Arts in Action: Wind Symphony blows away audience with concert lineups

by Megan Deets

The Wind Symphony, also called band, is a large group of woodwind instruments along with brass and percussion instruments, omitting stringed instruments generally. The winds are positioned in the front with the brass in the middle and the percussion the farthest from the conductor.

The Wind Symphony at Cedarville is made up of 79 students, over half of which are non-music majors. These students play in many important services on campus, including the Veteran’s Day chapel, graduation ceremonies and Christmas chapel, conducted by Dr. Thomas White. The members of the Wind Symphony work hard at one-hour rehearsals three times a week led by Dr. Chet Jenkins, the full-time director since 2017.

“Dr. Jenkins is really good at running rehearsals,” said Sarah Pierce, a sophomore flutist. “He gets something done in three minutes.”

Johanna Brunsberg, a senior music education major and flutist, also attested to Jenkins’s success as the director. 

“Dr. Jenkins is a huge part of what makes rehearsals so enjoyable,” Brunsberg said. “He is one-of-a-kind, efficient, funny and loves the Lord. He pushes us to do our best and constantly reminds us that he believes in us.”

One challenge the musicians face in rehearsals is practicing without everyone present due to conflicts with rehearsal times. This makes it harder to learn pieces quickly because the group needs to practice together to achieve a unified sound. 

“We individually can play our parts, but we have to blend together,” Brunsberg said.

The Wind Symphony’s uniqueness stems from its incorporation of pieces from a variety of genres including classical, folk and film arrangements. For the fall concert this semester, Nord’s favorite piece was the Symphony No. 2, “The Road is Life” by James David. The piece is influenced by different geographical locations across the United States.

“It’s very pilgrimatic,” Nord said. 

Jenkins also explained the significance of Symphony No. 2 to the Wind Symphony’s fall concert. His desire was to use the piece as a metaphor for the journey that each of us has in life. 

“That developed into that subtheme of looking at “The Road is Life” through a different prism,” Jenkins said.

On top of the journey of life, Jenkins wanted to use the fall concert to explore what the expression of grief through music looks like. This theme developed as his mentor Mike DiCuirci, who directed Cedarville’s band symphony for 37 years, went through a major heart surgery. Performing Symphony No. 2 in the fall concert became deeply meaningful for those performing the piece.

Playing in the Wind Symphony is meaningful beyond the music, allowing music majors to prepare for their careers. The band also caters to non-music majors who want a chance to do something they love outside of their career path. 

“As someone who wants to be a band director after I graduate, it’s a really good experience,” Nord said.

Auditions for the Wind Symphony involve playing four small sections of larger musical pieces. Three of the excerpts are at an intermediate level, and one is difficult. Jenkins includes a difficult piece to see how advanced some of the musicians are.

“For brass players, it usually has something to do with range. For woodwind players, it has to do with fast techniques,” Jenkins said. 

Despite the variety of majors in Wind Symphony, there is a strong community among the musicians. 

“Within the flute section, we often make small talk and share jokes, and I know other sections have that same friendly energy,” Brunsberg said.

Each section, from flutes to trombones to percussion, fosters community while eating section dinners together. Section leaders enhance community by providing guidance to those who may have less experience when they lead individual section rehearsals every three weeks. 

“It’s just really fun to be in a group where everyone’s really dedicated to the music,” Pierce said.

The Wind Symphony influences the lives of the musicians involved, but the goal is to have a godly impact on the audience, showcase the band’s servitude. For Nord, the low-pressure environment of the Wind Symphony has made music both enjoyable and meaningful. For Brunsberg, she hopes that her audience understands the deeper meaning and purpose behind the music: to glorify God. 

“My hope is that people leave each concert not just entertained, but blessed and uplifted by the music and the spirit behind it,” Brunsberg said.

Check the Cedarville University calendar to watch the Wind Symphony perform throughout the Spring 2026 semester. 

Megan Deets is a freshman Professional Writing and Information Design student. Some of the things that she loves are new notebooks, fresh fruit and musicals. 

Photos by Katlynn Rossignol