The 2nd season of MBI Winds kicks-off Saturdays in November at University Baptist Church in Dinkytown.
As is part of the Minnesota Brass tradition, MBI Winds is an independent group and is open to all ages. If you have marching experience and play any of these instruments, we want to hear from you!
Read MoreThe season kicked off with a bang at the Premiere show when MBI performers came onto the floor veiled in yellow raincoats. They took them off to reveal a full Pennywise costume from IT. The theme was hugely popular, and the guard produced a “Who is IT?” post to showcase performers who you wouldn’t otherwise recognize in their costumes & makeup. MBI Winter Guard finished 19th in Independent Open at Dayton, Ohio.
Celebrating its 15th year in 2023, MBI Indoor Percussion competed both locally and nationally. The season culminated with MBI being a WGI Semi-Finalist in Dayton, OH and placing 17th in Percussion Independent World (PIW) competition – MBI’s highest placement in a decade. The 2023 production was titled “Fade to Black” and featured the ensemble fading in and out of both visual and musical textures ending as the members literally fading away and disappearing into the all-black set pieces. “Hang my head, drown my fear, til they all just disappear.” This lyrics were heard in the last moments of the show as MBI played “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden.
“Hello!” was the perfect introduction for the debut of our new WGI Winds ensemble. 20 talented horn players came together to create a vibrant program that entertained audiences. The initial season definitely opened new doors for the growing WGI Winds class, especially at home in Minnesota. MBI Winds finished in 4th place in Independent Open in Dayton, Ohio.
Thanks again to all who donated to our winter ensembles. Minnesota Brass is committed to providing a quality performance experience to our members while trying to reduce costs as much as possible. We couldn’t do it without you!
MBI Winds welcomes all interested hornline players to a free clinic from 3-4pm at the Champlain Park High School gymnasium. Come experience first hand how indoor winds is different from outdoor marching band. MBI Winds is an all-age and all-instrument ensemble, all are welcome!
30 minutes of moving and 30 minutes of playing. We’ll supply the required music & stands. At the end we’ll play a warm-up piece together before dismissing.
Let us know you’re coming and what instrument you play so we can prepare the appropriate materials:
Wednesday, December 28th 3-4PM @
Champlin Park High School (Enter on the south side of the school, off of Oxbow Creek Dr, directly into the gymnasium)
6025 109th Ave N,
Champlin, MN 55316
The first edition of MBI Winds aims to make a great introduction, a stellar first impression, and turn a chance encounter into a lasting relationship. The 2023 edition of MBI Winds presents: Hello!
Hello is an appropriate introduction of this new ensemble to the world… but it’s more. Think about chance encounters you’ve had that may have changed the trajectory of your life. A greeting is just the beginning…
Musical selections include songs by these popular artists to tell our story:
As it turns out, Monday, November 21st is World Hello Day. It started with an idea in 1973 as an effort to avoid conflict and preserve peace through personal communication. The goal is simple: say “hello” to 10 or more people on that day. As we reconnect coming out of a global pandemic, this lesson seems as appropriate today as it did almost 50 years ago.
We encourage you to say “hello” on Monday, November 21st, and then again to our members and staff when you see MBI Winds at show near you.
There’s still a few openings at MBI Winds in the following sections: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Baritone, and Tuba.
Minnesota Brass was founded on an idea of all-age pageantry and that holds true with Independent Winds. But winds offers the opportunity for all instruments – even if it’s been a while since you’ve played, most accomplished high school and college musicians will find that the muscle memory of these instruments is still there, we’ll help you dust it off!
If you are interested you can get information here: https://mnbrass.org/winds/join/ or contact justin@mnbrass.org.
It’s sure to be a great time as we compete both locally and nationally:
For over 75 years Minnesota Brass has been the home for brass players to continue their marching careers after marching band and junior corps. WGI Winds presents an opportunity for brass and woodwind players to perform in an indoor environment during the winter.
As is part of the Minnesota Brass tradition, MBI Winds is an independent group and is open to all ages.
Staff for this new ensemble includes:
Our instructional staff is coming in with a growth mindset. MBI Winds is a piece of a bigger puzzle to make winds a thing in Minnesota. We’ll be joining River Valley Sound and Maverick Machine Winds in Minnesota Percussion Association competitions. And this is just the beginning…
After MPA finals we’ll travel to Dayton, Ohio to compete on the national stage. Member dues will include travel to Dayton, hotel stay, and tickets to WGI world class percussion finals.
The season kicks off on Saturday, November 5th, 9am at Westwood Intermediate School in Blaine. People of all levels of previous marching experience are welcome to attend. Register today and you’ll receive more information about MBI Winds. We look forward to this new tradition at Minnesota Brass.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
