The Red River Ensemble is made up of faculty, staff, and trainees from various parts of the UT-Austin campus as well as members of the Austin community. The orchestra rehearses and performs in the Dell Seton Medical Center Atrium (by the cafeteria) on Monday nights, providing live classical music for patients, visitors, and staff members. The rehearsals and performances are freely available for all to enjoy.
In addition to providing an opportunity to perform major orchestral works in a welcoming environment, the orchestra helps form connections with members of the UT and Dell Med academic and clinical community. Most importantly, the orchestra provides a rewarding outreach experience. The patients and visitors as well as healthcare workers truly appreciate the efforts of our group to bring the healing sounds of music into the hospital.
The orchestra has openings for all instruments. While generally not required, auditions may be requested in some cases.
Please direct interest and any questions to Mark Bernat.
Mark Bernat
Red River Ensemble Artistic Director
Trained at The Juilliard School, Mark Bernat is an internationally recognized double bassist who has led an active career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. He is a former member of the Israel Philharmonic and faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory and UT-Austin. He is one of the foremost proponents of the double bass a solo instrument. Decades after his landmark recording of the Bach Cello Suites was featured on NPR Morning Edition, he has recently re-released a new recording of the Suites to much acclaim. In 2009, he joined University of Iowa Healthcare to bring music into the hospital for patients and their families. There, he also formed an orchestra, concert band, and jazz band all consisting of faculty and staff. While in Iowa, he also directed the Red Barn Chamber Music Series for which he received funding from the Iowa Council of the Arts. In 2021, he was recruited to UT-Austin to establish a music program at Dell Seton Medical Center which includes the launch of the Red River Ensemble which is now entering its fourth season.
Stories
The Daily Texan
Red River Ensemble brings student musicians together to perform for hospital patients
The Red River Ensemble is a volunteer-led orchestra that performs twice a year for hospital residents at Dell Medical Center.
Alcalde
A New Program is Filling Dell Seton Medical Center’s Halls with a Joyful Sound
The Red River Ensemble, a volunteer collective of musicians, is designed to bring sweet sounds to patients, visitors and doctors.
The Austin Chronicle
Merging Music and Medicine at Dell Med
Dell Medical School’s new orchestra to debut with hospital performance
