| The Valley Wind Quintet began to rehearse in October 1982 and played
its first concert the following spring at the Saginaw Historical Museum.
From its inception, the Valley Wind Quintet has had a four-fold purpose:
provide chamber music concerts at the highest possible level of performance
for the SVSU campus, community, and region; serve as an educational resource
for the music and arts programs of regional elementary and secondary schools
as well as SVSU students; promote a positive awareness of SVSU's academic
programs and outreach services; encourage cooperation and interaction between
SVSU and regional arts agencies, such as the Bay Arts Council and Midland
Symphony Orchestra. Fifteen years later, these goals have been largely
achieved. The stability of the Quintet has enabled us to achieve unusually
cohesive ensemble playing as well as an immense active repertory of music
which includes not only the most important and demanding works for woodwinds
but also many light, popular works from rags to show tunes to Christmas
carols. Certainly the highest point of the Quintet's career so far was
its 1988 goodwill concert tour of Tokushima and Matsuyama, Japan, where
the Quintet performed some sixteen public concerts over a two week period.
The quintet has performed for elementary students of Carrolton Public Schools
andGladwin Public Schools. We are also especially proud of the four complete
cycles of concerts we have given in the Midland Public Schools, supported
by the Midland Symphony Orchestra of which we are also members. Our well
regarded concerts in Detroit and Ann Arbor were also memorable, as were
concerts with assisting artists Catherine McMichael, the Linden String
Quartet, Ellen White, and members of the Midland and Saginaw Symphonies.
In celebration of their tenth anniversary, the quintet commissioned three works by area composers. They have also developed a series of educational concerts for use in area schools. The Valley Wind Quintet hopes to continue to fulfill all four aspects of our mission while encouraging broad audience support. But most importantly, we want to continue the tradition of fine performances we have begun and keep chamber music alive and well at SVSU. |
