Pacific Crest Wind Symphony is modeled after the acclaimed Eastman Wind Ensemble, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Under this format, each part is assigned to a single instrument. No parts are doubled except for flute, clarinet and tuba. The result is a sophisticated, appealing sound quite different from that of ordinary concert bands.

REPERTOIRE
The flexibility of instrumentation allows the ensemble to perform a wide variety of music ranging from the work of Bach, Handel and Mozart to 20th century literature written by composers such as Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and George Gershwin. While our repertoire includes literature originally composed for other instruments that has been transcribed for band, as well as traditional band music such as John Philip Sousa marches, we emphasize compositions created especially for wind ensemble. Over the past several seasons, we have performed the works of many contemporary composers, at times featuring the composer as guest conductor or consultant.

BACKGROUND
Pacific Crest Wind Symphony was originally founded by Daniel Cole-McCullough in March of 1988 as the Marylhurst Wind Ensemble and as part of Marylhurst College. In 1990 we discontinued our involvement with the college and Pacific Crest Wind Ensemble was born. In September 1994 Pacific Crest adopted a new home, moving to Warner Pacific College. In 1998, Robert Murray led PCWS, and the group changed its name to Pacific Crest Wind Symphony to reflect the group's growth and the increasing range and sophistication of its repertoire. Dr. William Tuttle joined PCWS as our conductor and music director in 1999 and served in that position until 2006. In 2002, we started rehearsing at Portland State University and began performing there in 2003.

Since its inception, PCWS has been both an artistic challenge and a labor of love. The ensemble and each of its members have set a standard of musical excellence and continual artistic growth, providing its loyal and ever-expanding audience with exciting musical performances. Strictly a volunteer organization, the members of PCWS follow the renaissance ideal of pursuing more than one interest, and doing each well. As such, members come from a variety of professions, ranging from zookeepers, software engineers, teachers, physicists, artists, architects, retirees and much more.

CONDUCTOR
DR. EDWARD HIGGINS
Pacific Crest Wind Symphony is proud to perform under the direction of Dr. Edward Higgins. Dr. Higgins is currently the Director of Bands at Portland State University, where he has taught and conducted since 2005. Prior to joining the faculty at PSU, Dr. Higgins served as Associate Director of Bands at Washburn University. During his five year tenure, he co-directed the Washburn Symphonic Wind Ensemble to four appearances at the Kansas Music Educators Conference and one appearance at the College Band Directors National Association Regional Conference. An accomplished performer and conductor with over two decades of professional experience, Dr. Higgins began his musical career on high brass, receiving a bachelor’s degree in trumpet from California Institute of the Arts. While completing bachelors and master’s degrees in trumpet performance at the Juilliard School, he was a regular performer with the Lincoln Center Outreach Program. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in conducting from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. His professional career began with two seasons as principal trumpet for the Spoleto Festival Orchestra (Spoleto Italy) during which time he appeared on a Grammy-award winning recording of Samuel Barber’s Anthony and Cleopatra.

Dr. Higgins went on to become the Principal Trumpet of the Sacramento Symphony from 1983 - 1987. While in California, he earned a reputation as one of the state’s leading brass educators, serving on artist faculties at the University of California-Davis, California State University at Sacramento, and Delta College. Dr. Higgins now performs exclusively on tuba and is a Yamaha Clinician. He currently serves as the principal tubist with the La Crosse (Wisconsin) Symphony and the St. Joseph (Missouri) Symphony Orchestras and formerly held the tuba post with the Missouri Brass. He has also appeared with the Kansas City and Topeka Symphonies.

His other conducting activities includes appearances with the La Crosse (WI) Symphony Orchestra Winds, Lawrence (KS) Chamber Orchestra and the La Crosse (WI) Municipal Band. He has studied conducting with Robert Halseth, Allan McMurry Tim Hankewich and Gary W. Hill and been a conducting symposium participant under Frederick Fennell, Alan McMurry, John Whitwell, and H. Robert Reynolds.

Dr. Higgins' edition of Robert Russell Bennett’s 'Suite of Old American Dances' is published by Hal Leonard Publishing and currently serves as the model for a new line of re-issued master works.

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR
PAUL JOLSTEAD
Paul Jolstead is the band and orchestra director at Wilson High School, where he has been teaching since 2004. His prior teaching positions include director of bands at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA (of “Remember the Titans” fame), Canby High School, Damascus Middle School, and assistant band director at Sam Barlow High School.

Mr. Jolstead was born and raised in Madras, Oregon where he was in his father Deane Jolstead’s band program. He received both his Bachelors and Master of Arts degrees in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College. He is an active trumpeter in the Portland Metro area, currently performing with the Mt. Hood Pops Orchestra and PCWS. Other groups he has performed with include the Oregon Symphonic Band.

Mr. Jolstead would like to mention and thank his musical mentors: piano teacher Geneva Wright, trumpet teacher Jim O’Banion of Lewis and Clark College, and Dave Becker of Lewis and Clark College, but mostly his father Deane Jolstead—"thanks to all for making me a better musician".