Had the pleasure of enjoying performances of this fine group of musicians over the past few years. They have made me aware of music and composers that are new to me.
The Metropolitan Wind Symphony Inc has been a source of wonderful music for my friends and me. We have loved attending concerts at both indoor and outdor locations. LIstening to the clear tones of the Metropolitan Wind Sympjony, whether a quiet solo or a more powerful ensemble piece, has stirred our emotions. Thank goodness for the musicians who put in hours of practice for the public's enjoyment. The Metropolitan Wind Symphony deserves support. Please help the Metropolitan Wind Sympnony Inc continue to bring their music so that the lives of the public can be enriched with such high quality concerts.
After graduating from college with a degree in clarinet performance, I moved back to the Boston area without the faintest idea of what I was going to do next in my musical life. I knew I had to play, but I wasn't ready to move on with an advanced degree. Having subbed with the MWS a couple summers earlier, and having made their acquaintance 6 or 7 years earlier by attending a performance, I sought them out again in hopes of landing a spot in the group. Fortunately, there was an opening, and ten years later, I'm still performing and growing with this fantastic organization. In those ten years, I've moved from being just a performing member, to a devoted volunteer on the board of directors. It has been tremendously fulfilling to watch the musical maturity of the group in such a short amount of time and to dedicate so much energy to improving not only members' experiences, but also those of our audiences.
I greatly enjoy the concerts by the Metropolitan Wind Symphony. The programs are a great mix of traditional concert band music and some contemporary music. I think it is especially notable that the group commissions the composition of new works for concert band which the MSO performs.
Mr. Buckley's comments add a lot to the performances. He gives brief and good historical and insightful comments about the pieces performed. He makes the audience feel very welcome.
The Metropolitan Wind Symphony is an incredible group of musicians. Their free concerts in the summer help bring art to young and old, rich and poor as well as encouraging young musicians with their scholarship competition. There are several things which are unique about this community gem. A large majority of the participants are current or retired music educators from the public school system. They continue to give back by inspiring and entertaining the local communities. The other part of the MWS that is captivating is that they seek out and often commission new works or new arrangements to be composed. I really love getting the opportunity to hear new music from new artists.
The Metropolitan Wind Symphony concerts are truly wonderful. Along with the lectures prior to the concerts, the audience enjoys a musical learning experience by the broad and eclectic choices of music performed. One's concept of band music is augmented by the sophisticated selections performed by outstanding volunteer musicians.
Hearing and seeing young students playing next to seasoned adults is a heartening experience. There is tremendous respect for each other among all of the players, along with great humor shared by all.
We travel from the South Shore to Lexington for the concert series and look forward to every concert. How lucky we are to have this wonderful symphony available to us!
I have been attending concert band programs by the Metropolitan Wind Symphony for several years. The programs have all been quite marvelous. The musicians are quite extraordinary, and the programs well balanced. Even thouh this is an "amateur" group, they sound totally professional. I highly recommend them.
I have the great good fortune to be the Conductor of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony, the finest all-volunteer/community concert band I have ever conducted.
I drive 200 miles round trip every Wednesday night simply because it earns me such a rewarding artistic experience. This group is not only extraordinarily accomplished, both technically and musically, but they have a work ethic that makes them a great joy and inspiration to be around.
Connoisseurs of wind literature will appreciate the MWS' high level of repertoire in such difficult masterworks as Dahl's Sinfonietta, Hindemith's Symphony, Whitacre's Ghost Train Trilogy, Daugherty's Bells for Stokowsky, and Gandolfi's Vientos y Tangos.
Another quality indicator is the fact that the group recently released a truly excellent CD composed entirely of live, unedited performances from concerts over the last couple of years. These public performances, of remarkable and consistent quality, have translated into enthusiastic and faithful audiences.
What really distinguishes the MWS, though, is its members; wonderful people and accomplished musicians from an astonishing variety of backgrounds, experiences, and ages. They come together every week, young and old, solely to join with like-minded friends in serving their community through making music at the highest level possible.
As the longtime conductor of one of the nation's finest service bands, and having had the pleasure of conducting professional and community bands across the U.S., I can tell you that the Metropolitan Wind Symphony is an American cultural gem.
"New England's Premier Concert Band" is just that, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to join with these remarkable folks in serving the artistic communities of the greater Boston area.
The MWS is an outstanding group of musicians and people. I have been a member of the group for just about ten years now, and I am still amazed at the quality level of playing and the positive environment in which everyone supports one another and strives to grow as musicians. It is a wonderful environment to be in- one that challenges me as a musician and also to have fun at the same time.
I feel very fortunate to have found the Metropolitan Wind Symphony. Music was a large part of my high school and college years and I'm thrilled to be part of such an outstanding group in my adult life. As a non-professional musician, it is very rewarding to be involved in a group with professionals and non-professionals alike. The MWS's outreach to local students through the Continuum program and the awarding of scholarships inspire students to make music a permanent part of their lives.
The Metropolitan Wind Symphony (MWS) is quite simply the best band I've ever heard. I have attended their concerts for more than 25 years and have rarely been disappointed. The caliber of the musicianship and the program selections are consistently good but somehow still seem to improve every year. The current conductor, Lewis Buckley, is excellent. He brings a high level of knowledge and great enthusiasm to every concert. I particularly enjoy his pre-concert talks which are always informative and typically alert us to some special nuance in one of the pieces to be performed.
It has been a pleasure to experience the growth and evolution of this group as a player (cornet/trumpet) since 1972 - longer than many of the current players have been alive! We are in a wonderful place now - with dedicated musicians and a conductor who brings out the best in us musically... and we are enjoying the experience too! It is not always easy to evaluate ourselves, but the audience surveys have been as glowing as those of the members. Our mix of performances - more formal indoors & less formal outdoors - played to the best of our ability, generally provide something for everyone. In addition to our CD's, we created a limerick book for our 40th year (this year)... who knows what's next!?
The MWS is comprised of 65-70 talented woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists who audition for membership and seating. The ensemble contributes to the cultural life of the Greater Boston community by providing its audiences with high quality concerts and its members with opportunities for musical growth.
I am a newly elected member to the board of the Metrpolitan Wind Symphony however I've been a performing member for over thirty years. MWS has been a leader in bringing band literature to area audiences. However a bigger role is also being met. By that I mean MWS continues to engage students of all ages. This is done by sponsoring a Consortium concert where MWS, a high school band and a college ensemble perform. We also have a concert that allows the musicians to bring their students to rehearse and perform. When young people are engaged early in life with organizations such as ours they understand the impotance of music in everyones life. It's very hard to put into words what this group has done for me personally, the musicians and communities in the area. Without support for the arts, groups like ours have a very difficult road ahead. Please endorse and support the Metropolitan Wind Symphony.
As a music educator I have seen and worked with many community groups over the years and none have stood out as the Metropolitan Wind Symphony. The level of talent as a group is the best in the state and that is a reason why I continue to perform with this group, however, i particularly love the way this group reaches out to the surrounding communities. Every March we have a concert in which we invite students of our members to join with us. High school musicians come to a rehearsal and then perform one piece at our concert. The students love it because the level of music is something they might not be able to play in their own bands. I love it because it is a way to show kids that music lessons don't end when you leave school. If you take a look at the MWS program it states each member does for a living. Although there are many music teachers, there are also people who do other amazing things for a living. That is something that I (as a teacher) stress to my students when they perform with this group.
I was excited when my son (a public school music teacher) told me he had auditioned for and then been accepted by the Metropolitan Wind Symphony as a saxophone player. Part of my excitement was due to his. He had told me that the group is outstanding musically and not easy to get into. Part of my initial excitement also came, however, from having heard the group when my son performed a solo with them as a high school student.
When I have heard the group perform recently, now with my son in the sax section, my excitement only increased. What excellent performances I have heard! Difficult music, tight playing, and lots of enthusiasm and enjoyment from performers as well.
I am fortunate to be a member of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony. The standards that this group holds themselves to are very impressive. As a result the performances are very professional. The enthusiasm of the individual members and our Music Director is of the highest level.
Because of this, our audience level has grown and seems very appreciative of what we are doing.
Exceptional musicianship and intelligent and entertaining programming have kept me coming back to this top-tier wind ensemble season after season. Its not just 'Thunder and Lightning' with these folks! Listening to it develop over the past decade has definitely been exciting!
This organization has set the standard and serves as a role model for community concert bands nationwide. What sets MWS apart is its devotion to artistic excellence; the members' work ethic is inspiring to behold. Community and educational outreach are the cornerstones supporting their 40 years of service to the Greater Boston area.
This top-notch wind symphony is filled with outstanding performers and rises above the rest. With many members involved in music education, the entire group is not only devoted to presenting phenomenal performances for any audience, but is also active in student and community outreach in the arts. After 40 years as an organization, it has proven its dedication to service, organization, education, and most of all, beautiful musical performances!