September 8, 2021 – The Santa Fe College (SF) Wind Ensemble will perform “Winds & Classics” at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, at the outdoor amphitheater on the west side of the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall at the Northwest Campus, 3000 NW 83rd Street, Gainesville. Because of safety precautions that SF is taking during the COVID-19 pandemic, the audience will be limited to 75 people. Admission is free, but tickets are required and masks are encouraged.
For tickets and information, contact the SF Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit the SF Fine Arts Showpass page.
Under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands David Smith, the 15 students in the ensemble will perform musical classics from composers whose works range from the early and mid-20th century to the present day. Smith will introduce each selection before it is performed.
“This concert marks our return to in-person performances after having to perform on video for the past year because of the pandemic,” Smith said. “Band is an outlet for many students, not just music majors, and they’ve all been diligent, adaptable and patient while they’ve learned to use new safety protocols. They’ve been willing to do whatever is necessary to be able to play music and to keep each other safe.”
Safety protocols include bags that encase the wind instruments without muffling sound and specialized facemasks that are split in the middle to enable the musicians to play. Rehearsals in the Lyceum, the renovated Building E Auditorium, have recently shifted from having band members socially distanced in audience chairs to having everyone together on the stage.
“Having all the band members on the stage helps the students feel more connected and makes the band tighter; it’s a huge difference,” Smith explained. “Our students have worked really hard to prepare for this concert in a short time, and they are thrilled to play for a live audience. We hope to see you at the concert!”
Smith is a trombonist with an academic background in jazz. He has performed with legendary jazz trombonist George Buster Cooper of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and other leading jazz artists in New York including Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Roberts, Jason Marsalis and Vincent Gardner.
“Winds and Classics” is organized and sponsored by the Santa Fe College Fine Arts and Entertainment Technology Department. For more information about the Wind Ensemble and SF bands, call David Smith at 352-395-5313.