The East Texas Chamber Winds (ETCW) performed their Winter 2025 Concert on Saturday, January 4, 2025, in the Banita Ballroom of The Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches, TX. The performance was led by ETCW Founder and Artistic Director, Roy McLerran. Musical selections for the concert included works by Spohr, Soderberg, and Lachner. The theme of the concert, “A Night With Pierrot,” was a nod to the work by Swedish composer, Fredrik Soderberg, “The Death of Pierrot.” Pierrot is an enduring character from 17th-century Paris who embodies the sufferings of the working class. Throughout history, the “sad clown” has typically been portrayed with a white-painted face, a conical “dunce” hat, and loosely fitted white clothes with comically large buttons (or pom poms). An agent of social commentary, Pierrot is widely considered one of the earliest mime characters and has typically relied on physical humor and props, such as oversized lace collars, to poke fun at the upper classes.

The concert showcased the talents of eighteen instrumental musicians, who were mostly associated with Stephen F. Austin State University, and was attended by approximately sixty community members. The music for the evening was paired with a selection of complimentary refreshments and a cash bar provided by The Fredonia Hotel. The ETCW was proud to ensure the inclusion of local vendors such as Naca Valley Vineyards and Fredonia Brewery! Decorations for the event were designed and provided by ETCW President, Tracy Doss. Additional thanks to the SFASU School of Music and The Fredonia Hotel for the use of their facilities, to San Augustine ISD for the concert programs, and Lufkin ISD for the music stands. The video of the performance will be available shortly on the ETCW Facebook page and the “Archive” page of the website.

*The ETCW will return to The Fredonia Hotel on Saturday, June 14th for their Tenth Anniversary Concert and a WORLD PREMIERE of a new work by Dr. David W. Campo.

Full ensemble (Not Pictured, Chris Smith) and conductor, Roy McLerran (left).

“Octet, Op. 156” by Lachner

Thank you for your continued support of the East Texas Chamber Winds! It has been another fantastic year of music-making and growth. I would like to formally congratulate both the ensemble and our Artistic Director, Roy McLerran, for being recognized as finalists in the 2024 American Prize, an outstanding honor!

On Saturday, January 4, 2025, the ETCW will perform their ninth annual Winter Concert, A Night With Pierrot at The Fredonia Hotel. The sad clown character, Pierrot, takes center stage in a jubilant swan song. Be on the lookout for his famous cap in the ballroom! This performance will be the first in ETCW history to include a percussionist! In keeping with the ensemble’s mission, this concert is free for all to experience. I encourage you to consider supporting the ensemble by becoming a Solfege Donor. As a member, you’ll earn exclusive backstage access and custom rewards at each concert!

I am proud to share that this coming year will include the tenth-anniversary concert and a world premiere of a new work by Dr. David Campo. Save the date for Saturday, June 14, 2025, at The Fredonia Hotel. In their first decade, the ETCW have performed nearly twenty concerts for the East Texas region and premiered three new works. These performances are becoming a time-honored tradition and a wonderful opportunity to experience a grand evening of music and community in historic Nacogdoches, Texas.

On behalf of the ensemble, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and hope to see you at the Winter 2025 Concert!

 Tracy Doss, ETCW President

The East Texas Chamber Winds are honored to be awarded second place for the 2024 American Prize in Band and Wind Ensemble Performance (Community Division)! We would like to thank the ETCW Board of Directors and the East Texas community for their continued support!

We would also like to congratulate our founder and Artistic Director, Roy McLerran, on being recognized for his work as a graduate conductor at the University of Miami. McLerran was named a 2024 National Finalist for The American Prize in Conducting Band (College and University Division)!

We would like to wish congratulations to all finalists in both categories! View the complete list of 2024 finalists here. Learn more about The American Prize competitions here.

The East Texas Chamber Winds (ETCW) performed their Summer 2024 Concert on Saturday, January 6, 2024, in the Banita Ballroom of The Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches, TX. The performance was led by ETCW Founder and Artistic Director, Roy McLerran. Musical selections for the concert included works by Franz Krommer, Alyssa Morris, and Arthur Bird. The theme of the concert, “Falling Colors,” was a nod to the work by Alyssa Morris, the only living composer represented in the concert. Alyssa Morris is a living American composer and internationally recognized oboist. She is originally from Clearfield, UT, and is currently employed as the Associate Professor of Oboe at Kansas State University. Her piece, Where the Colors Fall, was composed in 2017 and inspired by the hymn, High on a Mountain Top.

The concert showcased the talents of sixteen instrumental musicians, who were mostly associated with Stephen F. Austin State University, and was attended by approximately fifty community members. The music for the evening was paired with a selection of complimentary refreshments and a cash bar provided by The Fredonia Hotel. The ETCW was proud to ensure the inclusion of local vendors such as Naca Valley Vineyards and Fredonia Brewery! Decorations for the event were designed by Jacqueline Doss of the JD Ranch Boutique and provided by ETCW President, Tracy Doss. Additional thanks to the SFASU School of Music and The Fredonia Hotel for the use of their facilities, to San Augustine ISD for the concert programs, and Lufkin ISD for the music stands. The video of the performance will be available shortly on the ETCW Facebook page and the “Archive” page of the website.

*The ETCW will return to The Fredonia Hotel on Saturday, January 4, 2025, for their 9th winter concert.

East Texas Chamber Winds, Full ensemble

“Serenade for Winds” by Arthur Bird

The ETCW would like to thank our supporters for this concert cycle:

Kimberly Herman

Jan and Terri Wubbena

We would also like to recognize the current Solfege Donor members:

Christopher Ayer

Tracy Doss

Patti and Rod McLerran

Rick and Sandi Russell

Become a Solfege Donor today to support music in Nacogdoches!

UPCOMING WORLD PREMIERE!

In preparation for its tenth-anniversary celebration next summer, the ETCW is excited to announce that we have commissioned a new work for winds and percussion by Dr. David W. Campo! The piece will be comprised of three distinct movements and last approximately 12 minutes. All individuals and community ensembles are invited to contribute to this “consortium,” or funding body, by the premiere performance in June 2025. All contributors will have their names listed in the published version of the work! Learn more here.  

Hello and thank you for supporting the ETCW!

As we near the beginning of the ninth concert year with another stunning selection of music, I wanted to share my pride and love for this group. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Roy McLerran, the ETCW has become a treasured source of quality music and artistic expression in the East Texas area. My favorite performance was the world premiere of “Carnival of the Animals,” presented last January (2023) at Mast Hall. The audience was delighted with the instrumental representations of the different animals!

In its first (near) decade, the ETCW has provided music performance opportunities for musicians from across the state as well as beautiful, free concerts for the community to enjoy. The ETCW has become an independent, established 501c3 organization as of the fall of 2022 and will continue to rely on community and corporate support to assist the organization with its mission to provide lovely harmoniemusik experiences. In celebration of this ninth summer season, please consider becoming a Solfege Donor or Corporate Sponsor.

The Summer 2024 concert, “Falling Colors” will take place on Saturday, June 15th at 6 pm at the historic Fredonia Hotel. I look forward to seeing you there!

Tracy Doss

Board President, East Texas Chamber Winds

The East Texas Chamber Winds (ETCW) performed their eighth winter concert on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at The Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches, TX. The performance was led by ETCW Founder and Artistic Director, Roy McLerran. Musical selections for the concert included three works by nearly-forgotten composers, Francaix, Bologne, and Raff. The theme for the concert was “Music of the 70s” since each work was composed in that decade, across three different centuries (from the 18th-20th). The period has consistently been characterized by socio-political revolutions, followed by large shifts in fashion and classical music. The first piece, Overture to L’Amant Anonyme by Joseph Bologne (1745-1799) was a sample of early French opera which was contrasted with the modern and angular-sounding second work, 9 Pièces Caractéristiques by French composer, Jean Francaix (1912-1997). After a brief intermission, the concert concluded with a work from the Romantic era, Sinfonietta, Op.188 by German-Swiss composer, Joachim Raff (1822-1882).

The concert showcased the talents of thirteen instrumental musicians, each associated with SFASU, and was attended by approximately seventy community members. The music for the evening was paired with a selection of complimentary refreshments and a cash bar provided by The Fredonia Hotel. Decorations for the event were designed by Jacqueline Doss of the JD Ranch Boutique and provided by ETCW President, Tracy Doss.

The ETCW would like to thank our individual and corporate supporters for this concert cycle:

Charles and Sharon Bradberry

Tracy Doss

Patti and Rod McLerran

Jennifer Myrick

Betty Oglesbee

John and Sharon Oglesbee

Sharon and Charles Pollard

Rick and Sandi Russell

Mary Ann Sprinkle

Jan and Terri Wubbena

Commercial Bank of Texas

Additional thanks to the SFASU School of Music and The Fredonia Hotel for the use of their facilities, to San Augustine ISD for the music stands and concert programs, and to Brad Meyer for the recording services. The video of the performance will be available shortly on the ETCW Facebook page and the “Archive” page of the website. The ETCW will return to The Fredonia Hotel on Saturday, June 15th for their 9th summer concert.

Read an article about the event by Andrew Hodge of The Daily Sentinel here.

The East Texas Chamber Winds (ETCW), led by Roy McLerran, presented their eighth annual summer concert at the Fredonia Hotel on Saturday, June 17, 2023. Musicians of the ensemble are all Texas-natives and music educators who are mostly affiliated with the SFASU School of Music. Musical selections for this summer included works by Haydn, Schultz, and Strauss. Audience members enjoyed an evening of music complete with a full bar and light refreshments provided by the hotel. The atmosphere of the event was enriched with the elegant table decorations made by Jacqueline Doss, owner of the JD Ranch Boutique, and donated by current president of the ETCW board, Tracy Doss.

The ETCW would like to thank our supporters for this concert cycle:

Tracy Doss

Patti and Rod McLerran

Sharon and Charles Pollard

Dr. John and Sharon Oglesbee

Sandi and Rick Russell

Terri and Jan Wubbena

Shelby Savings Bank

Commercial Bank of Texas

Additional thanks to SFASU and The Fredonia Hotel for the use of their facilities, to SAISD for the music stands and the concert programs, and to Dr. Brad Meyer for the recording services. The ETCW will return to Nacogdoches on January 6th for their annual winter concert.

The ETCW performed their annual winter concert on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM. The performance took place in historic Mast Hall in downtown Nacogdoches, TX. Musical selections included lesser known works by Gouvy and Franciax and an original arrangement of Saint-Saëns’ famous “Carnival of the Animals” for winds by Roy McLerran. The performance was well-attended with one of the largest audiences in ETCW history and was supported by local businesses - Naca Valley Vineyards and Blue Horse Bakery. In addition, complimentary refreshments were prepared and served by the talented Jennifer Myrick. Decorations for the event were arranged by Tracy Doss, President of the ETCW, with subtle references to each animal from McLerran’s arrangement. Special thanks to SFASU for the use of their rehearsal spaces and to San Augustine ISD for the use of their music stands. As always, the ETCW were glad to celebrate their craft with good food and good friends, old and new. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a success!

Artistic Director, Roy McLerran, leads the performance.

Socializing after the performance.

The East Texas Chamber Winds are excited to announce that we have now achieved our own 501c3 status! Donations to the ETCW will continue to be tax-exempt to the extent permissible by law. See our “Donations” page for more information.

The 2022-2023 ETCW Board of Directors includes:

Tracy Doss, President

Patti McLerran, Secretary/Treasurer

Brandon Beavers

Marina McLerran

Roy McLerran

The Summer 2022 Concert was a huge success! The ETCW performed 19th century works for audiences in the setting of the period-accurate chapel at Millard’s Crossing Historic Village in Nacogdoches, TX. The event was made more special by wine and pastry sales from Naca Valley Vineyard and the Blue Horse Bakery. Special Guest Conductor, Jack Hontz (far right) conducted the Texas premiere of his arrangement of a work by Debussy.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Summer 2021 concert at Naca Valley Vineyard! We set a new audience record with more than 100 people in attendance and had the best time reconnecting with everyone. Thank you to the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music for the use of their facilities and to San Augustine ISD for lending us music stands for the performance. Thank you to Emily “Kubs” Sabrsula for being our photographer for the weekend.

The ETCW are excited to return to the stage after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arrangements are being made to select an appropriate outdoor venue in order to ensure social distancing of musicians and audience members. Check the “events” page for further details.

The ETCW was honored to be featured in a short article in Nacogdoches’ official newspaper, the Daily Sentinel, the morning before their Winter 2020 concert in historic Mast Hall. This concert marked the beginning of the ensemble’s fourth year of performing for the community and was well-attended. It is the goal of the ETCW to continue providing high quality music to the East Texas area, free of charge, in order to encourage a spirit of togetherness and educate the public about the history and possibilities of wind instruments.

The East Texas Chamber Winds are excited to perform a brand new work, “Mountain Songs,” by Texas composer Jack Wilds as part of the annual winter concert along with selections by Mendelssohn and Krommer. The performance will take place on January 5, 2019 at 6pm in historic Mast Hall on Main Street in Nacogdoches, TX. 

In keeping with the mission of the ETCW to provide quality musical performances to the public free of charge, there will not be entry or parking fees. Because the chamber winds is a non-profit organization, it is necessary to ask the local community for financial support to fund events like these. Please visit our page on our sponsor's website here. 

READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE EVENT HERE!

Image by PJ DeJesus from the ETCW World Premiere Concert on January 5, 2019.

The East Texas Chamber Winds (ETCW) is a local ensemble dedicated to the accurate performance of harmoniemusik. The ETCW’s premiere concert took place in San Augustine, TX at the First United Methodist Church in the summer of 2016, conducted by Roy McLerran. Members of the ETCW are all either current students or recent graduates of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music in Nacogdoches, TX. 

We are excited to announce that we have accepted an invitation to perform at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) annual convention in San Antonio, TX! The concert will take place on Friday, February 16, 2018 from 2-2:30pm in the West Lobby of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

Image by PJ DeJesus from the 2018 TMEA Convention in San Antonio, TX

The East Texas Chamber Winds are excited to announce an upcoming collaboration with Texas composer, Jack Wilds. The ETCW will premiere an original Wilds piece on their annual winter concert in January 2019. More details to come!