by Kelly Rogge
A local music ensemble that formed a partnership with Kansas City Kansas Community College for its most recent performance season will be on stage once again this week.
The Midwest Winds, a civic wind ensemble in the Kansas City area, is dedicated to enhancing the musical arts as well as educating young musicians. Founded in 2002 by Pam Kelly, Heather Pickett and Jodie Lin, the group performs high quality wind ensemble and band literature through four concerts each season.
The ensemble’s next concert is at 7:30 p.m. March 11 at the KCKCC Performing Arts Center, 7250 State Ave. Admission is free.
Conducted by Jodie Lin, Midwest Winds is involved in the community through a variety of different activities. In addition to concerts, Midwest Winds co-sponsors and contributes to musical scholarships for students, performs joint concerts with other local ensembles and groups, co-sponsors conducting clinics that help to guide young musicians, commissions new music and sponsors conducting competitions.
Lin graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. She was a band director for more than 10 years and served for three years as assistant principal at Rosedale Middle School. Currently, she is the Fine Arts Coordinator for the Kansas City, Kansas School District and performs with the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra as well as with national acts such as Mannheim Steamroller. The members of Midwest Winds are band directors, music educators and other advanced students.
For more information on Midwest Winds, visit www.midwestwinds.org.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.