The Dallas Wind Symphony is the leading professional civilian wind band in the United States today. Comprised of 50 woodwind, brass and percussion players, the band performs an eclectic blend of musical styles ranging from Bach to Bernstein and Sousa to Strauss. They combine the tradition of the British brass band with the musical heritage of the American town band and the pioneering spirit of the 20th century wind ensemble.

The DWS makes its home in one of the world's greatest concert halls, Dallas' Morton H. Meyerson Concert Center, where it performs an annual concert subscription series. They have twelve highly acclaimed CDs on the Reference Recordings label under conductors Howard Dunn, Frederick Fennell and Jerry Junkin. In 1995, recognizing the Dallas Wind Symphony's importance to the community, the City of Dallas granted the windband use of the historic Fair Park Bandshell, both as a venue for summer outdoor concerts and as an administrative office.

Since its debut in 1985, the Dallas Wind Symphony has entertained more than a million people both at home and increasingly, on tour. Among those entertained was Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, for whom the DWS gave a command performance in March 1991.

Reasons for the popular success of the DWS are many - among them:

* A contemporary sound growing from roots reaching back to the town band, the marching field and the concert stage;
* Cleverly constructed thematic programming;
* Inspired leadership from conductor Jerry Junkin;
* Texas' strong band tradition providing virtuostic players.

The DWS has received outstanding critical acclaim for its twelve compact discs on the Reference Recordings label: The Brass and the Band, Fiesta!, Holst, Fennell Favorites, Testament, Trittico, Pomp & Pipes, Beachcomber, Arnold for Band, Holidays and Epiphanies - the Music of Ron Nelson, Marches I've Missed and Garden of Dreams. Trittico was named Best Classical Album of 1994 by the National Association of Independent Record Distributors and Arnold for Band was also nominated for this prestigious award. The DWS has sold over 100,000 copies of their recordings. In 1998, the DWS founded its own record label, Widget Records, for the release of its first self-produced album, Strictly Sousa.

National Public Radio regularly broadcasts DWS performances on the syndicated shows Performance Today and Audiophile Audition.

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