Austin Civic Wind Ensemble

07/05/2025

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07/05/2025

Despite the rain, the show still went on at Balcones Park for our July 4 morning performance. The rain didn't keep the audience away either. Thanks to everyone who came out. Milwood Neighborhood Association

07/04/2025

Our concert for this evening at Rattan Creek has been cancelled due to standing water in the park and calls for more rain.

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06/24/2025

* * PLEASE NOTE: The 6:30 CONCERT AT RATTAN CREEK PARK HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER * *

05/31/2025

One of the great men of the wind band world, Col. Arnald Gabriel turns 100 years old today. For 21 years he was the conductor of the US Air Force Band.

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05/25/2025

50 years ago today, on May 25, 1975, ACWE played its first concert at Wooldridge Square Park in downtown Austin. Last weekend we celebrated 50 years of ACWE with a pair of concerts. Here is video of the concert from Bates Recital Hall on the UT campus.

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble 50th anniversary concert at Bates Recital Hall at the University of Texas at Austin, May 17, 2025. Robert Laguna, conductor, R...

05/22/2025

50th anniversary after concert photos

05/22/2025

Some more photos from our 50th anniversary concerts last weekend.

05/13/2025

This coming weekend we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble. ACWE played its first concert on May 25, 1975, at Wooldridge Square Park in downtown Austin. The concert was broadcast at a later date on K*T radio. The band had been recruiting players since the previous fall and had been rehearsing since February. It was a small group performing at that first concert, and for many of them, it would be their only concert with ACWE. One member from that first concert was Marilyn Good. She was very helpful in getting ACWE going and later went on to be part of the startup of the Austin Symphonic Band. Another member from that first concert, Karl Schuster, stayed with ACWE for more than 20 years, well outlasting other members who played with ACWE in its first two years.

ACWE performs Saturday, May 17, 5:00pm at Bates Recital Hall on the UT campus and Sunday, May 18, 5:00pm at Covenant United Methodist Church. The concerts will feature music performed on the very first ACWE concert as well as former ACWE director Rick Glascock leading the band in Wagner's Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral. The Saturday concert will be followed by a public reception. We hope to see you there!

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05/11/2025

This day in ACWE History two significant events occurred.

On May 11, 1985, ACWE hosted the Spring Music Festival at the Zilker Hillside Theatre, the largest and most elaborate event produced by ACWE during its first decade. Besides ACWE, the event featured the Mathews Community School Swing Band Workshop led by Stan Beard, the Austin Horn Society, and a brass quintet called Quintessence.

Last year on May 11, ACWE entered KMFA’s Draylin Mason Studio to record the Lord of the Rings Symphony by Johan de Meij. Making a professional recording was certainly a first for ACWE. More importantly, performing a large-scale work like this realized a major aspect of Robert Laguna's vision for the band, to go “full court.” Special thanks to Nancy Middlebrook for helping make the recording at KMFA happen.

Please come celebrate ACWE's 50th anniversary with us. Two special concerts will be Saturday, May 17, 5:00pm at Bates Recital Hall on the UT campus and Sunday, May 18, 5:00pm at Covenant United Methodist Church. The concerts will feature music performed on the very first ACWE concert as well as former ACWE director Rick Glascock leading the band in Wagner's Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral.

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04/30/2025

The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble has been in tune with Austin since 1975. In addition to providing free concerts throughout the year, the band also performs annually at the Zilker Park Christmas Tree lighting and 4th of July celebrations. Please consider donating $50 for 50 years of ACWE. Your tax-deductible gift will help cover the ensemble's annual expenses for things such as rental of concert venues, rehearsal space, and new literature. Your generosity is much appreciated! https://acwe.org/content/become-sponsor-our-50th-anniversary-season

https://youtu.be/7d4UCuvpNtM?si=1iQ2A-Aj25g5qFX8

04/29/2025

On this day, April 29, 2006, the first Texas Community Music Festival kicked off. TCMF was the brainchild of Herb Holland, who still runs the festival along with Kathleen Brotherton. That first year TCMF took place over 4 days. This year's festival wrapped up a couple weeks ago, running over 10 days, featuring hundreds of musicians and attracting thousands of people.