Continuing with its successful 2023-2024 season, the Placitas Artists Series is hosting the New Mexico Winds quintet Nov. 12. The quintet is the faculty artist-in-residence woodwind at the University of New Mexico, and was formed in 1984. The group performs most of the standard woodwind quintet repertoire and is premiering new works for the ensemble.
New Mexico Winds has collaborated with other instruments (piano, saxophone and percussion to name a few) to explore repertoire beyond the quintet genre.
This ensemble’s mission is to showcase existing woodwind chamber music with the community and to expand the boundaries of the genre by working with musicians outside of the ensemble and by performing new works. They have premiered works by New Mexico composers such as William Wood, Christopher Shultis, Peter Gilbert, and Scott Wilkinson. The New Mexico Winds have been featured as performers at conferences including The National Flute Association, The International Double Reed Society and the College Music Society.
Flutist Valerie Potter plays principal flute with the New Mexico Philharmonic and is a regular performer with the Santa Fe Symphony, Santa Fe Pro Música, and Opera Southwest. Oboist Kevin Vigneau plays principal oboe with the New Mexico Philharmonic and Santa Fe Pro Música and is a member of the Santa Fe Opera orchestra. Clarinetist Jeffrey Brooks is currently the bass clarinetist with the New Mexico Philharmonic and the principal clarinetist with Santa Fe Pro Música. Denise Reig Turner joined the New Mexico Winds in 1995 and is also principal bassoonist with Opera Southwest and the San Juan Symphony. Turner plays bassoon with the New Mexico Philharmonic. Michael Walker plays with the Enchantment Brass and the Amity Trio.
Individual tickets can be purchased at PlacitasArts.org, where the concert program, musician bios, and more is available. K-12 students with an adult ticket holder can attend free. The concert is generously sponsored by BJ & Alan Firestone, and Shelley & Herb Koffler.
Before the concert starts, a monthly artists reception will take place in the church’s Fellowship Hall. Doors open at 2pm. On exhibit will be the works of Liz Moores, sculpture & mixed media; Ann Blankenship, tapestry, shibori silk scarves; Mary Dereske, gilded photography on vellum; and Karen Melody Shatar, fused glass, clay sculpture. Also, Dianna Shomaker, Placitas Artists Series’ “Treasured and Feature Artist” for the 2023-2024 concert season, will have her donated artwork, Joy of Summer, valued at $2000.00, on exhibit. The artwork will be raffled in December. Raffle Tickets, at $20 or 3/$55, are available on the PAS website, the library and at the concerts.