Brooklyn Wind Symphony

Background

Founded in 2008 as the Grand Street Community Band (GSCB), the band is a select, all-volunteer ensemble accepted by open auditions. The group split into two in 2011 to allow for more members by reinstating the Grand Street Community Band as an all-volunteer ensemble that rehearses and performs standard wind band repertoire.

The mission of BKWS is to promote lifelong participation in music while increasing public awareness of wind bands and the literature written for them. Advanced instrumentalists, regardless of profession, have the opportunity to play the most esteemed repertoire for wind bands. The ensemble adds to that repertoire by commissioning new works by talented composers, such as David Maslanka, Michael Markowski, and Viet Cuong.

Performances

The ensemble traditionally performs two concerts in the fall, two concerts in the spring, and summer concerts outside in the parks of New York City. BWKS and GSCB are governed by the Metropolitan Music Community (MMC) Board of Directors. The MMC is a New York State 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by its members and the community at large, offering high-quality concerts at small or no cost to the audience, mostly to communities that are underserved by classical music organizations.

The Brooklyn Wind Symphony performed at the 67th Midwest Clinic in December 2013 held in Chicago, Illinois. BKWS was the first New York City ensemble to be invited to participate as a performing band in the prestigious annual event's history, which attracts top musicians and music educators from all over the world.

Staff