CU Winds tours to Costa Rica (2006, 2008) where we donated 150 instruments to the rural communities of Matapalo in Guanacaste, San Isidro, and Poas, and performed at the oldest retirement home in Costa Rica, and sat and interacted with local English as a Second Language students in San Jose, are examples of how much CU Winds enjoys extending our hands and hearts to others. In preparation for those tours, members of the Wind Ensemble spent a Sunday afternoon picking up trash behind one of the fraternities on an Ithaca hillside facing Stewart Avenue. Each year, the Wind Ensemble remains on campus for Senior week for rehearsals that prepare us for our annual performances at Commencement, PhD, and Convocation ceremonies—a tradition that dates back many years. Service activities have included performances at Kendal of Ithaca, a local retirement community, a special performance for the Cornell community at the inauguration of our 12th President, David J. Skorton, workshops with local middle school music students, and the Philadelphia Project (workshops and donations of instruments to inner-city middle school music students).
We are proud to introduce the new “Service Learning and Music Leadership” course starting Fall 2009.
If you know of a way that CU Winds can contribute more to the community—locally, nationally, or internationally—please contact Cynthia Johnston Turner, Director.