RI Philharmonic Music School’s Youth Symphonic Wind Ensemble joins the RI Wind Ensemble on stage, Nov. 15

Members of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School’s Youth Wind Ensembles (RIPYWE) Symphonic Winds join their counterparts in a side by side concert with the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble (RIWE), an adult community band based in Providence.

RIPYWE Music Director David Neves, a Cranston resident, and the former Director of Music at Scituate High School, conducts the Youth Wind Ensembles in a concert featuring Gordon Jacob’s William Byrd Suite, Frank Ticheli’s Shenandoah and John Philip Sousa’s Sabre and Spurs. The RIWE, conducted by Robert Franzblau, a Scituate resident, performs Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Four Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein. 

The ensembles combine to perform Henry Fillmore’s The Klaxon and The Circus Bee, Samuel Hazo’s Arabesque and Eric Whitacre’s Sleep. Franzblau and Neves will take to the podium to direct both the students and adults.

Dr. David Neves
R.I. Philharmonic Music School

 “I am so excited to be partnering with the RI Wind Ensemble and their excellent director Rob. This concert gives our RIPYWE students an opportunity to partner with great adult musicians and live the fact that music making creates bonds among folks of all ages. In addition, getting a chance to conduct again at Scituate High School, where I spent 29 years developing my skills as a band director, is extremely exciting and meaningful. I have lots of great memories. I hope to see many of my former students—now adults—and their children, attending this very special concert. I hope the concert will be a treat for the Scituate community, which will always hold a special place in my heart.”

The concert, Generations United, is on Friday (Nov. 15) at 7:15 p.m. at Scituate High School.

Dr. Robert Franzblau
Rhode Island Wind Ensemble

“As a resident of Scituate for over 20 years, I’ve been in the audience at Scituate High School Auditorium many times to hear my children perform in the band, often under the direction of David,” said Franzblau. “It’s wonderful to be able to give something back to my town with this concert, and we are all looking forward to a very special night of musical community-building.”

Dr. David Neves, who lives in Cranston, is currently the Director of Youth Wind Ensembles for the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School and the Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Rhode Island. He is active as a music education clinician, conductor, performer, and private Instructor, providing workshops throughout New England. In 2017, Dr. Neves retired as Director of Fine and Performing Arts for the Needham Public Schools in Massachusetts. Prior to Needham, Neves served 29 years as the Director of Bands and Supervisor in Scituate, RI. While in Scituate, Neves also taught jazz ensemble, orchestra, chorus, general music, and strings. As Supervisor, he developed curricula and assessments that still serve as models throughout the region. Neves received his B.M. in Music Education from Berklee College of Music and his M.A.T. from Rhode Island College, with a concentration on saxophone performance. In 2006, he received his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Johnson & Wales University.

Dr. Robert Franzblau of Scituate has lived and worked at the intersection of musical performance and music education for 40 years. He currently serves as coordinator of graduate programs in music education at Rhode Island College, the oldest public institution of higher education in the state. In addition to teaching courses in music education methods, music theory, and ear training, his duties include field placement and supervision of pre-service teachers. Previously, he served for 21 years as director of bands at Rhode Island College, conducting the wind ensemble and chamber winds. Under his direction, the Rhode Island College Wind Ensemble performed to enthusiastic reviews at regional conventions of the College Band Directors National Association and the National Association for Music Education. This fall, he begins his tenth year as conductor and artistic director of the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble, an adult community band based in Providence.

The mission of the RI Wind Ensemble is to preserve the classic American wind ensemble genre in the tradition of John Philip Sousa by presenting to audiences, music of the finest quality and variety with powerful and sensitive interpretations.

Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School’s Youth Wind Ensembles (RIPYWE): Founded in 2002, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensembles was created to give advanced woodwind, brass and percussion students from Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut an outstanding opportunity to rehearse and perform high quality wind ensemble repertoire. RIPYWE offers these students a challenging and rewarding musical experience. Dr. David Neves, who lives in Scituate, is the Music Director of RI Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensembles and conducts the top-level Symphonic Winds for advanced middle and high school students, and John Knasas conducts the Wind Ensemble for intermediate to advanced middle and high school students. Both ensembles rehearse on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

About The Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Ensembles: The Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Ensembles (RIPYO, RIPYWE, RIPYJazz, & Chamber) provide quality rehearsal and performance experience for talented young musicians from Rhode Island and nearby Connecticut and Massachusetts. Students range in grades from elementary school through high school.

 For more information on The Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School’s Youth Wind Ensembles (RIPYWE) or Youth Orchestras (RIPYO), call 401.248.7038, or email Cat Walsh, youth ensembles manager, cwalsh@riphil.org.Visit musicschool.riphil.org for information on more Philharmonic Music School activities and performances.