New Mexico Winds to perform at UNM-Gallup

Independent Staff

The University of New Mexico Woodwind Quintet will perform in a free concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday at UNM-Gallup. [Courtesy Photo]

GALLUP — The New Mexico Winds, a woodwind quintet from the University of New Mexico, will perform in a free concert this week in Gallup.

The concert, which is the second performance in UNM-Gallup's Fall Cultural Series, will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19 in the Calvin Hall Auditorium at UNM-Gallup.

The New Mexico Winds originated in 1984 as a faculty Ensemble-in-Residence in the Department of Music at the University of New Mexico. It is comprised of the woodwind and horn faculty at the University of New Mexico: Keith Lemmons, Professor of Clarinet and Presidential Teaching Fellow; Kevin Vignean, Associate Professor of Oboe; Valerie Potter, Associate Professor of Flute; Susie Fritts, Assistant Professor of Horn; and Dennis Regg Turner, Instructor of Bassoon.

The faculty members of the quintet combine distinguished teaching careers with active solo, chamber music and orchestral performances, having held positions in chamber ensembles and orchestras throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada, South America and the United States. Individual solo performances have taken them around the world, with concerts in Sweden, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Mexico, South America, Puerto Rico and the United States.

In addition to on-campus concerts, the quintet is active throughout New Mexico, the Southwest and the United States, presenting frequent concerts and clinics. The New Mexico Winds have been invited guest artists for the College Music Society National Conference, the International Double Reed Society conference, the New Mexico Music Educators All-State conference and at numerous universities and colleges.

The New Mexico Winds offers a variety of programs including music by Arrieu, Danzi, Cambini, Mozart, Klughardt, Beethoven, Milhaud, Sierra, Onslow, Reicha, Poulenc, Fine, Jolivet, Hindemith, Nielson, Ibert, Barber, Schuller, Paquita D'Rivera, Ligeti, Villa-Lobos and many others. Guest artists have included acclaimed pianists George Robert and Maribeth Gunning, reowned saxophonists Carrie Koffman and Eric Lam, and percussionist Scott Ney. Their most recent release is on the Centaur Classical Music label.

For more information, contact the UNM-Gallup Dean's Office at (505) 863-7679.