Winds of Change brings Balkan spirit to Holland

A twenty-four hour bus ride is not most people’s idea of fun, but to the members of the Winds of Change it was worth the wait. The wind ensemble left Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday, May 17 and arrived in Heemstede late the following day. They were here to take master classes, perform two concerts, and, of course, tour a bit of Amsterdam.

Musicians without Borders sponsored the trip that brought the 15 ensemble members to the Netherlands. The group is led by Willem van Merwijk (Netherlands Wind Ensemble) and is composed of music students alongside several young professionals. The Winds of Change performs all kinds of music – classical pieces by Ravel and Berlioz, traditional Balkan folk songs, and newer jazz and funk compositions.

The Winds of Change performed as a guest of the Netherlands Wind Ensemble on Wednesday, May 21 in Amsterdam for a concert entitled “Balkan Wedding.” This concert was aptly named – three couples were actually married during the course of the evening. Winds of Change members were excited to be playing alongside one of the best wind ensembles in the world – especially in such a festive and joyful concert. For video, see YouTube. On Thursday evening, the Winds of Change performed again – but this time a full concert in Alkmaar. They played music from their Sarajevo tour entitled “From Paris to Skopje.”

The week ended with a day to enjoy Amsterdam. The group departed the following morning – exhausted but happy after a week of music-making.