What People Are Saying
Since its founding in 1997, the Indiana Wind Symphony has brought joy and inspiration to audiences, leaving concertgoers feeling more uplifted than when they arrived.
Our mission is to present significant music for band and wind ensemble to the Central Indiana community. Each performance bridges the timeless charm of the classical community band with the creativity and innovation of the contemporary wind ensemble.
The Indiana Wind Symphony (IWS) is composed of 80 dedicated volunteer musicians, including professional performers, music educators, and accomplished amateurs, who share a passion for creating exceptional music.
As a resident company of the Carmel Center for the Performing Arts, the IWS regularly performs at the Payne & Mencias Palladium concert hall.
We perform a wide-ranging mix of music, from timeless works written over 250 years ago to brand-new compositions premiered just last week.
Our programs include serious pieces that transport listeners to far-off places, modern selections that will have you dancing in your seat, and favorites from opera and Broadway—plus so much more.
Each year, the Indiana Wind Symphony presents a six-concert series at the Payne & Mencias Palladium in Carmel, with additional performances in the Studio Theater, both located at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts. The ensemble also plays at other venues around the state throughout the year.
What is a Wind Symphony?
A wind symphony is a unique blend of concert band and wind ensemble.
Unlike traditional orchestras, wind symphonies don't rely on string sections. Instead, they feature woodwinds, brass, and percussion, sometimes joined by instruments like double bass, bass guitar, piano, harp, or even synthesizer and electric guitar for certain pieces.
At the Indiana Wind Symphony, we bring people and music together in a fresh, exciting way, celebrating the possibilities of the wind band tradition with a modern twist.
Music Director
Jay S. Gephart
Jay S. Gephart joined the Purdue University faculty in 1995 following a distinguished 12-year career as a public school band director. He currently serves as Director of University Bands and holds the Al G. Wright Chair of Purdue Bands and Orchestras. In 2024, he was appointed Music Director of the Indiana Wind Symphony (IWS).
As Artistic Director of the Purdue University Wind Ensemble, Professor Gephart has conducted performances at world-renowned venues, including Chicago’s Symphony Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City. He is the fifth director in the history of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band, which has performed globally, including at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland.
Gephart has guest-conducted prominent military bands and university ensembles and has been a clinician at major conferences, including The Midwest Clinic in Chicago. His contributions to music education and performance have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the 2024 Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity Outstanding Bandmaster Award and the 2018 Indiana Wind Symphony James Calvert Outstanding Music Educator Award.
He has commissioned numerous works for wind band. He is actively involved in professional organizations, including serving as President of both the Big Ten Band Directors Association and the American Bandmasters Association.
Jay and his wife, Jana, reside in West Lafayette, Indiana, and are proud parents of four children and six grandchildren.
Founder
Dr. Charles P. Conrad
Dr. Charles P. Conrad, founder and retired music director of the Indianapolis Wind Symphony (IWS), is a native of Indianapolis and resides in Carmel, Indiana. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Trumpet Performance from Indiana University, a Master’s degree in Conducting from Butler University, and a Doctorate in Conducting from Ball State University.
A distinguished conductor, musicologist, and educator, Dr. Conrad has led ensembles across the United States and internationally. He is also a respected scholar, having contributed to the “Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians” and serving as a historical music consultant for the film “Water for Elephants.”
In addition to his work with wind bands, Dr. Conrad served for twenty years as choir director at John Knox Presbyterian Church and continues to share his passion for music through private trumpet instruction.
Currently, he is authoring a book on American circus music and an avid collector of antique brass instruments and historic band photographs.
We are grateful to Dr. Conrad for his leadership and contributions to the Indianapolis Wind Symphony and music community. His legacy continues to inspire musicians and audiences alike.
Find out more about the IWS
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Founded in 1997, the Indianapolis Wind Symphony (IWS) is dedicated to presenting artistic-level performances of wind band and wind ensemble representing all styles and eras—from the elegant wind serenades of Mozart to the premiere performances of contemporary works.
The IWS has served as a resident ensemble at the Payne & Mencias Palladium since the opening of the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in 2011.
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Daniel Gall: Mystery Theatre
Frigyes Hidas: Save the Sea Symphony, Concerto for Four Saxophones and Band, and Concerto for Symphonic Band
Werner Bruggemann: Piano Concerto Rike
Thomas Doss: Nocturne
Hardy Mertens: Sinfonisches Variaziones
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James Curnow: With Malice Toward None
Jiri Laburda: Symphony #2
David Sartor: Veni Emmanuel
Daniel Gall; chamber work Melancholy
Fred Anderson: Harrison's March
Dennis Havens: Evening Star
Dennis Havens: The Phantom Cavalry
John O'Neill: 1776
Mark Wolfram: The Swashbuckler
Nathan Beversluis: Chiaroscuro
Nathan Beversluis: Cathexis
Howard Bond: Concert March
Andrew Hollandbeck: Channel Surfing at Six
Lester Taylor: Winds from the Heartland
Dr. David Mruzek: The Boy Scout Centennial, Variations on a Welsh Folksong, The Eagle Scouter, and Derby Days
Dan McGlaun: Symphonic Variations on Back Home Again in Indiana
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Oliver Caplan: Krummholz Variations
Frank Ticheli: Flute Concerto
James M. David: Two Lane Blacktop
Adam Gorb: French Dances Revisited
James Syler: A Blue Streak
Daniel Luzko: Flute Concerto
James Barnes: Ninth Symphony