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beyond-borders-wind-ensemble-0On Saturday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. South Florida’s only gay, lesbian and straight community band, the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, will take the stage in the Amaturo Theatre of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The wind ensemble is entering their 26th season.

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South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble invites us on a musical journey

On Saturday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. South Florida’s only gay, lesbian and straight community band, the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, will take the stage in the Amaturo Theatre of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The wind ensemble is entering their 26th season.

This fall’s concert entitled “Beyond Borders: The Music of Our World,” will feature music from around the globe.

“Besides the amazing cultural music, I am most excited about the upgraded visual effects we are implementing on this concert.” Dan Bassett, artistic director of the band commented. “In addition to new lighting designs, we will be showing several multi-projection video presentations. Each video will explore a unique aspect of the earth and its inhabitants.”

Special guests at the concert include Fushu Daiko Taiko Drummers, The Drake Irish Dancers, and The Nova Singers Concert Choir. The concert is promised to be full of surprises to make this one of the most entertaining concert bands you’ve ever seen perform.

“It’s not your typical sit down concert,” said Bassett. “It’s very vibrant and there’s a lot of visual stimulation. A lot of people are shocked that it’s so much more of a show more than just a concert.”

South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble was started in 1986 with six guys meeting up to play music together in someone’s living room.

“It sort of blossomed from there,” Bassett explained.

The Ensemble’s first performance was at White Party and they also played at several Pride events. Formerly called the Flamingo Freedom Band, the group changed its name when Bassett took over six years ago.

“I wanted something more serious,” he said.

The group performs three major concerts a year.

“Each one has a theme to it,” said Bassett. “Our last one was for our 25th anniversary and we did a sort of greatest hits with guest artists, videos and lighting.”

South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble has around 50 members and is always accepting more.

“We have been attracting more of our straight friends who like to play alongside us. We were more of a Pride band, but now we’re more of a community one that is more inclusive, although we still play a lot of Pride events,” Bassett said.

There isn’t an audition process for joining South Florida Wind Ensemble and they have members who are age 18 through their 70s.

“We look for enthusiasm and those who are willing to play their instruments and have a good time,” said Bassett. “We have professionals and hobbyists.”

Those interested in joining can get in touch with the group through their web site PrideWindEnsemble.org. They rehearse weekly on Wednesday nights, 7pm, at St. Mark’s Episcopal School.

Beyond Borders: The Music of Our World will be a fun, unique concert experience. Tickets are $25 and are available at Browardcenter.org. For more information on the Pride Wind Ensemble, visit PrideWindEnsemble.org.

INFO:

Beyond Borders: The Music of Our World
South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble
Saturday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m.
Amaturo Theatre
Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets $25