The area of Wind Ensemble Activities at Columbus State University is directed by Dr. Robert W. Rumbelow. This area includes the CSU Wind Ensemble, the CSU Wind Orchestra, and the CSU Chamber Winds. All ensembles perform repertoire from the traditional to the cutting edge of contemporary art music. All ensembles are made up of select auditioned student members and perform on level with the finest ensembles of this type in the country.  The Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds have been invited to perform at prestigious conferences of the Georgia Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, and both regional and national gatherings of the College Band Directors National Association. Through CSU’s annual Conductors Workshop, the ensembles have hosted many guest conductors, including Frederick Fennell, Donald Hunsberger, H. Robert Reynolds, Mallory Thompson, Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Rodney Winther, Andrew Boysen, Gary Hill, Craig Kirchhoff, Hal Gibson, James Jordan, Paula Crider, Frank Battisti, Tom Lee, Jerry Junkin, and others. Guest soloists and ensembles are a vital part of the regular curriculum and have included many faculty soloists as well as nationally recognized performers such as Mikhail Yanovitsky, Marimba Yajalon, Andrew Harnsberger, Jonathan Keeble, Peter Kurau, Jens Lindemann, Joseph Alessi, John Bruce Yeh, and others. The area of Wind Ensemble Activities has also been active in several commissions and consortia including Shafer Mahoney’s Symphony in E-flat for Wind Orchestra (on the Summit recording Wind Legacy), Dorothy Chang’s Sunan Dances (on the Summit recording Journey), J.M. David’s Sinfonietta No. 1 (on the Summit recording Electric Dawn), and I wander in a dream of my own making by Christopher Theofanidis (on the Summit recording Visions).

This season will feature guest conductors James Keene (University of Illinois) and Jack Delaney (Southern Methodist University) as part of CSU's 11th Annual Conductors Workshop.  The annual workshop brings participants from all across the U.S. and Canada.  The CSU Wind Ensemble will also be featured performers at the Southern CBDNA/NBA biennial conference, and the annual GMEA conference in Savannah, Georgia.  Featured guest soloists this year will be Chris Martin (principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) and Mark Hughes (principal trumpet of the Houston Symphony Orchestra).