ABOUT US
Welcome to the Nashville African American Wind Symphony (NAAWS)
The Nashville African American Wind Symphony (NAAWS) is an organization built with a deep commitment to the cultural enrichment of the African American community through the art of wind band music. Our vision is to create an environment where youth musicians can thrive, develop their talents, and gain exposure to the world of professional music. At NAAWS, we aim to provide a nurturing space for both seasoned musicians and emerging talent, creating a world-class wind band ensemble while offering transformative educational experiences.
We are more than just a performing arts group—we are a vibrant community dedicated to providing resources, support, and opportunities for growth in music education. Our organization is committed to preserving the legacy of African American musical artistry, while creating lasting and dynamic cultural experiences that will inspire future generations of musicians and music lovers.
OUR VISION
At NAAWS, we strive to create a vital cultural experience within the African American community by establishing an exceptional wind band ensemble, offering world-class performances, and providing educational opportunities for youth musicians. Our vision includes:
Fostering a culture where African American musicians and performers can showcase their skills at the highest level.
Providing meaningful educational programs, mentorship, and community resources to youth musicians in the Nashville area.
Preserving the wind band tradition through performances and educational outreach programs.
MISSION
The Nashville African American Wind Symphony presents a broad range of educational, entertainment, and cultural programs. We aim to be a key regional service as a professional performance ensemble, a key youth instrumental musical training, and a means of preserving the wind band community in Nashville and as an established legacy organization. We aim to achieve this by:
1. Demonstrating the ability to perform high-quality public concerts solely made up of advanced musicians of color.
2. Providing educational programs that share and collaborate with artistic resources to offer unique instrumental music experiences to area inner-city school-aged children and audiences of all ages.
3. Offering enrichment opportunities such as free lessons, materials, resources, and exposure to diverse forms of musical literature and performance.
4. Serving as a community nonprofit organization that meets the needs of a wide variety of area professional musicians, inner-city youth, and other-like organizations.
5. Reinforcing foundational wind band clinical techniques to cultivate a life-long passion for wind band literature and performance.
6. Establishing initiatives that build greater public awareness of the diverse program offerings of NAAWS and its patrons.
7. Facilitating enriching musical leadership opportunities for volunteers and staff of the highest musical caliber.
8. Ensuring that sufficient resources are available to accomplish the mission and vision.
Our Impact
The Nashville African American Wind Symphony is making a lasting impact on the cultural and educational landscape of Nashville. Our work continues to inspire young musicians, enrich the local arts scene, and create a space for African American musicians to shine. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality performances that resonate with diverse audiences while simultaneously ensuring that youth in our community have access to the tools and opportunities necessary for success in music and life.