Winds Across the Bay
| Company type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music education, Youth orchestra |
| Founded | 1993 in El Cerrito, California, United States |
| Defunct | 2019 |
| Headquarters | El Cerrito , United States |
Area served | San Francisco Bay Area, California |
| Products | Youth wind, brass, and percussion orchestra programs |
Winds Across the Bay (commonly known as Winds) was a non-profit youth orchestra established in 1993 in El Cerrito, California. It catered to middle and high school students demonstrating high-intermediate to advanced skills on wind, brass, or percussion instruments. The organization's primary goal was to foster youth growth through instrumental music education.
The program consisted of two distinct groups: The Minors, designed for beginner to intermediate musicians, and The Majors, intended for those with advanced proficiency. Rehearsals were conducted on Tuesday evenings from September until May, culminating in three concerts annually—winter and spring shows held at the Lesher Center for the Performing Arts in Walnut Creek, California, along with summer performances hosted at multiple locations.
Collaborating closely with area schools, Winds Across the Bay aimed to strengthen music instruction and offered young instrumentalists the chance to showcase their talents at notable community venues such as the Lesher Center.
Member schools
Participating institutions included:
- El Cerrito High School
- El Sobrante Christian School
- Albany High School
- Berkeley High School
- Piedmont High School
- St. Mary's High School
- School of the Madeleine
- Marin Academy
- Pinole Valley High School
- Holy Names High School
- Del Valle High School
- Pacific Academy
- Portola Middle School
- Hercules High School
- Albany Middle School
- Kensington Hilltop School
External links
- 1993 establishments in California
- 2019 disestablishments in California
- American youth orchestras
- Disbanded American orchestras
- El Cerrito, California
- Musical groups established in 1993
- Musical groups disestablished in 2019
- Orchestras from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Non-profit organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Organizations based in Contra Costa County, California
- Youth organizations based in California