Westwind Brass

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San Diego, CA
Westwind Brass

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San Diego's professional brass quintet since 1986. Ensemble-in-Residence at SDSU. Music for everyone. 🎺

Four decades of world-class performance, education, and community concerts — from Balboa Park to the U.S.-Mexico border.

09/06/2026

Labor Day weekend, and we're still clocking in. 🎺

This morning, Westwind Brass brought music and mentorship to Southwestern College — because our purpose has never just been "play the notes." It’s live music, delivered to the communities that need it most.

In honor of the holiday, three of our own musicians are life members of the American Federation of Musicians — decades of union membership behind them. We’re proud of what that means beyond a card in a wallet. We organize work for musicians across San Diego, and we spend real hours teaching fellow union members the basic business skills it takes to build a sustainable career in music — because talent alone doesn't pay the rent, and neither does hope.

We opened this morning swinging on "Jump, Jive an’ Wail"... but if we’re honest, the room didn’t fully come alive until we slipped into a little Silk Sonic. Point taken, Southwestern College. We hear you. 😄

Happy Labor Day from the Musicians Association of San Diego County, Local 325, AFM union that shows up to work.

09/04/2026

The crowd at Southwestern College knew exactly who was in the room. 🎺🎶

Westwind Brass brought a performance and presentation to the music classes there this week — part of our ongoing push to get chamber music into every community setting we can reach, not just the concert hall.

Highlight of the day: our tuba player Wayne got the hero's welcome once the room realized he's basically an original member of Heavy Metal — turns out "brass" and "metal" write their own punchline. Steve tried to land a joke about it that really shouldn't have worked... and got a great laugh out of Wayne anyway. That's 30+ years of chamber music camaraderie for you. (Sorry, Wayne — we know the trumpets get all the love. We see you.)

Beyond the laughs, this is exactly what public arts funding is meant to do: put live, professional music in front of students who might not otherwise experience it. Grateful to the City of Chula Vista Arts Commission and the California Arts Council for helping make performances like this possible.

08/29/2026

🇺🇸🎺 What an honor to perform at the Coronado Historical Association’s Community Salute reception, celebrating the unveiling of CHA’s Flag Mural Project ahead of America250! Thank you for the music, memories, and community spirit.

08/24/2026

You can't fit a tuba bell in a single photo, but we tried. 🎺

These four shots are from our Carlsbad Brass Connections concert at Carlsbad By the Sea, where our tubist Wayne Rice broke down what actually makes a brass instrument sound the way it does — the length of tubing, the size of the bell, and how those two things shape pitch and tone.

Then the questions started, and things got good. Someone asked about the sousaphone and the helicon, and Wayne walked the room through a genuinely great piece of American music history: the sousaphone traces back to John Philip Sousa's own band, and one of its most celebrated early players was John M. Kuhn — an Assiniboine musician born on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana in 1882, who performed under the stage name "Red Cloud" and became a standout virtuoso on the big bass helicon and upright-bell sousaphone. Wayne, who is himself a Native American tuba and sousaphone player with the Euphoria Brass Band, brought a personal connection to sharing that history that you could feel in the room.

Steve had his own great moment, borrowed from "Boy Meets Horn" — explaining why he plays his trumpet fingerings out in the open instead of hiding his hand with a cloth, so every student and every audience member can actually see the technique happening in real time.

And Sean and John closed the loop with a live demo of the seven positions of the trombone right alongside the trumpet's fingerings — a simple, visual, "oh, THAT'S how that works" moment that landed with every generation in the room.

Our audience at Carlsbad By the Sea has performed, taught, and listened to music for decades, and they still leaned forward for every one of these insider details. That's the whole idea behind Carlsbad Brass Connections: A Multi-Generational Soundscape — world-class artistry and real musical understanding, accessible to every resident, at every age.

Made possible by the City of Carlsbad, the California Arts Council, and the Music Performance Trust Fund.

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08/22/2026

Music has no age limit. 🎺 Yesterday, Westwind Brass performed the very first concert of Carlsbad Brass Connections: A Multi-Generational Soundscape, for the residents of Carlsbad By the Sea.

This new city-wide series brings professional chamber music to seniors and the public, paired with mentorship programs for students across Carlsbad Unified School District — connecting generations through live music.

🎶 Soundtrack: Westwind Brass’s recording of "Stolen Moments” by Oliver Nelson

Made possible by the City of Carlsbad, the California Arts Council, and the Music Performance Trust Fund.

08/20/2026

🎉 Big news: For 50 years, the CAC has championed artistic excellence, inclusion, and public investment across our state — and for 40 of those years, they've supported Westwind Brass's programs and touring here at home.

Here's a look at John Wilds performing as a guest of the U.S. Consulate in Mexico — just one of the many stages our musicians have reached, thanks in part to the strong foundation the CAC has helped us build.

Thank you, California, for four decades of belief in our music. 🎺🙏

08/14/2026

🎺 Baja Brass 2026 — What a Day! 🎺

What an unforgettable day at Baja Brass 2026! So much incredible music, mentorship, and community all in one place — here’s a taste of the magic.

Huge thanks to Jalisco Horns for an incredible masterclass and performance that lit a fire under the younger brass players of Baja California. Watching those kids soak up every note was pure joy.

We were also beyond honored to perform alongside the amazing Francisco Torres, trombonist on the Encanto soundtrack! We invited him up to play changes on "We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” and the audience — especially the kids — absolutely loved every second of it. 🎬🎶

To close out the clinic, all our adult brass players gathered for a post-concert hang and jam session at Praga Restaurant, trading stories, licks, and already dreaming up big plans for Baja Brass 2027. Let’s make it even better!

And yes — we have to give a shoutout to Beny, the school’s resident guard dog, who showed up, did his dog things, and provided the perfect stress relief for anyone who needed a good pup to pet between sets. 🐾 Ten out of ten, would nap next to him again.

Looking ahead, we’re calling on Conn-Selmer, Yamaha, and the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana to join us in investing in the future of young brass musicians in Baja California. Francisco Torres, the Baja Brass team, and Westwind Brass are all in on this mission — and we'd love for you to be part of it too. Just ask us how!

More concert photos coming soon — stay tuned! 📸

08/13/2026

Time for preconcert
Ceviche!

08/12/2026

🎺🇲🇽 Baja Brass, Day Two — and it’s HEATING UP! 🔥

Today we’re diving into jazz improv with a masterclass from the incredible trombonist Francisco Torres — bringing serious chops and even more serious wisdom to the next generation of brass players.

And if that wasn’t enough star power… say hello to Pancho Sanchez! 🎶

Two days in and Westwind Brass’s Baja Brass experience just keeps delivering. Grateful for artists who show up and pour into these musicians. Más música, por favor! 🙌

08/08/2026

🎺 A morning to remember at the Navy SEAL Museum in San Diego.

On July 5, Westwind Brass kicked off a full day of music with the first of three performances — starting with a warm-up at Progress Park before heading back to the Museum for an hour-long concert. In the reel above, you’ll hear Steve playing "Summertime" by George Gershwin, while the trolley rolled by and downtown San Diego carried on with its everyday business all around us.

Westwind Brass has a long history of supporting the Navy — from performing for SEAL Teams to graduation ceremonies — and it remains one of the great honors of what we do. We bring classical and brass music to every part of San Diego County, and next week we’re heading to Mexico for our next performance.

Beyond the music, Westwind Brass helps organize opportunities and conversations that create real work for professional musicians throughout San Diego County. Music and art, yes — but also workforce development. We’re proud members of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 325.

A special thank you to Beatrice Ring, who spent the entire July 4th weekend capturing every photo and video of our performances. She was a trooper, and we couldn’t tell these stories without her.

Westwind Brass has been bringing live music to San Diego since 1986 — creative, flexible, and dependable. Ask us how we can bring Westwind Brass to your community!

Address

San Diego, CA
92120

Website

https://westwindbrass.org/

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