ABOUT ARIZONA WINDS

The Arizona Winds is celebrating its 47th year as a West Valley cultural institution. The band’s musicians, comprised of adults from across the Valley of the Sun and representing numerous professions from music educators to engineers, homemakers to accountants, continue to share their love of music and enrich the lives of audiences throughout the state of Arizona. The Arizona Winds is a 501 C(3) non-profit organization which presents a series of six free concerts each season and depends entirely upon the generous tax-deductible contributions of its patrons to sustain the superior level of performance thousands enjoy each year.

Through the years, the band has performed under the baton of such renowned guest conductors as Geoffrey Brand of the London Wind Ensemble; A.S.C.A.P. composer William H. Hill; former Arizona State University Director of Bands Dr. Patricia Hoy; former Northern Arizona University Director of Bands Dr. Donald Wolf; and Colonel (Ret.) John R. Bourgeois, former Director of the world renowned “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band from Washington, D.C.  The band is now led by former Air Force Band Program conductor Lt Col Rich Shelton (Ret.).

The Arizona Winds is proud to have been selected to perform at the Association of Concert Bands (ACB) National Convention in Santa Fe, NM on May 6th, 2022.  Community bands from across the nation submit audition materials to participate in this prestigious gathering of musicians from around the world, and only seven groups were selected to perform, making the Arizona Winds a nationally recognized community band.