ELEMENTS: EARTH

Post by Chuck Maguire.

Our 2013-14 SEASON: ELEMENTS

LIMITED NUMBER OF SEASON PASSES AVAILABLE BY GOING TO:

THE DESERT WINDS SEASON PASSES

Press Release

The Desert Winds “Japanese Sketches” Concert 2/16/13

The Desert Winds, Las Vegas’ premiere contemporary wind ensemble, cordially invites you to the next concert of its 2012-3 Season:

The Desert Winds promotes the performance of contemporary wind band literature as a rendering of today’s societal expressions, and strives to advance the appreciation of modern repertoire through outreach to educate, inspire, and entertain audiences. The Desert Winds next concert entitled “Japanese Sketches” will take place on Saturday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Community Lutheran Church (3720 East Tropicana Ave; Las Vegas, NV 89121). The program will feature music by Japanese composers, including the North American première of Jun Nagao's Die Heldenzeit with guest saxophone artist Lynzii O'Connor.  Donation tickets are available online at www.thedesertwinds.org for $10. Please contact Samantha Reber, Publicity Advisor, at 702-751-4676 or thedesertwinds@gmail.com for more information.

Something Special!!!

There is something special about December.  When living in the desert, we don't always have the chill in the air or the snow on the ground. Being raised in Northeast Ohio, I was a child of snow days, snowball throwing, snowmen building, etc. from the time I could walk.  When I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996, it was definitely a different climate to accept.  I quickly discovered that the holidays are what you make it.  While I was a teacher, the time between Thanksgiving and Winter Break were the fastest three weeks known to man.  Fine Arts Week would need to be developed, winter concerts would need to be performed, parades would need to be marched, and then it was Christmas.  The bustle was the only thing that could be enjoyed because there wasn't time for anything else.

Since I have left the teaching profession, I have had some time to reflect on a lot of experiences.  I wouldn't trade my 17 years of teaching for anything, because it has made me the woman I am today.  I would have loved to stop and enjoy the great aspects of my career, including my students, my colleagues, and the music.  So much of who we are as people get lost in today's society. I am a wife, a mother, a sales director, a private lesson teacher, a clinician, an oboist.  I can wear one hat, or all of them at once, depending on the time of day.  My story is no different than any adult's in today's world.  We are constantly pulled in multiple directions, and rarely have time to take a breath and enjoy the moment.

This year, I have looked forward to playing, and using my oboe as my outlet.  Music-making was the part that I knew I would miss as a conductor, but I was looking forward to becoming a better oboist by playing in Las Vegas' Contemporary Wind Ensemble, The Desert Winds.  I have used the weekly rehearsals as my escape, and enjoy the people who are a part of this group and creating something truly special.  Each concert gives us new challenges as an ensemble.  Our musicianship is elevated, our passion for what we do is ignited, and I know our audience base is expanding because of it.

I have been able to look forward to our upcoming Christmas Concerts with a renewed energy and excitement!  Each rehearsal brings us closer in our preparation.  Each nuance that is added creates more opportunities for enjoyment from both the musician and the audience member.  The literature we will be performing on both nights is fun to play and extremely enjoyable to listen to as an audience member.  If you haven't been to a Desert Winds concert, now is the time to make plans to do so! December 14 will be at Community Lutheran Church and December 15 will be at Green Valley United Methodist Church.  Both concerts start at 7:30pm.  Even though we won't have freezing temperatures or snow, you will be put into the Christmas Spirit!  I know that if you attend either of these nights, you will be entertained, energized with something so special I cannot begin to put it into words, and you will become a fan of this great ensemble.  I hope to see you

The Past, Present, & Beyond…

The Past, Present, & Beyond…

Jordan Mathisen, Clarinetist & Personnel Advisor/Librarian

As the Desert Winds heads towards the pinnacle of its fall season, we musicians become very enthusiastic about putting together a spectacular and innovative product that will delight, provoke, and inspire our listeners during the holiday season. While our audience loves to take part in our performances, many cannot begin to imagine what meticulous planning and dedicated preparation goes into each rehearsal.

Every concert season, the biggest challenge ensembles face is how to create an alluring image that will set the appropriate tone for the upcoming year. Looking back at the start of our season, it was clear through the beginning notes of our first rehearsal in August that our Artistic Director Charles A. Maguire had put careful consideration and thought into each and every selection when programming our October “Sketches” concert. With its brilliant array of works that encompassed several cultures around the globe, the ensemble was enthusiastically challenged and the audience was thus wowed by the intricate and diverse passages that begin to shape the Desert Winds’ future as Las Vegas’ premiere contemporary wind ensemble.

This November, our “Veterans Day Salute” concert continued a tradition established by the Desert Winds three years ago. Considered by Maguire as “the most important concert we perform each year,” one cannot help but be inspired by this truly honored performance, either as a performer or patron. As the tribute to our veterans was heard through the organization of both sound and silence colored by snippets of patriotic music held so near and dear to our nation, genuine respect for those that have sacrificed for our country and a celebration of our civil freedoms this election year remained ever present in our minds and hearts.

Now, as rehearsals for our "Winter Sketches" concert cycle have begun, again the Desert Winds is focused on continuing to paint a unique and vivid picture on a canvas of silence. While many consider holiday concerts to be “fun” and “cheery,” Maguire’s unique vision and energy will result in an extraordinary aesthetic experience for our holiday audiences. Though the sacred and secular melodies we have grown to love are still ever present, Maguire’s incredible musicianship is guiding the Desert Winds to explore and create new sounds as never heard before. Such an approach will undoubtedly make listeners reminisce about their childhood and relive their own feelings of wonder and innocence on Christmas Day.

We look forward to seeing you this December!

The Past, Present, & Beyond…

The Past, Present, & Beyond…

Jordan Mathisen, Clarinetist & Personnel Advisor/Librarian

As the Desert Winds heads towards the pinnacle of its fall season, we musicians become very enthusiastic about putting together a spectacular and innovative product that will delight, provoke, and inspire our listeners during the holiday season. While our audience loves to take part in our performances, many cannot begin to imagine what meticulous planning and dedicated preparation goes into each rehearsal.

Every concert season, the biggest challenge ensembles face is how to create an alluring image that will set the appropriate tone for the upcoming year. Looking back at the start of our season, it was clear through the beginning notes of our first rehearsal in August that our Artistic Director Charles A. Maguire had put careful consideration and thought into each and every selection when programming our October “Sketches” concert. With its brilliant array of works that encompassed several cultures around the globe, the ensemble was enthusiastically challenged and the audience was thus wowed by the intricate and diverse passages that begin to shape the Desert Winds’ future as Las Vegas’ premiere contemporary wind ensemble.

This November, our “Veterans Day Salute” concert continued a tradition established by the Desert Winds three years ago. Considered by Maguire as “the most important concert we perform each year,” one cannot help but be inspired by this truly honored performance, either as a performer or patron. As the tribute to our veterans was heard through the organization of both sound and silence colored by snippets of patriotic music held so near and dear to our nation, genuine respect for those that have sacrificed for our country and a celebration of our civil freedoms this election year remained ever present in our minds and hearts.

Now, as rehearsals for our "Winter Sketches" concert cycle have begun, again the Desert Winds is focused on continuing to paint a unique and vivid picture on a canvas of silence. While many consider holiday concerts to be “fun” and “cheery,” Maguire’s unique vision and energy will result in an extraordinary aesthetic experience for our holiday audiences. Though the sacred and secular melodies we have grown to love are still ever present, Maguire’s incredible musicianship is guiding the Desert Winds to explore and create new sounds as never heard before. Such an approach will undoubtedly make listeners reminisce about their childhood and relive their own feelings of wonder and innocence on Christmas Day.

We look forward to seeing you this December!

The "DON'T MISS" Concert

IT’S FINALLY HERE!! The Desert Winds is prepped and ready to make some musical magic happen at our first concert of the 2012-2013 Season.   We are so excited to be opening our season at Life Springs Christian Church on October 12, 2012 at 7:30pm.  If you have been one of the fortunate fans of this ensemble, you do not want to miss our program entitled, “Sketches”.  Each year, this ensemble has improved in quality, musicianship, and artistry.  Our audience will be entertained by the literature that will be performed and the quality of the performance they will get to share with this amazing group of men and women.  It’s going to be outstanding.Donation tickets are available at www.showtix4u.com for the cost of $10.  You may also purchase tickets at the door.  Seating is limited, so get your tickets today!  
  

    

If you haven’t had the opportunity to “Like” The Desert Winds on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter, I encourage you to do so!  We have expanded our fan base exponentially in the last few weeks, and we want to reach even more!  Please visit facebook.com/thedesertwinds and “like” us, if you haven’t done so yet!  You can also follow us on twitter @thedesertwinds.

The musical colors you will get to experience this season by attending our concerts is going to be amazing!  I am so proud to be a member of this ensemble, humbled to be the publicity/marketing advisor, and grateful that we have the opportunity to grow the arts even more in the Las Vegas/Henderson area! 

I hope to see you on October 12 and thank you personally for your support of this contemporary wind ensemble.  I look forward to seeing your “likes” on Facebook and “tweets” on Twitter!