U-M Life Sciences Orchestra

09/08/2026

It's Audition Week!
Break a leg everyone!
(And if you still need to sign up, or need to audition via video, check the comments!)

08/24/2026

The chance to make music together every Sunday evening, and share their talents with the community through free concerts, has brought thousands of members of the U-M medical, health and science community together through the U-M Life Sciences Orchestra over the past 26 years.

Now, the orchestra is gearing up for its new season, with auditions in early September and concerts in January and April.

If you or someone you know might be interested in joining the LSO, here's the link to learn more: https://michmed.org/Amn52

If you're a music fan, mark your calendar for Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 pm for a free performance of Brahms' Symphony No. 2 and more at Hill Auditorium, and a spring concert on Thursday 4/29, also at 7:30 p.m. at Hill!

The LSO is part of our Gifts of Art program, which offers many ways for our patients, visitors, faculty, staff and learners to engage with the arts: https://www.michiganmedicine.org/community/arts-health-home

The LSO is led by graduate students from U-M's famed orchestral conducting program, part of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Former LSO conductors have gone on to lead major ensembles around the country.

08/16/2026

This story is drawing thousands of potential viewers to the story of our spring concert! https://michigantoday.umich.edu/2026/08/12/elgars-dream-a-short-film/

Delighted to see Elgar’s Dream featured by Michigan Today!

The film tells the story behind our performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius at Hill Auditorium, following the extraordinary musicians of the University of Michigan’s Life Sciences Orchestra and UMS Choral Union from our first rehearsals through to the final performance.

It was such a special project to be part of, and I’m very grateful to Deborah Holdship and Michigan Today for sharing its story.

Watch Elgar’s Dream via the link in my bio.

🎬 Elgar’s Dream: A Short Film

08/10/2026

Must watch! If you came to our spring concert, or watched it online, check out the mini-documentary about how it came to be!
Link in comments.

08/06/2026

She's not just a cardiac surgeon, she's a trombone player - and you can spot posters from the concerts she'd played with us in this video that has gone viral on social media!

08/03/2026

We are so excited to share this news! A documentary about the making of our monumental recent concert with the UMS Choral Union will be unveiled this Friday. Watch the trailer now:

07/31/2026

Spread the word! It's time to start preparing for LSO auditions in September!

Here's the page to visit: https://michmed.org/Amn52
It has information about our audition dates and process, our required audition excerpts for all instruments, our rehearsal and concert schedule, and more.
If you're not yet on our email list, make sure you fill out the webform for prospective members: https://michmed.org/kQbkx

Share this post and links with musicians who are faculty, staff, students, residents, fellows, alumni, retirees and adult family members in the U-M health, medical and life sciences community!

And to our devoted audience members: Mark your calendar for our concerts at Hill Auditorium on Wednesday, January 27 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m.

07/26/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Michael Roest has been named our Music Director for the new season, after serving as assistant conductor for the past two seasons!

He is a doctoral student in orchestral conducting at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, after completing his master's degree there over the last two years. Learn more about him at https://www.michaelroest.com/

He will be assisted by Fengjin Cui, a master's degree student and a U-M Engineering alumnus.

Watch for updates about our upcoming season soon!

05/13/2026

One of our longtime members, cellist Curtis Kuo, is profiled in the new issue of the Michigan Medicine magazine! Though he had to take time off from the LSO while finishing the Ph.D. part of his M.D./Ph.D. program (also called the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Michigan Medical School ), he says in the article that he'll be auditioning again this fall as he enters his final year of the M.D. program!

Oh, and he created the magazine's first crossword puzzle...

Medicine, music, and the magazine's first-ever crossword puzzle!

05/08/2026

Last night, some of our members gathered to bid farewell to Nicholas Bromilow Conductor as he marks the end of his U-M doctoral journey and returns to England. We wish him well!

We will have official news soon about who'lll be taking up the baton as LSO Music Director for next season!

Keep following our page for news of this fall's auditions and next winter's and spring's concerts.