Delaware Winds spring concert set April 6 at Cape High

Delaware Winds will perform its spring concert program, World Ride, at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 6, at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes.

The Mariner Middle School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Brian Mahoney, will perform a prelude concert beginning at 2:30 p.m. The extracurricular group meets after school once a week, and performs at various festivals and community events.

Delaware Winds is the First State’s only semiprofessional wind ensemble. The group includes band directors, freelance musicians and college music students who reside throughout the state. The mission of Delaware Winds is to perform the finest musical literature available for wind band, and the group is intentional in programing works by underrepresented voices in the wind band medium.

Concluding his second season with Delaware Winds is conductor and Music Director Michael D. Russo, who was a music instructor in New Jersey communities for 34 years.

As a performer, Russo has been a member of the trumpet sections of the New Jersey Wind Symphony and Delaware Winds. He is a founding member of the Imperial Brass Quintet, and he has performed throughout the United States as well as internationally.

In addition to Russo, Delaware Winds welcomes three guest conductors from within the ensemble: Nicholas Greeson, saxophonist and band director at Frederick D. Thomas Middle School; Dawn Russo, saxophonist and retired music educator; and Danielle Jones, trombonist and performing arts educator at Woodbridge High School.

The concert will conclude with a side-by-side experience featuring selected band students from area high schools in Delaware. The students are director approved and meet the criteria of personal musicianship, high levels of commitment and musical aptitude. The experience is an extraordinary opportunity for young instrumentalists to perform alongside Delaware Winds members. The students will share the stage and develop musical relationships with Delaware Winds members as they rehearse and perform “Proud of Me” by Michele Fernández.

To learn more, find Delaware Winds on Facebook or email delawarewinds@gmail.com.