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Department of Music
Phone: (509) 963-1216
Fax: (509) 963-1239
music@cwu.edu

Bands at CWU

Consisting of the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, Wildcat Marching Band, and Basketball Band, the Central Washington University Band program has a long history of musical excellence and is recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest as one of the region’s finest band programs.

Concert Bands

Wind EnsembleMaggie playing flute in Wind Ensemble

The Central Washington University Wind Ensemble is the preeminent wind band at CWU. Over the past two decades, the group has distinguished itself as a leader in musical performance with invitations to state, regional, and national conferences. With a goal of developing and refining large ensemble musicianship skills, the Wind Ensemble is comprised of the finest graduate and undergraduate wind and percussion students from the department of music and throughout the CWU community. 

The CWU Wind Ensemble strives to deliver engaging performances that are artistic, expressive, and polished. Repertoire selected for study and performance span a wide variety to include contemporary works for wind band, works from the standard band repertoire, transcriptions, and chamber music. As an advocate for the advancement of wind band literature, the ensemble engages in consortium projects from composers to include, David Maslanka, Roger Cichy, Gregory Youtz, Thomas Sleeper, Shelley Hanson, David Gillingham, Mark Camphouse, Kevin Day, and Angelica Negron. 

Participation is open to all CWU students regardless of academic concentration through auditions held at the beginning of each academic quarter. The ensemble meets during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. The CWU Wind Ensemble is under the artistic and musical direction of director of bands, Dr. T. André Feagin.

CWU Symphonic Winds

The Central Washington University Symphonic Winds is a concert band comprised of outstanding undergraduate students from the department of music and throughout the CWU community. Known throughout the region for excellence in performance, the ensemble has received invitations at local and regional events to include a performance at the National Association for Music Education Northwest Division Conference. 

The Symphonic Winds seeks to broaden performance and teaching skills through the programming of exemplary literature to include works from the standard wind band repertoire. Past performances have included the works of Vincent Persichetti, Percy A. Grainger, David Maslanka, and John Mackey. 

Participation is open to all CWU students regardless of academic concentration through auditions held at the beginning of each academic quarter. The ensemble meets during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. The CWU Symphonic Winds is under the and musical direction of Professor Paul Bain, associate director of bands.

CWU Symphonic Band

Best playing the euphonium in Wind Ensemble.

The Central Washington University Symphonic Band has gained the reputation as being one of Washington’s most outstanding undergraduate wind bands. The Symphonic Band is comprised of outstanding students from the department of music and throughout the CWU community. The ensemble studies and performs a musically diverse repertoire, ranging from standard wind band literature to contemporary works for winds and percussion.

Participation is open to all CWU students regardless of academic concentration through auditions held at the beginning of each academic quarter. The ensemble meets during the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. The CWU Symphonic Winds is under the and musical direction of Professor Paul Bain, associate director of bands.

Athletic Bands

Wildcat Marching Band

Fall 2021 Marching Band Comittment Form

Saxophone section for marching band.The Central Washington University Wildcat Marching Band is the largest and most visible music ensemble at CWU. Housed within the department of music, the group maintains an annual enrollment of approximately 200 members representing a wide variety of colleges and departments throughout CWU. The ensemble performs annually for nearly 30,000 spectators including performances at home football games, special university events, exhibitions, and community events. 

Consisting of sections of brass, woodwinds, percussion, and color guard, the Wildcat Marching Band strives for musical excellence coupled with an exciting and innovative visual presentation. In addition, the group serves as a spirit leader and musical ambassador for the CWU athletic community. Membership is open to all brass, woodwind and color guard performers regardless of academic major. There is no formal audition required for brass and woodwind participants. Although experience in marching band is preferred for members, it is not a requirement. However, an audition is required for those interested in participating in the percussion and color guard sections. Auditions for these sections typically take place during early summer following the conclusion of the spring quarter each year. 

The Wildcat Marching Band meets during the fall quarter only and rehearses M/W/F from 4:00pm- 6:00pm. The group is under the musical and organizational leadership of Dr. T. André Feagin, director of bands.

CWU Basketball BandBrass section at a basketball game.

The Central Washington University Basketball Band is an auditioned group of up to 48 players that support the men and women’s basketball teams and other special events during the late fall/winter quarters. Consisting of winds and percussion (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, mellophone, trombone, baritone, sousaphone, guitar, electric bass, and drum set) the group serves as a spirit leader and musical ambassador for the CSU athletic community. 

Membership is open to all students regardless of academic major by audition. Auditions take place in mid fall (late November) and are announced in advanced. Members selected for the ensemble receive a performance stipend for participation. The ensemble is under the supervision of Professor Paul Bain, associate director of bands.

Basketball Band Auditions

Basketball band will be beginning the audition process very soon! For more information, and to submit your audition, visit the Basketball Band page.

Master of Music - Wind Band Conducting

The goal of the graduate wind band conducting program (MM) at Central Washington University places strong emphasis on the training of the 21st century artist/conductor who is flexible and capable of succeeding in an evolving field of music education. The program offers candidates a diverse, collaborative, comprehensive, and inclusive approach to the art of conducting and teaching. 

Over the course of a two-year residency, program candidates are involved in rigorous academic coursework, attend weekly private lessons with the director of bands, engage in monthly seminars on special topics in conducting and education, serve as a guest conductor for all of the band program’s concert bands, and assist with the organization and operation of the athletic bands. Graduate students in conducting are eligible to receive graduate teaching assistantships. 

Interested applicants for the wind band conducting program should hold a bachelor’s degree in music. Although not a requirement, it is preferred that the applicants have at least two years of public-school teaching experience. The conducting studio is designed to be small and selective to maximize student growth. Interested applicants are encouraged to send initial contacts to Dr. T. André Feagin as well as consulting our Graduate Admissions for Music page for further information.