Valley Winds In Concert

The Valley Winds will present a concert at 7 p.m. on May 22 at the Eastview High School Performing Arts Center, 6200 140th St. W., Apple Valley. This is the concert band’s second performance after being organized in November.

The 65-member ensemble will perform a variety of contemporary and classic wind band literature during the free concert.

Dr. Jerry Luckhardt, band director at the University of Minnesota, will guest conduct Rest by Frank Ticheli. Luckhardt also conducts the Medalist Concert Band of Bloomington. Valley Winds associate conductor and co-founder Matt Gullickson will conduct The Wilderness by Rossano Galante. Gullickson directs bands at Eastview. Persuasion, by Sammy Nestico, will feature Valley Winds principal saxophonist Vicki Reuter Haack. Haack also serves as the Wind’s vice president.

Principal Conductor and Valley Winds Artistic Director, Tedd Gullickson, says the audience can expect an exciting performance. “The Winds will be performing music by Vincent Persichetti and Stephen Melillo, along with the spiritual, Let Us Break Bread Together,” he says . “As a special feature, music from Puccini’s opera Turandot will conclude the concert.”

Gullickson continues, “Even though the Valley Winds is a new ensemble, they are already recognized as an outstanding performance group. They are an amazing group to work with, wonderful people and amazing musicians.”