The St. Mary’s Big Band Ensemble, has been a mainstay of the St. Mary’s music department since the 1970s. The group, composed of music majors, non-major musicians, and community members, studies selections from big band repertoire, performing works by jazz composers such as Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Joseph Zawinul, and Anthony Carlos Jobim.

The group frequently performs on campus and in the community. Select members of the big band ensemble also have an opportunity to perform in jazz combos, which gives students more study in improvisation and soloing.