The Little London Winds is Colorado Springs' premier Wind Ensemble. It was established in August 1992 by a small group of musicians who wished to play quality literature and maintain a high level of performance. The idea behind the ensemble was to gather together serious amateur musicians who enjoy working toward a high standard of performance.

The Little London Winds performs a variety of music literature from well-known favorites to newer pieces. The group has performed in concert throughout Southern Colorado as well as Raton, New Mexico. Most notably however, is the group’s wildly popular summer concert series, drawing around 600 audience members a night. The Little London Winds also has a rich history of passing on the love of music and learning by doing clinics and concerts with Colorado Springs area schools.

When the wind ensemble formed, the members wanted a name that would connect the group to the area. Before Colorado Springs decided to use the "Springs” the city was called Little London. Hence, the name Little London Winds was chosen based on history. The performers liked the fact that the name Little London Winds also reflected the wonderful tradition of band music founded by the British.

The members of the ensemble are volunteers. Membership is by audition or invitation only. At 40 members strong, the ensemble includes professional and amateur musicians from a wide variety of vocations.

The Little London Winds is a charitable organization and survives through donations from members and the generosity of our audiences. For information on how to donate to The Little London Winds, visit our website at www.LittleLondonWinds.org.

The MCC Platte Valley Festival Band (PVFB), a 501(c)(3) organization conducted by Chuck Morgan, is a full symphonic band located in Morgan County Colorado.

The current PVFB, most recently reorganized in the 1990’s, can trace its history back to 1962 when Don Barrows, the local high school music teacher, organized a concert band.  They performed frequently in the open air of the band shell at Library Park in downtown Fort Morgan, Colorado.  At that time, many rural towns in the region had bands to entertain local residents.  Today, Morgan County is the only community in northeastern Colorado, and possibly eastern Colorado, that continues this heritage.

In 2009, the PVFB joined Morgan Community College (MCC), providing additional musical opportunities for the college and the communities of northeastern Colorado.

What truly makes our organization excellent and unique is that we are musicians at heart.  Music is the common denominator that brings our diverse backgrounds together each week to provide entertainment to local appreciative audiences.

The 50+ volunteer musicians provide full band instrumentation.  Each basic section of the band (woodwinds, brass, and percussion) is represented, and the band is fortunate to have participation from those who play specialty instruments (e.g. double reeds, piano, keyboard, chimes, and tympani).

All band members are committed to serving our community by providing the best musicianship possible, and the talent level of the musicians allows for featured solo performances.  The PVFB musicians willingly travel voluntarily and play for any reasonable request in northeastern Colorado.  The band seldom turns down performance opportunities. 

We make a difference!  Our group keeps music and the arts alive at a time when these programs are struggling to survive in our local school systems.  Our outreach programs have included playing with middle schools and fledgling music programs in local schools.

Weekly practices, hosted in a facility provided by the City of Fort Morgan, are open to enthusiastic musicians of any age.  The rehearsals prepare us for 20-25 performances at year at a variety of community special events, including:

•     Spring and winter concerts
•     Glenn Miller Festival
•     Festival in the Park - Fort Morgan, CO
•     Thursdays in the Park -  Fort Morgan, CO
•     Oktoberfest - Brush, CO
•     High School & Community College graduation ceremonies
•     Christmas events: Parade of Lights, Visions of Trees, Chamber for Children, City of Fort Morgan
          Employees’ Children’s Christmas Party   
•      Joint concerts with local schools
•     Area nursing homes
•     AARP
•     Senior Citizens’ Recognition
•     Chamber of Commerce parties
•     City of Fort Morgan Employees’ picnics
•     Benefit fundraisers, walks and relays (e.g. Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk, Relay for Life)
•     Grand openings, class reunions, retirement parties

The band brings the music experience to music lovers, to people who haven’t experienced live symphonic band performances, and to those who are confined by age and health and would otherwise not have an opportunity to attend a musical performance.  The conductor keeps the music fresh and challenging while trying to match a wide variety of genres to our specific audiences.  The vast repertoire includes marches, classical to contemporary, big band sound, swing, 50’s & 60’s to present day hits, show tunes, movie selections, and television themes.

Quick facts about the MCC Platte Valley Festival Band:
•    The PVFB has a great sound (the instrumentation and level of musicianship is conducive to good blend, balance, and overall tone).
•    The band is comprised of approximately 50 volunteer serious musicians who support one another.
•    No one is ever turned away.  All skill levels are welcome, because the seasoned musicians mentor the new and young musicians.
•    Skill levels range from intermediate students to professional and doctoral musicians.
•    Participants range in age from middle school to 80+.
•    The band is comprised of students, teachers, self-employed, professionals, and retirees.
•    Members sometimes travel as far as 60 miles to participate.
•    Multiple family members and even entire families join the MCC Platte Valley Festival Band.
•    College students often return during summer months to perform with the band, including several that have majored in music.
•    The band member’s loyalty, commitment, camaraderie, and music provide a unique bond.  Band members simply make music toget

The MCC PVFB’s increasing numbers, both in members and audiences, prove that through music, band is a lifelong “team sport” that doesn’t stop after graduation from school.  The noticeable toe-tapping and general positive atmosphere of PVFB audiences, young and old alike is proof that the PVFB has uplifted spirits and connected with audiences in a way that only music can do.

Anyone who would like to join The MCC Platte Valley Festival Band is invited to come to the weekly practices, held on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. at the Senior Citizen Center, 110 Sherman St., Fort Morgan, Colorado.  The Platte Valley Festival Band is open to any enthusiastic musician without an audition.

Please contact us at http://pvband.webchuckhosting.com.

The Mile High Community Band is located in Edgewater, Colorado, USA. We welcome musicians of all ages, teen through adult, in school, working, or retired, of all levels of accomplishment.

Our mission is to provide rewarding music education and performance opportunities for youth and adults at all skill levels.

We encourage families to join, with parents and children learning and playing together. If your child's music education program at public school has been drastically reduced or cut all together, consider the Mile High Community Band.

Established in 1937 as the Denver Junior Police Band, our group has a long heritage of providing music instruction, leadership training, technical discipline and performance opportunities. Known as the Mile High Community Band since 2001, we are determined to uphold the strong traditions originally established by the original DJP band. Our organization provides consistent, high quality music instruction and performance opportunities for all members of our communities, young and old, experienced and not.

The Mile High Community Band accommodates all levels of playing, from beginning through highly advanced. If you play an instrument - or played one in the past - or would like to learn to play one - Mile High Community Band is for you. We have members of all ages, teen through adult - in school, working, and retired.

The Southern Colorado Community Band was organized in April of 1995 by Ron Cross of Cross Music Company in Canon City, Colorado to participate in the annual Canon City Music and Blossom Festival Parade.  Over the years, the organization has developed into a Concert Band and has performed numerous concerts in Fremont, Chafee and Pueblo Counties.  The goal of the Southern Colorado Community Band is to provide community members an artistic outlet for their musical abilities through the performance of quality instrumental literature at regularly schedule public events. 

   
The Southern Colorado Community Band currently has a membership of 55 regular participants.  Musiciansparticipating in the band range in ages from teenagers to senior citizens and includes professionals from all walks of life, retired community members, professional musicians, college music graduates, and high school / college musicians. 
     

The Southern Colorado Community Band has established a scholarship fund to award two college scholarships per year to graduating high school seniors who will be pursuing a degree in music education.  To date, the band has awarded 16 scholarships. The band has performed at the Fremont Center For The Arts "Art On The Arkansas", The Canon City and Florence Chamber of Commerce "Entertainment In The Park" summer series, the Westcliffe “In Concert” series, guest ensemble for the Tri Peaks League Honor Band, joint concerts with the Pueblo Municipal Band, The CSU-Pueblo University Wind Ensemble and Canon City & Florence High School Bands, as well as additional community sponsored events.

    The band is under the direction of Mike Nolan. Mr. Nolan retired from teaching in the spring of 2011 after 31 years as a music educator.  He was the Band and Performing Arts Director at Florence High School in Florence, Colorado for 29 years. He is a current member of CMEA, MENC and the Colorado Bandmasters Association, and has served as president on the board of directors for the Canon City Music and Blossom Festival.

The Northern Colorado Concert Band was established in the fall of 1980. We are a traditional concert band made up of adult amateur musicians representing the northern Colorado area. We rehearse in the Windsor High School band room, but our members come from Bellevue, Fort Collins, Eaton, Evans, Greeley, Loveland, Milliken and Windsor. The Band is active from September to May, with rehearsals every Monday evening and 4 to 6 performances during the season. Our concerts have been given at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, at Foundation Hall and Union Colony Civic Center in Greeley, at countless junior high and high schools in northern Colorado, at various churches and centers and even at several outdoor venues. Mr. Bert Aquirre has been leading the Band since 2007. www.northerncoloradoconcertband.org

Corps

High Country Brass is Colorado’s only all-age drum and bugle corps. Based in the
Denver metropolitan area, the corps was formed in 2004 when several individuals
wanted to continue their drum corps experience beyond the age restrictions of
junior corps competition. The Corps’ initial performances included exhibitions at
local events and parades, which led to their first of many performances at Drums
Along the Rockies in 2005.

This year marks the second season High Country Brass is competing against
other DCA all-age drum corps. In addition to local performances at Drums Along
the Rockies, HCB will travel to competitions in Minnesota and to the DCA World
Championships in New York this summer.

As an all-age drum and bugle corps, High Country Brass has members aged 15 to
nearly 60, all of whom have a passion and commitment to music, marching and
drum corps. Corps members come with a rich and varied experience with many
members having performed with junior corps including Denver’s very own Blue
Knights, Santa Clara Vanguard, Blue Devils, Troopers, Sky Ryders, and more!

For more information about High Country Brass, please visit their website at
www.highcountrybrass.org.

2011 Show

In the turbulent period of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the nation experienced a
musical revolution that began with the counter-culture movement. At the height of
the movement, 500,000 people assembled at the Woodstock Music Festival for three
days of peace, love, and music.

From this rebellious time period, a new band – Blood, Sweat & Tears emerged on
the scene melding rock and blues with horn arrangements and improvisation. The
band was a hit with the audience who liked the innovative fusion of jazz with acid
rock and psychedelia.

The High Country Brass program for 2011 features the music of Blood, Sweat &
Tears against a background of colorful images of the time period.

Our show opens with a fanfare featuring two Blood, Sweat & Tears
favorites: “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” and “Lucretia Mac Evil.” We continue
with the softer sounds of “Sometimes in Winter” and then the hard hitting tune “Go
Down Gamblin’.”Our finale wraps up with a reprise of “You’ve Made Me So Very
Happy.”

Brass arrangements are by Frank Dorritie and percussion arrangements by David
Evans.

High Country Brass Drum and Bugle Corps
2011 Corps and Show Descriptions

High Country Brass Staff for 2011

Corps Director: Tom Cowden

Visual Design: Bobby Jones

Brass Instruction and Conductor: Doug Harris

Drumline Instruction: Todd Carrasco

Front Ensemble Instruction: David Evans

Color Guard Instruction: Lisa Cowden and Jenn Carrasco