The JMU Wind Symphony, under the direction of Stephen P. Bolstad, is the premier woodwind, brass and percussion ensemble at JMU. The Wind Symphony is committed to performing the great works of the wind band’s core repertoire while also exploring the best of contemporary composition.

Since 2007, the ensemble has hosted on-campus residencies with composers including David Maslanka, John Mackey, Michael Daugherty, Joel Puckett, Steven Bryant, Donald Grantham and JMU alumnus Brian Balmages. The ensemble has also presented consortium premieres of Maslanka’s Symphony No. 8, Puckett’s The Shadows of Sirius, Grantham’s Tuba Concerto, Plog’s Concerto 2010 and Balmages’ Portraits in Bluestone. As part of JMU’s annual Contemporary Music Festival, students have had the opportunity to work with composers such as Karel Husa, Joseph Schwanter, Don Freund, Donald Erb, John Harbison, Francis McBeth, Mark Camphouse and Samuel Adler.