Saint Xavier University's fall concert series kicks off Saturday and Sunday with performances by the wind ensemble and symphony orchestra, as well as its “OkTUBAfest,” featuring student and community musicians on the tuba and other low brass instruments.

While students comprise the majority of the various ensembles, top-notch guest musicians, university alumni, and auditioned community members can also be heard in some of the groups.

The Nov. 18 Flute Choir performance, for instance, includes four or five flutists who are current students, and another handful from the community or alumni who auditioned to be part of the choir.

The program will include the Chicago premiere of Robert Edward Smith's “Pavane,” a medley of traditional Russian melodies, and other pieces composed specifically for flute choir.

At first, the listeners “may hear the homogeneity of the sound,” said flute professor Irene Claude, but then they begin to notice that the different types of flutes have their own voices.

There will be five kinds of flutes that evening, she said, from the piccolo to the bass flute.

“They're all flutes, but visually, your eyes might go to those instruments you haven't seen,” said Claude, a professional flutist who teaches at Saint Xavier and privately. “You can start making out the unique sounds.”

OkTUBAfest returns to the campus Sunday. The day begins with students and musicians from the community taking workshops, and performing a public concert that night. Led by music professors Joshua Thompson and Dan Sartori, each semester creates a unique ensemble. The two instructors don't even finalize the concert's selections until that day.

“It's kind of neat. It exists only for that day,” Thompson said. The concert will include ancient church music, traditional Russian music, chorales, and pieces from the past few decades like marches and, of course, polkas. Thompson said OkTUBAfest has been held on and off through the years.

Saint Xavier runs a concert series featuring student ensembles each semester. Performances for the fall series will be held on the Chicago campus, 3700 W. 103rd St., with the exception of the Chamber Singers concert. OkTUBAfest is free; others are $6 for general admission and $5 for students and members of the military. For more information call 773-296-3421 or go to www.sxu.edu.

Performances

Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Saint Xavier Performance Space. This year's features original works by visiting composer Clarice Assad, including a concerto, “Scattered,” for piano and scat singer.

OkTUBAfest concert, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, McGuire Hall. The one-night-only performance by the participants in that day's master classes and workshops is free.

Chamber Singers University Chorale, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12, Morgan Park Baptist Church, 11024 S. Bell Ave., Chicago. The university Chorale's elite 14-person Chamber Singers will perform along with the Chorale, featuring songs with the theme of peacemaking.

SXU Chamber Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13, McGuire Hall. Selections vary from Bach to the Beatles, performed by SXU Saxophone Quartet, Horn Ensemble, and Guitar Ensemble.

Flute Choir, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, McGuire Hall. Made up of students and community members, the Flute Choir will perform pieces composed specifically for flute choirs and others, from the Renaissance to modern music.

SXU Jazz Night II, 7:30 p .m Dec. 2, McGuire Hall. Guest trumpeter Roger Ingram, — who has played with the Woody Herman Big Band, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, and Maynard Ferguson — takes the state with SXU's Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo.

Christmas Spectacular, 3 p.m. Dec. 4, SXU's Performance Space. This concert includes performances from the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Chorale, Chamber Singers and other chamber ensembles playing traditional favorites and new holiday songs.

Workshops

OkTUBAfest, 2 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday, McGuire Hall. The day includes master classes and workshops on style, articulation, performance anxiety and more. Following a dinner, participants perform a free public concert at 7:30 that evening. To inquire if space is still available, call Joshua Thompson at 773-298-3422.

Jazz Guitar Workshop, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 12, Ward Academic Center Room G-113. This workshop is open to all guitarists from high school students and older. Participants will study Charlie Christian's better-known riffs and melodies and explore his improvisational style. Guitarists need to bring their own guitar and cord to plug into an amp. (They may bring their own amp or use the university's.) The $10 fee includes lunch. For more information on the workshop and to register, go to sxu.edu or contact the music department at 773-296-3421.

Paige Fumo Fox is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.