Music lovers of the Ohio Valley have a new opportunity to enjoy instrumental music, this time in the form of a concert band.
Wheeling Winds, a newly formed professional-level concert band, seeks to give fans of traditional band music a chance to hear the genre at an elite level. Led by retired Wheeling Park High School band director and West Liberty University Professor of Music Patrick Garrett, the ensemble is made up of about 30 professional musicians from around the Ohio Valley.
“For a community of our size, there is a lot of music—jazz, orchestral, musical theatre,” says Garrett. “However, there are no concert bands outside of education. Wheeling Winds provides the opportunity to hear music of this type at the highest level.”
Initially formed in the fall of 2025, Wheeling Winds has now performed twice, giving a Veteran’s Day concert and a holiday concert. The vast majority of performers are from Wheeling, with some traveling from Pittsburgh or Morgantown to participate. Several players are local music teachers, with nearly all performers holding degrees in music education, music performance, or both.
“Performing with Wheeling Winds has been a wonderful experience,” says Luke Mazure, who plays saxophone with Wheeling Winds. He is also the choir director at Bridge Street Middle School and the assistant band and choir director at Wheeling Park High School. “While I am obviously around band music all the time through my job at WPHS, I don’t often have the opportunity to perform in a concert band like this. It’s been great to be on the other side of things and play alongside so many excellent musicians.”
The next Wheeling Winds performance is scheduled for March 22 at 3 pm at the Strand Theatre in Moundsville. In addition to the wind ensemble, the concert will feature the Strand’s theatre organ, a unique instrument and point of pride for the Strand Theatre Preservation Society, played by organist Bob Troeger.
“We are thrilled to welcome Wheeling Winds to the Strand, and particularly to pair it with our theatre organ,” says Strand Theatre Board President Justin Jones, who also plays trumpet in Wheeling Winds. “We received the organ as a donation from Mark and Beth Ann Mitchell and installed it in the summer of 2015. We love any opportunity to showcase the organ, and I know this will be a particularly special performance with Wheeling Winds.”
The program will feature music designed specifically for concert band and organ, such as “Crown Imperial,” a piece commissioned for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. It has since been performed at the coronations of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, as well as the wedding of Prince William. Other selections include works by John Philip Sousa and music from The Phantom of the Opera.
A separate Wheeling Winds performance is scheduled for Memorial Day weekend. Concert location and details will be announced at a later date.
“Many other cities have ensembles like this, and it seemed like an opportunity that was missing in the Ohio Valley,” says Garrett. “One of the best parts of this experience has been both audience and band members alike telling me how grateful they are to experience in a group like this. We’ve gathered a group of people who genuinely enjoy playing this type of music with each other, and I think it shows in our performances. I can’t wait to share it with our community.”
Wheeling Winds will perform at the Strand Theatre on March 22 at 3 pm. The concert is free to attend.
For more information, visit the Wheeling Winds Facebook page: @wheelingwinds.