This November, the Katzen Arts Center comes alive with music! Experience AU’s ensembles—from sweeping symphonies and nostalgic band favorites to soulful jazz and a cappella harmonies. The month wraps up with the AU Chorus’s “An Echo in My Soul,” celebrating music’s power to inspire hope and unity. Check out all the details below and reserve your tickets. 

Tickets are free for AU students with ID; $10 for AU alumni, staff, and faculty, children (under 18), and senior citizens (55+), and $15 for general admission. 

November 1 & 2American University Symphony Orchestra: Classics from the Romantic Era

Matthew Brown, conductor 

Dates and times: Saturday, November 1, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, November 2, 3 p.m.  
Location: Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall 
Reserve your seats now  

The AU Symphony Orchestra will play a variety of well-known classics from the Romantic era. The program will begin with Hector Berlioz' Hungarian March from "The Damnation of Faust," followed by Suite no. 1 excerpted from Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen." Audiences will experience the mysterious and contemplative beauty of the two movements of Franz Schubert's Symphony no. 8, the so called "Unfinished" Symphony, and "finish" (pun intended) with Finlandia by the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.  

November 8 American University Symphonic Band: Vintage Rewind

Matthew Brown, conductor

Date: Saturday, November 8, 3 p.m. 
Location: Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall 
Reserve your seats now
 
The AU Symphonic Band embarks on an exciting new chapter this season, exploring a vibrant range of vintage concert band works for the first time. In the decades following World War II, the repertoire for symphonic band expanded dramatically as composers embraced the medium and audiences grew. This semester, the ensemble breathes new life into often-overlooked gems from the 1950s to the 1980s, presenting music that deserves a fresh hearing alongside beloved pre-war classics and bold contemporary works.  

November 8 & 9  American University Chamber Singers: Understanding “a cappella”

Daniel Abraham, director 
With Dime a Dozen, On a Sensual Note, Pitches Be Trippin’, and Treble in Paradise. 

Dates and times: Saturday, November 8, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, November 9, 3 p.m.  
Location: Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall 
Reserve your seats now

Experience the full spectrum of a cappella in this vibrant program featuring the AU Chamber Singers and student groups. From the soaring harmonies of Renaissance polyphony to the rhythmic energy of contemporary vocal ensembles, this concert celebrates how a cappella has evolved from its origins “in the style of the chapel” into a sound that blends pop, rock, gospel, and beatboxing. 

November 14  American University Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combos: Fall for Jazz

Joshua Bayer, director 

Dates and times: Friday, November 14, 7:30 p.m. 
Location: Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall 
Reserve your seats now

Join the AU Jazz Orchestra and AU Jazz Combos for an unforgettable evening of big band classics, swing, funk, bossa nova, and straight-ahead jazz! From the timeless grooves of Ellington and Basie to the bold sounds of Mingus and Goodwin, AU Jazz brings the rich traditions of jazz to life. 

November 15-16  American University Chorus: An Echo in my Soul

Casey Cook, conductor
Barbara Wilkinson, pianist

Dates and times: November 15, 7:30 p.m., November 16, 3 p.m.  
Location: Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall

"An Echo in My Soul" draws its title from the beloved Quaker anthem "How Can I Keep from Singing?" and celebrates music's power to unite us during challenging times. Through diverse musical traditions and uplifting harmonies, the performance aims to create a space where community members can come together, find solace, and rediscover hope through the transformative experience of choral music.