Wind Ensemble

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The CSB+SJU Wind Ensemble is the premiere wind band on campus and is comprised of approximately fifty select instrumentalists. Membership includes music majors and minors, as well as many students from a wide variety of other disciplines who excel and enjoy performing on their instrument. The ensemble rehearses three times a week, performs four to five concerts per year on the CSB campus, and tours regularly. Wind Ensemble concerts feature repertoire that includes masterworks for band from composers including Percy Grainger, Gustav Holst, Vincent Persichetti, and David Maslanka, as well as recent compositions from today’s leading composers such as Joel Puckett, Alex Shapiro, Jodie Blackshaw, and Omar Thomas. 

Recent highlights include a featured performances at the 2017, 2021, and 2023 Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Midwinter Clinic, a performance tour of Minnesota in 2023, clinics with composers Viet Cuong, Aaron Perrine, Steven Bryant, Joni Greene, Steve Danyew, Andrew David Perkins, Kevin Day, Nicole Piunno, Katahj Copley, and Logan Larson, and being selected to participate as part of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Small Band Program Showcase at the 2019, 2023, and 2025 National Convention.

A large symphonic band comprised of numerous musicians poses on stage with their instruments, including brass, woodwinds, percussion, and a piano. They are all dressed in formal black attire, standing and seated in multiple rows, facing the camera.

The Wind Ensemble is conducted by Dr. Justin Zanchuk. The class rehearsals are MWF from 3:20-4:40pm. Interested students may enroll in Wind Ensemble by registering for MUSC 231 (Performance demonstration required. For information, see Instrumental Performance Demonstrations and Auditions)