Sugar Land Winds
A premiere wind ensemble
The Ensemble
The Sugar Land Winds is a sixty-five piece semi-professional wind ensemble. The group is comprised of band directors, private teachers and a few non-professional ex-band students. Members in the group are largely from Fort Bend ISD and Lamar CISD in Rosenberg. Other districts included are Katy ISD, Cypress Fairbanks ISD, Alief ISD and Brazosport ISD. A retired member of the Houston Symphony has also
performed with the group.
About Us
The ensemble began rehearsals in September of 2016. The group rehearses once a
week at Clements High School in Sugar Land. The emphasis is to rehearse and
perform major works for band. The conductors use this forum to educate young
directors about literature and ensemble techniques they may apply with their own
school groups. This allows the band directors an opportunity to ask questions and
learn while performing.
The past season the ensemble has performed three concerts. The inaugural concert
was in December, 2016 at Clements High School. The second concert was held at
George Ranch high School in Lamar CISD. This took place after the TMEA/UIL
Region 13 end of year meeting. This concert featured Dr. Matthew McInturf ,
Director of Bands at SHSU as guest conductor. The last concert of the season was
held at Houston Baptist University in conjunction with the Clements HS Band and
Orchestra. These concerts featured works by Persichetti, Holst, Bernstein, Brahms
and other major composers.
The Sugar Land Winds is completely non-profit. Members are charged no fees for
membership and no conductor is compensated in any fashion. The group relies on
donations to cover music and expenses. Plans are underway to bring in more guest conductors and soloists. Dr. Shauna Thompson, the flute professor at TCU, has agreed to perform next season with the group.
The Sugar Land Winds is the only concert band in the Sugar Land area. This group
fulfills a long overdue need in the community of Sugar Land. Sugar Land has grown
not only in population but culturally as well. The opening of a major concert hall in
the city coupled with the surrounding school districts commitment to fine arts
makes this the perfect place for a group such as the Sugar Land Winds to flourish.