WATCH: Central Florida Winds to Present ‘Winds Across Time’ at Suntree United Methodist Church Feb. 22

Performance is free!

WATCH: The Central Florida Winds will carry audiences on a musical journey spanning more than a century and a half when they present Winds Across Time on Sunday, February 22, at 3 p.m.  The performance will be held at Suntree United Methodist Church, 7400 N. Wickham Road in North Melbourne.

BREVARD COUNTY • SUNTREE, FLORIDA – The Central Florida Winds will carry audiences on a musical journey spanning more than a century and a half when they present Winds Across Time on Sunday, February 22, at 3 p.m.

The performance will be held at Suntree United Methodist Church, 7400 N. Wickham Road in North Melbourne.

The afternoon program showcases compositions written over a 161-year period, highlighting the evolution and enduring power of wind band music. Selections range from Hector Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, composed in 1844, to Nathan Tanouye’s jazzy Kokopelli’s Dance from 2005.

Among the featured works is Dmitri Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2 from 1938, known for its blend of light charm and prominent saxophone and trombone passages. Eric Whitacre’s Sleep offers a dreamy and mystical contrast.

A standout moment is expected to be Julius Fučík’s 1910 polka comique, The Grumbly Old Bear, which showcases the bassoon’s agility and resonance. The piece will be performed by 92-year-old bassoonist David Borst, a treasured member of the ensemble. Additional musical selections will round out the diverse program.

The Central Florida Winds is a nonprofit, all-volunteer wind band founded in 1999. The 50-plus-member ensemble is composed of professional woodwind, brass, and percussion players, retired professional musicians, music educators, and talented high school and college students from Brevard and surrounding Central Florida counties.

Under the direction of founder and conductor Richard Sabino, the group performs free concerts featuring the classical repertoire throughout Brevard County during the fall, winter, and spring. A $10 donation is suggested at performances.

Sabino, now leading the ensemble in its 26th season, reflected on the unifying nature of music across centuries.
“What connects music through the ages is its timeless power and gifts,” Sabino said.

“It can be awe-inspiring and glorious, tender and reflective, soul-soothing and joyful. Music can make us laugh, cry, and heal, sometimes all in one unforgettable piece.”

Sabino began his musical training at age six, studying piano and trumpet. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Performance from the University of South Florida in 1973 and a Master’s Degree in Arts Administration from the University of Illinois in 1978.

His career has included arts management positions with several symphony orchestras and arts organizations across the country before returning to Melbourne in 1991 to work in financial management. He later founded the Central Florida Winds in 1999 and the Central Florida Chamber Winds in 2001.

Sabino has also appeared as a guest conductor in the United States and internationally, including performances in Ukraine, Romania, and France.

A wind band, also known as a concert band or wind ensemble, consists of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments and does not include string sections typically found in an orchestra. The Central Florida Winds continues to be an active member of the Brevard Cultural Alliance.

The February 22 concert is free and open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early for the best seating.

For more information about Winds Across Time and the Central Florida Winds, call 321-405-2359 or visit CFWinds.org.

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