2025 Patriotic Concerts

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Join us for a patriotic musical journey with the Florida Wind Band as we present Voices of America & Red Feathered Soul

—a celebration of the rich history and diverse sounds that define our nation. Enjoy timeless classics like The Star-Spangled Banner, Armed Forces Medley, and Stars and Stripes Forever, along with soulful and historic works such as Afro-American Symphony by William Grant Still and Sammy Nestico’s Tribute to Stephen Foster.

We will also feature works by three outstanding contemporary Florida composers: Fantasy on a Theme by Edwin Taylor by Alain Rodriguez, Pinnacle Winds Fanfare by John Dupuis, and Red Feathered Soul by Joshua Hobbs.

What do young love, Easter, and kings setting off to war all have in common?
If you guessed Spring, you're right—and it's alive in the air!

Join us for an unforgettable evening as the Florida Wind Band brings its 17th season to a breathtaking close with a stunning performance titled "In the Spring". This masterwork production, held at the beautiful Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, will transport you into the heart of the season with music that captures the very essence of renewal, joy, and transformation. Get ready for a performance bursting with energy, passion, and spirit—this is one event you won’t want to miss! We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

In The Spring Concert Replay

Saturday, February 8th | Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

 Join the Florida Wind Band for an unforgettable experience in our new "Lights Out" Chamber Series at the beautiful Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church. This intimate setting, with its soft, ambient lighting, creates the perfect atmosphere for you to explore live classical music in an entirely new way.

As you are guided through the aural journey of the Portuguese folk tale "Why the Owl Flies at Night" by our talented flute quartet and narrator, you will witness something truly unique. Throughout the performance, John Brennan, a renowned local artist and member of the Florida Wind Band, will be painting live, responding to the music and story unfolding before you. His dynamic, creative process will unfold in real-time, offering you the rare opportunity to watch a piece of art take shape as the music inspires each brushstroke.

Saturday, December 14th | Hyde Park United Methodist Church

  The Florida Wind Band returns to the stunning sanctuary at Hyde Park United Methodist Church for our annual Holiday Pops. You will have “The Most Wonderful Time” as we take you on an international Christmas journey through England, Germany, France, Puerto Rico, Russia, and the United States. Our guest narrator, Colleen Schmitt, will be your tour guide with holiday favorites, band classics, and new works celebrating the season. Please join us for this special performance that is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! 

The Most Wonderful Time Concert Replay

Wednesday, December 11th | Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

 Our talented musicians will draw you into an aural journey of the Christmas story. Your instrumental tour guides will be a woodwind quartet comprised of a flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. Our Artistic Director and narrator, Matthew McCutchen, will travel along your side as you experience the miracle of Christmas and the special place that it holds in all of our hearts.  

Joy to the World Concert Replay

Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 | USF School of Music 

The Autumn Winds Youth Ensemble opens this masterworks series concert in partnership with the Florida Wind Band. During their eight-week rehearsal cycle, Autumn Winds students explore a broad range of exciting and challenging works. Their performance will feature music by some of the most influential composers of the wind band repertoire, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Steven Bryant, Kevin Day, Alex Shapiro, Michael Markowski, and Eric Osterling.

The Florida Wind Band begins after the intermission with Ante Grgin’s jazz-influenced Concertino for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble, which features principal clarinet Tony Negron. Following is Carl Orff’s timeless masterpiece Carmina Burana, based on 24 medieval poems, which has become one of the most beloved works in the orchestral repertoire. The music is simple in harmony and range, characteristic of 13th-century music, with a driving rhythm to which the listener instinctively responds. Arranger John Krance worked directly with Carl Orff on this rendition and has incorporated the vocal melodies into a setting entirely instrumental in structure that you will find equally as passionate and exciting as the original orchestral score.  

Sunday, October 20th, 2024 | Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

Our talented musicians and guest narrator will draw you into an aural journey of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Old Street Lamp." Your instrumental tour guides through the tale will be a flute, oboe, clarinet, and harp. The narrator will travel along your side as you experience the most respectable old lamp, which had seen many, many years of service, and was now ready to retire.

The Old Street Lamp Concert Replay

Sunday, June 30th, 2024 | Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

  You are cordially invited to join the Florida Wind Band at our annual Patriotic Concert at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church. The program consists entirely of pieces by American composers and includes patriotic favorites as well as works with which you may not be familiar, but will find deeply moving. We look forward to celebrating our American Spirit with you.  

The American Spirit Concert Replay

Saturday, June 29th, 2024 | Carrollwood Village Park

  Join us in our annual patriotic concert at Carrollwood Village Park with favorites perfect for the entire family. Feel free to bring a drinks, food, chairs, and umbrellas to setup a picnic to enjoy the show! Summer Breeze meets annually in the month of June to provide an opportunity for BAY Winds students and alumni to rehearse and perform in the summer. The band was founded in the summer of 2016 and regularly welcomes 60-80 musicians back to their joy of playing an instrument in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. 

Sunday, May 29th, 2024 | University of South Florida

 "Love & Light" presents a magnificent afternoon with the rare opportunity to hear music performed by some of the Tampa area’s finest middle school, high school, and professional musicians. The concert will begin with the Florida Wind Band featuring the winner of our high school concerto competition. Following will be Bay Area Youth (BAY) Winds Symphonic Winds and Wind Ensemble. The repertoire includes John Mackey’s clever “Let Me Be Frank With You”, Lindsey Bronnenkant’s “Tarot”, and Brian Balmage’s “Love and Light”. It is our hope and intention that the whole concert will spread love, light, and cheer to the world.   

Love and Light Concert Replay

Saturday, May 18th, 2024 | Hyde Park United Methodist Church

 The Florida Wind Band presents "Moments in Time," featuring music that captures snapshots of our lives that we long to remember. This masterworks series concert will introduce our audience to "Startin' Sumthin," composed by Jeff Scott for the Armani Winds and arranged and conducted by Dr. Trevor Butts and will feature the inaugural Bay Area Youth (BAY) Winds concerto competition winner, giving this talented student a moment they will treasure for the rest of their life. Percy Grainger's "Children's March" and Ryan George's "Firefly" explore moments of joy in childhood, and we will conclude with Julie Giroux's "Symphony No 4: Bookmarks from Japan," which was inspired by a gift of six bookmarks depicting famous works by Japanese artists. This concert will feature the wind band's power, sensitivity, and joy, and we would be honored by your presence.

Moments In Time Concert Replay

April 6th & 7th, 2024 | Water Works Park & Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

 If you were to ask anybody to name three composers, there is a good chance that the responses will include Bach, Beethoven, and John Williams. Join the Florida Wind Band as we explore the wonders, fantasies, tears, and magic that John Williams has given to the world over the past seven decades. We will feature the music from Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, The Cowboys, Schindler’s List, Star Wars, and more.  

The Wonder of Williams Concert Replay

January 20th, 2024 | USF School of Music

"Band Classics" welcomes seven of Florida’s finest retired band directors to conduct works that were not only meaningful during their teaching careers, but are pieces that have become staples in the wind ensemble repertoire enjoyed by audiences all over the world. The Florida Wind Band was founded in 2008 to perform the highest caliber wind ensemble music at the highest level possible. We are excited to be the featured performance during the annual Phi Beta Mu Convention hosted at the USF School of Music. We are honored to have this opportunity and even more excited to share this concert experience with our Tampa Bay audience.

Band Classics: Cherished Gifts Concert Replay

December 9th, 2023 | Hyde Park United Methodist Church

  Our annual Christmas concert has become a must-see event in Tampa Bay. Enjoy the sounds of the season with familiar favorites in “Christmas Gifts” at Hyde Park United Methodist Church. The combination of sacred and secular works remind us that while presents come in all shapes and sizes, there is one gift that reigns supreme. The beautiful sanctuary is the perfect setting that is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit! 

Holiday Pops Concert Replay

November 4th, 2023 | USF School of Music

 The Florida Wind Band invites you to our first masterworks concert of the season, “How Sweet it Is,” joined by our educational youth program Autumn Winds 2023. While we take our music-making very seriously, we do enjoy a good play on words. The repertoire includes “Pineapple Poll Suite,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Love and Light,” "Suite Treats," "Pink Lemonade," and other compositional confections. This concert will feature the sweet sounds of the Florida Wind Band's principal horn, Brandon McDannald, in the Cape Horn Concerto.

How Sweet It Is Concert Replay

October 15th, 2023 | Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

 The Florida Wind Band is prepared to take you on an aural journey through the Celtic myth of The Dream of Angus. Your instrumental tour guides through the tale will be a woodwind quintet featuring a flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon. The narrator and woodwind quintet will travel along your side through Angus's journey of love, youth, beauty, and of course, his dreams. Celtic mythology is a rich and entrancing world, peopled by both mortals and gods. It embraces the notion of parallel universes, the real world and the otherworld. Join us for what promises to be an exciting evening of travel through the realm of dreams in a delightful performance perfect for the entire family.

The Dream of Angus Concert Replay

August 12th, 2023 | St. Mark's Episcopal Church

August 13th, 2023 | Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church

While the Florida Wind Band typically plays music written for a large concert ensemble, for this concert we are exploring music that was composed for a smaller, more intimate ensemble. We'll feature a brass septet on "Theme and Variations on A Mighty Fortress is Our God", a woodwind octet on "Seascape", and a 17-piece wind ensemble on "The Light Fantastic."  There are two features on this concert program. The first is a dedication of Astor Piazzolla's Oblivion to long time Florida Wind Band supporter and sponsor, Jerry Krumbholz. The second is a bass clarinet feature starring USF's School of Music Faculty member, Calvin Falwell, in The Light Fantastic. 

The Light Fantastic Concert Replay