About the Eastern Wind Symphony

Artistic Director Dr. Todd Nichols and Assistant Conductor Mr. Adam Warshafsky currently guide The Eastern Wind Symphony to achieve its artistic goals and bring unique and challenging musical experiences to both its members and audiences. Through a guest artist program instituted in 2009, internationally acclaimed New York Philharmonic musicians Stanley Drucker, Phil Smith, Joe Alessi, George Curran, and Alan Baer, as well as prominent solo artists Nick May, Maureen Hurd, Kenny DeCarlo, Paul Cohen, Greg Giannascoli, Janice Carissa, the Carlin Lee Jazz Quintet, and internationally acclaimed trumpet players Allen Vizzutti, Ryan Anthony, Kevin Gebo, Matthew Harding, Robert Sullivan, and James Fountain have all performed with the ensemble.

The EWS has produced numerous commercial CDs of exceptional quality on the prestigious Klavier, Curnow Music Press, and MASTERS labels including the most recent recordings, Resurgence and Elements. A new recording celebrating the 30th anniversary of the EWS will be released in fall of 2026. In addition, The EWS is proud to be active in commissioning works for wind band from today’s leading composers, having commissioned numerous new works for wind ensemble. To fulfill the mission of giving back to the community and supporting young musicians, the Eastern Wind Symphony Youth Band was established in 2012 and is conducted by Mr. Warshafsky and Dr. Eric Laprade.

The Eastern Wind Symphony membership consists of professional level musicians from the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania areas. More than half of the members are music educators who teach in the NJ public school system. In addition, numerous members are freelance musicians, manage businesses, work in the sciences, or raise families. Whatever their vocation, all members of The Eastern Wind Symphony are accomplished and talented musicians who volunteer their time and enjoy performing the most highly regarded wind symphony repertoire in a high-caliber ensemble. Their reward is musical enjoyment at its highest level: music for music’s sake!

The Eastern Wind Symphony is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. All members perform for the love of music, and no member is compensated for his or her participation. For more information about the symphony, including audition information for open positions or to support the EWS through charitable tax-deductible donations, please see the web site at www.easternwindsymphony.org.

The Eastern Wind Symphony, founded in the spring of 1996, is a professional level ensemble for musicians dedicated to performing the best wind and percussion literature while elevating the American Wind Symphony as a serious artistic art form. The Eastern Wind Symphony has presented critically acclaimed performances at Carnegie Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and at the prestigious conferences including the 2021 and 2015 Midwest Clinic: International Band & Orchestra Conference, 2019 Association for Concert Bands Conference, 2018 North East Horn Workshop, 2017 International Trumpet Guild Conference and multiple NaFME Eastern Division Conferences.

Artistic Director Dr. Todd Nichols and Assistant Conductor Mr. Adam Warshafsky currently guide The Eastern Wind Symphony to achieve its artistic goals and bring unique and challenging musical experiences to both its members and audiences. Through a guest artist program instituted in 2009, internationally acclaimed New York Philharmonic musicians Stanley Drucker, Phil Smith, Joe Alessi, George Curran, and Alan Baer, as well as prominent solo artists Nick May, Maureen Hurd, Kenny DeCarlo, Paul Cohen, Greg Giannascoli, Janice Carissa, the Carlin Lee Jazz Quintet, and internationally acclaimed trumpet players Allen Vizzutti, Ryan Anthony, Kevin Gebo, Matthew Harding, Robert Sullivan, and James Fountain have all performed with the ensemble.

The EWS has produced numerous commercial CDs of exceptional quality on the prestigious Klavier, Curnow Music Press, and MASTERS labels including the most recent recordings, Resurgence and Elements. A new recording celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the EWS will be released in fall of 2026. In addition, the EWS is proud to be active in commissioning works for wind band from today’s leading composers, having commissioned numerous new works for wind ensemble. To fulfill the mission of giving back to the community and supporting young musicians, the Eastern Wind Symphony Youth Band was established in 2012 and is conducted by Mr. Warshafsky and Dr. Eric Laprade.

The Eastern Wind Symphony membership consists of professional level musicians from the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania areas. More than half of the members are music educators who teach in the NJ public school system. In addition, numerous members are freelance musicians, manage businesses, work in the sciences, or raise families. Whatever their vocation, all members of The Eastern Wind Symphony are accomplished and talented musicians who volunteer their time and enjoy performing the most highly regarded wind symphony repertoire in a high-caliber ensemble. Their reward is musical enjoyment at its highest level: music for music’s sake!

The Eastern Wind Symphony is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. All members perform for the love of music, and no member is compensated for his or her participation. For more information about the symphony, including audition information for open positions or to support the EWS through charitable tax-deductible donations, please see the web site at www.easternwindsymphony.org.