On May 1 the Free Admission Glendale Noon Concerts will feature the Calico Winds, who will be performing compositions from Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copeland, Irvine Fine and Denes Agay.

With style and grace, Calico Winds is taking wind music to the forefront of the chamber music world by artfully reinventing the conventional wind quintet.

They chose the name “Calico” to reflect the many colors and textures offered by the instruments of their ensemble. The group blends top-notch playing, great music and an appealing atmosphere, their repertoire incorporating a wide variety of classical music. “They cross all the style lines and get away with it.” (Los Angeles Times).

Calico Winds have delighted audiences across the country, touring to more than half the fifty states, including numerous cities throughout their home state of California. They are currently ensemble-in-residence at Glendale Noon Concerts. Said of their program, “The artists played in perfect balance with each other, each contributing lovely tone quality and flawless intonation. An unusually fine and beautiful program…played with rock-solid competence and interpretive flair. It was a fantastic evening of music.” (The Times Herald, Olean, NY)

In 2009 Calico Winds were concerto soloists with Frank Fetta conducting the Culver City Symphony, premiering Sinfonia Concertante for wind quintet and orchestra, a work they commissioned from Los Angeles composer Damian Montano. The ensemble performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall both as part of the “Classical Connections” Young Performers Career Advancement program sponsored by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and in recital with pianist Vivian Liu in a performance of Ludwig Thuille’s Romantic Sextet.

In 1998 Calico Winds released their first CD, All in One [Bach, Nielsen, E. Carter, L. Schifrin, Zappa] to critical acclaim. Their second CD, released on Albany Records (2004), Vintage America: A Musical Meritage, features a diverse collection of original and arranged works reflecting the music and life of early Americans. In this recording “Calico Winds bring refreshing lightness to music that is too often bellowed…the quintet’s suave phrasing, lively articulation and rhythmic buoyancy are a delight throughout.” (Gramophone)

Calico Winds has held residencies at La Sierra University, the Idyllwild Arts Academy and with the Claremont Youth Symphony Music Retreat in California as well as at the Birch Creek Music Festival in Door County, Wisconsin. They have been the featured ensemble for the Coleman Chamber Music Association’s Meet the Musicians concerts. As winners of the 1998 National Flute Association (NFA) Chamber Music Competition the ensemble was featured in recital at the NFA convention in Phoenix, Arizona. They have received a grant from the City of Pasadena for The Weekend Muse Inter-Generational Concerts, a series they self-produced in Los Angeles and Pasadena.

The Glendale Noon Concerts performance is from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. on May 1,  and will be held at the Sanctuary of Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave. at Isabel Street, in Glendale 91206.

The Glendale Noon Concerts is celebrating their 11th year of presenting free admission concerts every first and third Wednesday for Glendale and the southland community.

Upcoming concert information can be found at glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com

For more information, email glendalesda@gmail.com or call (818) 244-7241.