The East Winds Symphonic Band (EWSB)
is a community

concert band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

based in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

. Founded in 1981, the band's membership includes more than 80 amateur, volunteer musicians from the greater Pittsburgh area. The band has performed at national conventions of the

Association of Concert Bands Association of Concert Bands (ACB) is an organization of bands, individuals, and corporations who are endowed with the means and desire to serve the needs of adult instrumental musicians who perform in and lead community concert bands. The ACB is ...

(ACB) as well as annual local concerts at the historic

Rodef Shalom Congregation Rodef Shalom Congregation is a National Register of Historic Places landmark in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, designed by architect Henry Hornbostel. Located on Fifth Avenue on the border of the Oakland and Shadyside neighborhoods, it houses Cong ...

Kennywood Park Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on May 30, 1899, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway. It was purchased in 1 ...

's ''Celebrate America'' series, and as part of th
Three Rivers Community Band Festival

History

The band was founded in 1981 by Roger Schneider, Ed Dzenis, and Ron Johnson. The first conductor of the band was Jay Stivanson, followed by Jim Rosetti. Susan Sands has been the conductor of the East Winds Symphonic Band since 1990. The band initially rehearsed in

Wilkinsburg Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The borough has a population of 15,930 as of the 2010 census. Wilkinsburg is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The borough was named for John Wilkins Jr., a United States Army ...

, Pennsylvania before moving to Forest Hills in 1993. The band's mission relates to initiatives in Pittsburgh to "provide people of different backgrounds and economic levels to enjoy the arts" and it participates in several free concert series in support of community music initiatives. For this work, in 2008, the band received th
Sudler Silver Scroll Award
from the

John Philip Sousa Foundation The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition ...

. That same year, the band had its first performance outside of the Pittsburgh area at the annual

national convention in Corning, New York. In 2011, the EWSB again performed at the ACB national convention in

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expan ...

, Michigan. The band has performed twice at the

Chautauqua Institution The Chautauqua Institution ( ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education center and summer resort for adults and youth located on in Chautauqua, New York, northwest of Jamestown in the Western Southern Tier of New York State. Established in 1874, the ...

in Chautauqua, New York, including the final concert at the "Sunday Afternoon in the Amphitheater" concert series. The East Winds Symphonic Band was the host organization for the national

convention in 2016.

Local Initiatives

The EWSB has hosted th
Three Rivers Community Band Festival
an annual concert featuring concert bands from Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, since 2004. The Three Rivers Community Band Festival features guest conductors leading a group of 95+ musicians from around the region in a one-day band rehearsal. Past guest conductors include

James Gourlay James Gourlay (born 1956) is a Scottish conductor and tubist. Biography Gourlay was born in Scotland and began to play in his local brass band at an early age. He took part in numerous solo competitions at that time and soon became Scottish ...

and

Samuel Hazo Samuel Robert Hazo (born 1966) is an American composer, primarily of music for concert band. Biography Hazo is the son of the poet and playwright Samuel John Hazo and his wife, Mary Anne. After elementary and secondary schooling in the Upp ...

. Since 2011, the EWSB has run the Summer Side-by-Side program, which allows student musicians in local high schools the chance to rehearse with the band and perform during the summer concert season. In 2016, the band received a proclamation from the office of Pittsburgh Mayor

William Peduto William Mark Peduto (born October 30, 1964) is an American politician who was the 60th mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 2014 until 2022. He was a Democratic member of the Pittsburgh City Council from 2002 to 2014. Before his election to ...

naming April 2016 "Greater Pittsburgh Community Concert Band Month" in honor of its work to promote music in the community.

Commissions

* ''Parkour'' -

(2011) * ''Three Rivers Rhapsody'' -

Jerry Brubaker Jerry Brubaker (born 1946) is an American composer and arranger of more than 200 works of music for concert band, symphony, and chorus and a professional French horn soloist. Education and career In 1968, Brubaker received his undergraduate degree ...

(2016){{Cite news, url=http://triblive.com/aande/music/9990917-74/band-community-bands, title=Community bands bond neighbors through music, last=Rutkoski, first=Rex, date=March 26, 2016, work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, access-date=April 16, 2016

References

External links

ewsb.org
- East Winds Symphonic Band website
Three Rivers Community Band Festival
Musical groups established in 1981 Musical groups from Pittsburgh Concert bands