ACWE performs at Rattan Creek on July 4th, 2024

ACWE will perform for the residents of Westminster at 7:15pm on July 2nd.

ACWE will be performing the Spring 2024 program at Bates Recital Hall at The University of Texas at 6:00PM May 19, 2024.

ACWE will be recording the Spring 2024 program at the Draylen Mason studio on May 11, 2024.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble performs holiday music at Covenant United Methodist Church on December 17th, 2023. Selections include: A Christmas Festival Themes From The Nutcracker Suite Do you Hear What I Hear? Carol of the Drum A Fireside Christmas How the Grinch Stole Christmas Twas the Night Before Christmas Sleigh Ride

Our annual holiday concert for the residents of Westminster will be held on Tuesday, December 5th at 7:00PM.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Robert Laguna, presents a concert on Sunday, October 29 at 4:00PM at Covenant United Methodist Church

ACWE performs at Rattan Creek on July 4th, 2023

ACWE performs at Unity Church of the Hills at 1PM on Sunday, July 2nd

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Robert Laguna, presents a concert of American Composers on Sunday, May 21 at 4:00PM at Covenant United Methodist Church

Due to the weather, this concert is canceled.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, conducted by Robert Laguna, officially kicks off the Spring 2023 concert season with a performance at the Texas Community Music Festival on Saturday May 13 at 10:15AM.

This spring's concerts feature a program of music composed by Leonard Bernstein.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble performs holiday music at Covenant United Methodist Church on December 18th, 2022.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble performs holiday music at Unity Church of the Hills on December 11th, 2022.

Enjoy music for Halloween at the George Washington Carver Museum, Saturday night, October 29th at 6:30PM Selections include:

• Lodestar Fanfare - Richard L. Saucedo
• Incantation and Dance - John Barnes Chance
• Arabesque - Samuel R. Hazo
• The Witch and the Saint - Steven Reineke
• Music for a Darkened Theater - Danny Elfman, arr. Michael Brown
• Inspector Clouseau Theme - Henry Mancini, arr. James Kazik
• Songs of Earth, Water, Fire, and Sky - Robert Smith
• LOL (Laugh out Loud) - Robert Buckley

ACWE performs for the residents of the Milwood community at Balcones District Park

ACWE performs at the Anderson Theatre at Anderson High School on May 22, 2022. Start time 3:30pm. The 3 pieces we are playing this weekend (May 21-22, 2022) go way back in ACWE history.  Duke of Cambridge goes back the furthest, being first performed by ACWE in October 1977.  ACWE also performed Grainger that same month, but not Molly.  They did Shepherd's Hey, Children's March and Irish Tune from County Derry.     Stars and Stripes Forever was first performed by ACWE in July of 1978.  That is likely the first year ACWE performed any patriotic concerts.      The first known appearance of Folk Song Suite was in October of 1981 when ACWE celebrated its 50th concert with an English music theme.     The earliest piece by ACWE that is still being programmed is the Klaxon, which was performed on ACWE's first concert in 1975.  Christmas Festival was first played in December 1976, most likely ACWE's first holiday concerts. There is a very good chance it has been played just about every year since then.  Fantasy on a Bell Carol is another that has been played since 1976.  

ACWE kicks off the Texas Community Music Festival at 11:00AM, April 23 2022. Now you can volunteer to staff the event by choosing your favorite time slot here. By volunteering, you get to help bands set up, supervise instrument cases during sets, hang out with your ACWE friends, and listen to some of the other great bands Austin has to offer!

Come join us at Sunfield Texas community in Buda for an Independence Day patriotic concert.

Come visit our Independence Day celebration at Covenant United Methodist Church.

Hello all great current, former, and new members of ACWE!

ACWE is hosting a Masterclass on Zoom with West Virginia band director and music educator, Jim Allder, on Tuesday, April 6 at 7:30PM. Please join us!

James R. Allder is a Grammy Quarterfinalist Music Educator and Director of Bands at Greenbrier East High School in Lewisburg, WV. His school rock band program “2nd Block Rock” is recognized as an innovative addition to the instrumental music curriculum, providing educational and performance opportunities for students who may not be in traditional ensembles.

Read more about Jim Allder

Getting our emails or sharing the ACWE calendar? Read the COMMUNICATIONS page to learn how!

Hello all great current, former, and new members of ACWE!

The Austin Community College music department has relocated to the Highland Mall campus. Come hear professors Steven Sodders and Albert Lo help us with rehearsal and practice techniques, and show us the new ACC location and how it enhances the musical experience.

ACWE is hosting a Masterclass on Zoom on Tuesday, February 16 at 7:30PM!  Please join us!

View the recording here: https://youtu.be/9iLekzimGsg

Dr. Steven Sodders has been a member of the Department of Music faculty at Austin Community College since 1996, where he coordinates the Jazz and Theory/Composition programs, directs the top Jazz Ensemble, and teaches Theory, Sight Singing-Ear Training and Applied Composition.

Dr. Sodders is lead trombonist in the Republic of Texas Big Band, and his compositions have been premiered throughout the United States and in Europe.

Read more about Dr. Sodders.

Dr. Albert Lo is the Director of Instrumental Music Ensembles at the Austin Community College District and the resident Conductor/Artistic Director for the Valley Wind Symphony.

In addition to his career as a music educator in the public schools, Dr. Lo was a brass instructor and Caption Head for the nationally renowned Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He is currently an adjudicator for Drum Corps International, Music for All, Texas University Interscholastic League, as well as other Judges’ Associations throughout the United States and Asia.

Read more about Dr. Lo

Zoom information is provided by e-mail to members of the ACWE mail list, and in the shared ACWE calendar.

Getting our emails or sharing the ACWE calendar? Read the COMMUNICATIONS page to learn how!

Supercharge your practice sessions!

A 'silver lining' to the current pandemic is the ability for increased practice time, but how to spend it?

ACWE is hosting a Masterclass on Zoom with Austin area performing musician and teacher, Michael Melinger, on Tuesday, March 9 at 7:30PM. Please join us!

Click here to watch the video

This session will provide practice tools for both new and experienced players, jazz-focused or not, to help you maximize your progress on your instrument.  The first section will focus on the Cycle of 5ths and why it should be the cornerstone of your foundational studies, as well as a list of 35 exercises you can incorporate now.

The second section focuses more specifically on jazz improvisation, starting with Seven Concepts for Successful Improvisation and progressing to a Guide Tone Analysis on three Blues Progression Types: Standard, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane.  
The third section will be Q&A, and everyone is encouraged to join in!

Materials used during the clinic:

• 7 concepts for improvisation (PDF)
• Circle of fifths (PNG)
• Guide Tone Analysis, Three Blues (PDF)
• Cycle of fifths foundational exercises (PDF)

Michael Melinger has performed with the Austin Jazz Workshop since 1994 and with the High Island Hepcats since 1989. He received a Master in Jazz Studies/Saxophone Performance Degree from the University of North Texas in 1992. He earned a Bachelor in Music Performance/ Saxophone from the University of Oregon in 1987. Melinger’s discography includes Take to the Sky (2000), Basin Street Stomp (2002), Anything Goes (Fall 2003), Big Boss Tenor (Fall 2005), Mystery Note (September 2009), Epistrophy (April 2017), all with the Austin Jazz Workshop, and Too Hep to Hop (Spring 2003) with the High Island Hepcats.

Read more about Michael Melinger

Getting our emails or sharing the ACWE calendar? Read the COMMUNICATIONS page to learn how!

Hello all great current, former, and new members of ACWE!

ACWE is hosting a Masterclass on Zoom with Austin area performing musician, teacher and ethnomusicologist Paul Klemperer on Tuesday, February 23 at 7:30PM.  Please join us!

Paul will share experiences about the importance of music in our communities, and reinforce the idea that music is for everyone. While there is a real value in striving for technical excellence, it is not the only thing we should focus on. We must encourage players at all levels to deepen their understanding of the impact they have in their communities through their music.

Paul Klemperer discovered jazz at an early age, sneaking into smokey clubs by age 13.  He studied with jazz legends and worked with a long list of Texas artists including Marcia Ball, Doyle Bramhall, Delbert McClinton, Seth Walker, Nick Curran, Graham Reynolds and many more.  As a bandleader, Paul performs in Texas regularly, and tours internationally.

Paul teaches private and group classes in clarinet, saxophone, flute, as well as classical and jazz theory.  He also gives workshops, masterclasses, and lecture demos on issues in contemporary music and culture.

Read more about Paul Klemperer

Zoom information is provided in advance by e-mail to members of the ACWE mail list, and in the shared ACWE calendar.

Getting our emails or sharing the ACWE calendar? Read the COMMUNICATIONS page to learn how!

 

Join us at the Performing Arts Center at Anderson High School for our Spring 2020 program with guest artist Steve Wottrich.

The AUSTIN CIVIC WIND ENSEMBLE performs Christmas music at Westminster. Note, the time is TBD.

The AUSTIN CIVIC WIND ENSEMBLE performs your favorite Christmas and festive holiday music at Unity Church of the Hills.

Please join us for one of Austin's most beloved traditions, the lighting of the Zilker Tree in Zilker Park.

Our first Fall concert will occur after the Trunk or Treat Halloween Fest at Covenant United Methodist Church.

Please join us for a concert of patriotic music and Americana. We will begin shortly after the neighborhood parade at approximately 10:00am Milwood Community Picnic Balcones Park at the corner of Duval and Amherst

Join us for a spring concert of animal-inspired music, Saturday May 18th at 5.00pm 

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble hosts the 14th annual Texas Community Music Festival. Visit http://tcmfestival.com/ to learn more about TCMF.

Join us for a Christmas concert at Westminster.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble kicks off the holiday season in Austin with the annual lighting of the Zilker Holiday Tree. For more information, see Zilker Holiday Tree.

Join us for a concert of familiar music on Saturday, October 20th. This concert features the music of Wagner, Williams, and others.

Please join us for a concert of marches familiar and unfamiliar, as well as other patriotic favorites and the 1812 Overture.  

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble presents Asian and Asian-inspired music for the Spring, 2018 concert season. Selections feature Robert W. Smith's Rising Dragons, Michael Boo's Dragon Boat Festival and other works of Japan, China and Korea.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble presents Asian and Asian-inspired music for the Spring, 2018 concert season. Selections feature Robert W. Smith's Rising Dragons, Michael Boo's Dragon Boat Festival and other works of Japan, China and Korea.

Join us for a concert of holiday and Christmas music.

The Zilker Tree stands 155 feet tall and is composed of 39 streamers, each holding 81 multicolored, 25-watt bulbs - totaling 3,309 lights. The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble provides festive entertainment. More concert details at acwe.org/holiday17

Join us for a concert of Latin American music on Friday, October 20th. This concert features Caribbean music from Gershwin, Sousa and others.

Independence Day private concert for the residents of the Westminster senior living community.

1. Star Spangled Banner
2. Poet and the Peasant Overture
3. Circus Days
4. Liberty Fanfare
5. America the Beautiful
6. The Girl I Left Behind Me
7. Monkey Business
8. Shenandoah
9. Clear Track
10. Barnum and Bailey's Favorite
11. Stars and Stripes Forever

Please join us for a water themed concert featuring The Fountains of Rome by Respighi, In Storm and Sunshine by Heed, Dancing on Water by Ticheli, Water Fanfare by Spaniola and Sea Chanteys by Hoehne.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble performs your favorite Christmas music at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, 2200 Justin Lane, Sunday, December 11th. 5:00 PM. Selections for this concert were chosen from the following list:

• A Christmas Festival, Leroy Anderson
• Minor Alterations: Christmas Through the Looking Glass, David Lovrien
• The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), Mel Torme and Robert Wells, arr. John Cacavas
• Cantique de Noel, Adolphe Adam, arr. Harold L. Walters
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, arr. Douglas E. Wagner
• Patapan, arr. Tom Wallace
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Albert Hague, arr. Larry Clark
• Fantasy on a Bell Carol, Edward J. Madden
• Jingle Bells Forever, J. Pierpont, John Philip Sousa, arr. Robert W. Smith
• Do You Hear What I Hear? Regney, Shayne, Towne, Kent and Jones, arr. John Cacavas
• Russian Christmas Music, Alfred Reed
• Baby, It's Cold Outside, Frank Loesser, arr. John Moss
• Sleigh Ride, Leroy Anderson

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble performs at Covenant United Methodist Church Saturday, October 29 at 6:00PM.  From 4:00 to 6:--PM Covenant will have their No Fear Halloween activities.

Read more about our fall program on the Fall 2016 Concert Season page.

Please join us for a concert of patriotic music and Americana. We will begin shortly after the neighborhood parade at approximately 10:00am Millwood Community Picnic Balcones Park at the corner of Duval and Amherst

Please join us Friday, July 1st at 7:30pm for a concert of patriotic music and Americana at St. Louis Catholic Church, 7601 Burnet Road.

Que viva España! Our spring concert series starts at the Daugherty Arts Center on Friday, May 6th, at 7:30pm Our Spring, 2016 concerts invoke a Spanish theme and feature the Symphony No. 3 "Don Quixote" by Robert W. Smith

Special Christmas concert for the residents of Westminster.

This concert, on December 14, 2013, featured the Finale from Saint-Seans Symphony No. 3, the "Organ" Symphony.