A Comparative Study of Four American Professional Wind Bands

Abstract

This study compares the repertoire, business models, and philosophies of four American professional wind bands; Dallas Winds, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, San Diego Winds, and the Royal Hawaiian Band. For the purposes of this study, “professional” is defined as generating sufficient income to pay the performers. The Royal Hawaiian Band is an outlier of professional wind bands because of its history and function. The other three bands perform two to nine concerts per season like the first American orchestras. For these young professional bands to achieve comparable success as current professional orchestras, they should make similar revolutionary leaps (not evolutionary steps) that early American orchestras made to guarantee their performers a full season of concerts, enough to provide a livable income.