature. The YCB rehearses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:10 - 6:15pm. 

MUSI 193. Yale Jazz Ensembles - Big Band and Combos. (Do not register for this 0-credit, P/F class until you have been admitted to one of the 2024-25 Yale Jazz ensembles.)The Yale Jazz Ensembles consist of the traditional 17-piece “big band” and two jazz combos (Legacy and Modern) and present music from all styles of the genre: from classic pieces from the golden age of the big band to standards — including those from Yale’s Benny Goodman archive — to the newest, most progressive jazz compositions. The YJE Big Band rehearses on Wednesdays from 7:00 - 9:30 pm.

The Yale Precision Marching Band is a scatter-style marching band that performs at Yale football, hockey, basketball, and other  games throughout the year. The YPMB rehearses on Fridays in the fall semester from 4:00 - 6:00 pm.  Performances are on Saturdays with football games, ending around 4:00 pm.

Applying to Yale or Interested in Joining the Yale Bands?

Whether you’re applying to Yale or a veteran Yalie, we’re glad you’re interested. The three ensembles are comprised of more than 125 individuals. They make more than 60 appearances per year. There is a place for everyone in the Yale Bands: the Yale Concert Band is for Yale’s finest classical wind/brass/percussion players, the Yale Jazz Ensembles weave together musicians who play combo and big-band jazz, and the Yale Precision Marching Band wants to assemble musicians as part of the most fun, spirited group (with room for musicians and non-musicians alike) ever to set foot in New Haven. There is crossover between the ensembles, as some people play in two or even all three bands. The Yale Bands and their members are very important in Yale’s musical world in general. You can hardly find a group of musicians on campus—chamber orchestras, woodwind or brass quintets, pit orchestras, saxophone quartets, theory & composition seminars, music history classes, or even rock bands and choruses—that isn’t touched by the members of the Yale University Bands.

Prospective students are invited to set up a 15-minute Zoom meeting with Director of Bands Thomas C. Duffy.  Please send your appointment request to thomas.c.duffy@yale.edu.