Maryland Chamber Winds

Hailed as “musical in every good way and clearly defined in performance,” Maryland Chamber Winds, or MCW, is a modular, professional wind ensemble of fourteen musicians who perform in flexible combinations of instrumentation ranging from small chamber pieces to works for the full ensemble. Founded in 2015, MCW enriches western Maryland through high-quality performances of wind chamber music, educational programming, community engagement, and commissioning projects. MCW aims to develop its community by presenting performances in both traditional and non-traditional spaces. They have received grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, Frederick Arts Council, Washington County Arts Council, The Community Foundation of Washington County, Nora Roberts Foundation, and The Delaplaine Foundation.

Leaders in western Maryland’s chamber music scene, MCW hosts the annual Maryland Wind Festival each June. Performing throughout Frederick and Hagerstown, MCW is able to offer free performances as part of their annual series. Regular partnerships with the Washington County Public Schools and the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts allow them to offer masterclasses and chamber music workshops to area students. MCW has been invited to present storytime concerts at local libraries and provide performances for retirement communities.

In addition to preserving the standard repertoire, MCW aims to support the growth and awareness of new music through engaging with composers. Over the past five years, they have premiered over 15 new compositions, transcriptions, or arrangements for chamber winds. MCW has been fortunate to commission composers Molly Joyce, Kris McCormick, Michael Mogensen, Cassie Wieland, and Theo Chandler as Composer-in-Residence during their annual Festival.

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