Many, many thanks to everyone who came to hear our August 27th concert! You may remember that we announced that this was the inaugural concert of “The August Winds,” even though many of you saw us perform in the summer of 2010. Here’s the history of our 11-year-old quintet:
The five members of the August Winds originally met as freshmen at Indiana University. The quintet was originally formed to fulfill a chamber music requirement for all music performance majors. After one semester of “quinteting,” we were having so much fun that we signed up again…and again…and again. Seven semesters of chamber music rehearsals made us close friends; where one member of the quintet was, the rest were not far behind. We shared apartments, bonded over concerts good and bad, and the bassoonist even married the flutist!
After we all completed our Bachelor of Music degrees, we went our separate ways for grad school. In 2010, our schedules aligned and we were able reunite to present an Astraios program at the Abbey of St. Walburga. Despite the fact that we had been in existence since 2000 and had only ever had one personnel change (Marianne Shifrin joined us our senior year at IU), we had never been able to come up with a name. We tried names in other languages, considered “The High Lonesome Winds” and tossed around the “THE Quintet” or “The Nameless Quintet.” It was only in the summer of 2011 that we finally thought of and settled on “The August Winds.”
Now that we’ve presented two Astraios concerts, discovered that we sound even better now than we did as undergrads, AND actually named ourselves, we think it’s time to make ourselves a permanent performing ensemble. The August Winds are currently preparing to compete in the prestigious Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. Wish us luck! We hope to be back in Colorado soon.
