The Gustavus Wind Orchestra, 2010, Salzburg, Austria
The Gustavus Wind Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Douglas Nimmo, returns from its week-long tour of Florida to present its Home Concert in Christ Chapel, Saturday, April 14 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Performing with the wind orchestra is Christ Chapel Organist & Cantor, Chad Fothergill. The concert tour in Florida included performances in St. Petersburg, Venice, Naples, Lady Lake and Easter Morning Celebrations in Vero Beach, The ensemble’s Home Concert if free and open to the public.
The Gustavus Wind Orchestra was the College’s first music ensemble and was organized in 1878, soon after the St. Peter community formed a musical society to secure band instruments for the College. From that beginning more than 130 years ago, the wind orchestra has grown to earn international acclaim through its concerts, tours and recordings.
The ensemble has toured extensively in the United States and Canada as well as parts of Scandinavia and Europe. In 1990, it was invited as the first American ensemble to present a concert in East Berlin, following the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989. In 1994, the ensemble returned to east-central Europe to perform for standing-room-only audiences in Poland, the Czech and Slovak republics, Hungary, Austria, and Germany. The ensemble returned to the area more recently in 2006 and 2010.
Conductor Douglas Nimmo has served as conductor of the Gustavus Wind Orchestra since 1987. In addition to his work with the wind orchestra, he teaches instrumental conducting and instrumental methods, and supervises student teachers. Under his leadership, the ensemble has commissioned new works by composers David Holsinger, Thomas Root, David Gillingham, Csaba Deak, Steve Heitzeg, Steve Wright, and James Stephenson. Nimmo is also a past recipient of the College’s Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching.
The Gustavus Wind Orchestra will present its home concert at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14 in Christ Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.
Heard the orchestra today at the Community Church of Vero Beach, FL. They were simply awesome! Thank you for sharing your gifts with our congregation today! God’s blessings upon each and every one of you! Joy Lambert