The Naperville Winds Inaugural Concert

Music Director, Sean Kelley said, “Chicagoland is so rich with music and musicians, and there is a deep and impressive body of wind band repertoire that is underrepresented in the region. I started The Naperville Winds to act as a vehicle to allow these wonderful, expressive, well-crafted works to be enjoyed by new audiences who might have never heard them.”

Many talented musicians have joined this concert band. “There is a wide variety of ages and experience levels in the ensemble,” said Kelley. “But one thing is common: a high level of performance excellence. All members auditioned and had to reach the same high bar. Many members are from DuPage, Kane, and Will Counties, while others come from as far away as Pontiac, Sterling, Milwaukee, and Northwest Indiana. North Central College students get to sit in the ensemble and grow musically from playing alongside professionals in the group.”

The first-debut concert of the group features challenging works. The rhythmic intricacy and the dynamic fullness of the orchestration challenges even the most seasoned group. This program offers the musicians of the Naperville Winds a chance to step up and perform.  Kelley says he intends to stick to his goal, “To celebrate cherished works and to champion new ones; we will do just that on October 7th. Old ‘warhorses’ like ‘Lincolnshire Posy’–one of the most performed and beloved works in the wind band canon–will be interspersed with world premiere performances by Kelley himself, ‘Elegy’ and a young composer, Harrison Collins, ‘To Right Our Wrongs.’” “Lincolnshire Posy” is considered one of Percy Granger’s masterpieces. Based on folk tunes he collected while he was in Lincolnshire, the intent is to be free and songlike. For the musicians, the work challenges style and rhythmic accuracy and features many soloists. One of the more challenging rhythmic pieces on the program is “Equus” by Eric Whitacre. This is a program not to be missed.

For ticket information, and ways to support this outstanding new group, go to the band’s website at http://www.thenapervillewinds.org. Don’t miss the concert on October 7, at 7:30 in the Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College in Naperville.