McGill Wind Orchestra

McGill Wind Symphony Orchestra in concert

The McGill Wind Orchestra in Pollack Hall. Photo by Tam Lan Truong.

 

MUEN 590 McGill Wind Orchestra 2 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

Director: Danielle Gaudry

Ensemble Resource Supervisor: ensembles.music [at] mcgill.ca (Christa Emerson)

Participation: Entrance is by audition (see audition schedules).  This ensemble is open to music students, and McGill University students from other faculties. If you are a member of this ensemble, find your schedule on the ensemble hub website.

About the McGill Wind Orchestra

The McGill Wind Orchestra was founded in 1956 by composer and educator Morley Calvert. Under the direction of Alain Cazes since 2001, the Wind Orchestra performs works featuring a wide range of musical styles and esthetics, by composers such as Holst, Hindemith, Schoenberg, Grainger, Messiaen, Persichetti, Husa, Schmitt, Schwantner, and Stravinsky. The ensemble's repertoire includes a high proportion of Canadian composers.  Since 2001, 38 Canadian works by composers Boudreau, Chan, Colgrass, Cherney, Belkin, Morel, Calvert, Mercure, Hétu and others have been performed. More than 15 works have been commissioned by the Wind Orchestra and several of these have won important composition prizes.

The Wind Orchestra presents four concerts per year, several of which have been broadcast by the CBC. Numerous guest conductors have led the Orchestra, which has also often collaborated with our choral ensembles, performing Bruckner’s Mass in E minor, Surinach’s Celebrationes, Thompson’s Frostiana, Iannacone’s Walt Whitman Songs, Brahms’ Begräbnisgesang, and Persichetti’s Celebrations, among others. Guest soloists include prominent guest artists, faculty members and doctoral students. The ensemble also regularly participates in our graduate Conducting program masterclasses.

 

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