Wind Ensemble Activities

Conductor: Robert Rumbelow

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, James Keene, Jack Delaney, Gary Green, 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, Chris Martin, Mark Hughes, Phil Smith, 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 Allan McMurray (University of Colorado at Boulder) and Mark Davis Scatterday (Eastman School of Music) as part of CSU's 13th Annual Conductors Workshop.  The annual workshop brings participants from all across the U.S. and abroad.  David Bilger (principal trumpet of The Philadelphia Orchestra) will join the wind ensemble as guest soloist in October, and Robert Sullivan (principal trumpet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops) will record and perform with the CSU Wind Ensemble in January.  The CSU Wind Ensemble will also release their sixth commercial recording this Fall on the Naxos label with a CD entitled "Synergy" featuring John Bruce Yeh, clarinet.  See specific links to all of this and more to the left.

Commercial recordings of the CSU Wind Ensemble are available through the school or any major music dealer throughout the world including Barnes & Noble, i-Tunes, and on-line providers.

Wind Legacy - Released November 2003 - Summit Recordings - Recorded 2001-02

Journey - Released June 2004 - Summit Recordings - Recorded 2002-03

Velocity - Released November 2005 - Summit Recordings - Recorded 2003-04

Electric Dawn - Released April 2006 - Summit Recordings - Recorded 2004-05

Visions - Featuring Joseph Alessi - Released January 2008 - Summit Recordings - Recorded 2006

Synergy - Featuring John Bruce Yeh - Released November 2009 - Naxos Recordings - Recorded 2007