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Spring concert postponed, but special event planned for Wind Symphony celebration later this year

Apr 06, 2020 03:34PM ● By Josh Wood

The Utah Wind Symphony has often featured renowned soloists. (Photo courtesy of the Utah Wind Symphony)

By Joshua Wood | [email protected]

The Utah Wind Symphony has spent nearly a decade bringing a different brand of classical music to communities throughout the state. The group has performed multiple times in Cottonwood Heights. A concert scheduled for this spring was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the group plans to return in fall 2020 as part of its 10th anniversary celebration.

Comprised of wind and percussion instruments, wind symphonies offer a similar experience to larger groups like the Utah Symphony but with a unique sound. Performances typically include more offerings as each piece tends to be shorter than a traditional symphonic performance.

“The Utah Symphony is awesome, but we wanted to follow up on groups like the Dallas Wind Symphony,” said Robert Bedont, president of the Utah Wind Symphony board and principal bassoon. “Scott Hagen was the first director almost 10 years ago and it grew like wildfire after that.”

The Utah Wind Symphony will celebrate its 10th anniversary in the fall of 2020 with a special series of concerts. The performance on May 6 at Butler Middle School was to be the spring season finale. Each performance offers community residents an opportunity to witness its musicians’ talents.

In addition to larger performances like the upcoming fall event at Butler Middle School, the Utah Wind Symphony has provided music outreach services to schools and other community groups. A quintet from the wind symphony recently played at the Huntsman Cancer Institute as an example of its outreach work.

“We provide music for young students and underrepresented groups,” Bedont said. “We focus on promoting the arts and music as a service.”

Performers in the Utah Wind Symphony include professional freelance musicians, music educators from about every major university in the state, and graduates of prestigious institutions like Julliard and the Manhattan School of Music. Bedont taught high school band and is now the marketing manager for the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera.

“It’s very challenging,” said Kathy Larson, secretary and librarian of the Utah Wind Symphony board as well as its flute section leader. “It’s a little bit different kind of classical music, not mainstream.”

Performances typically feature soloists. Past soloists have included Larry Zalkind from the Trombone Eastman School of Music, international soloist Timothy McAllister of the Michigan School of Music, international trumpet soloist Allen Vizutti, and Travis Peterson, principal trumpet with the Utah Symphony.

“We’d sure love it if people would come out and hear us,” Larson said. “It’s a different form of classical music.”