About us - Foothill Symphonic Winds

Introduction

This active and respected community band was originally formed as the Foothill College Symphonic Wind Ensemble in the Fall Quarter of 1980. It was operated as an accredited class under the auspices of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. In the summer of 2011, all Music Performance classes were cancelled at the college. The members of the Foothill Symphonic Winds (FSW), as it was then named, wanted the band to continue to operate in its traditional format, except as a non-profit organization. Articles of Incorporation were filed, a Board of Directors elected, and 501(c)(3) tax exempt status granted to the FSW by the IRS.

The ensemble performs classical and contemporary works written or transcribed for symphonic wind ensemble or concert band. The aim is to assist the musicians in continuing their musical growth, while also providing high-caliber musical entertainment for the community. Enrollment is open to all qualified musicians in the community. Concert performances and musical outreach activities are viewed as benefits of being able to perform quality wind literature in a high-caliber ensemble.

Location

The Foothill Symphonic Winds is located in northern California at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula. We are fortunate to be able to hold our rehearsals in the music room of the Mountain View High School's Packard Hall, 3535 Truman Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94040. Rehearsals start promptly at 7:30 PM on Wednesdays. We meet for three sessions (Fall, Winter, and Spring) from the end of September to the middle of June. Parking is free on the local streets..

Membership

FSW in concert The musicians of the Foothill Symphonic Winds span a wide range of ages (15 - 96), backgrounds, and occupations. They are brought together by a shared desire to perform music of the highest quality available for concert band and wind ensembles. The roster from our last performance shows the broad range of occupations of our members. The ensemble often has members who are enrolled as regular students pursuing high school or college degrees. A few members currently earn a living directly related to music (e.g., teacher, music sales). The other musicians are a part of, or retired from, the work force in the local area, which is the birthplace of Silicon Valley. The group is pleased that it can attract individuals from many occupations and backgrounds who play music at a high level of performance and who want to continue to do so as an avocation.

The FSW membership now varies between 50 and 56 musicians, plus our conductor, Mr. David Bruce Adams. The first concert of the ensemble, held December 10, 1980, had 49 musicians performing compositions of such significant value that many of the pieces were repeated for the 35th Anniversary Concert. Three of our members have belonged for 38 years. It is estimated that more than 80% of the musicians live within 10 miles of our rehearsal site. A few members live in the East Bay or up the peninsula as far as San Francisco.

The Foothill Symphonic Winds does not hold to a strict instrumentation, largely because it is an educational and community experience. Anyone with the performing skill, commensurate with the difficulty of music performed, is invited to be a member. However, we do need to limit our total membership for musical and logistical considerations. Sectional balance is achieved by each individual's respect for the intended dynamics and balance for each composition played. Limitations may be placed on the size of individual sections to help with musical balance. Prospective new members must have the approval of the Music Director (contact). Auditions are not required normally, but individual and sectional auditions are at the desire of the Music Director.

Our Music Director

John H Burn, Music Director John Hamilton Burn assumed the position of Music Director in June 2026 following the retirement of David Adams after 33 years of outstanding service. Mr. Burn served as Associate Music Director in September 2025, shortly after his retirement as Director of Bands and Orchestra and Music Department Lead at Homestead High School (HHS) in Cupertino, where he taught since 1991. Coincidentally, HHS is the school from which he graduated. He also directs the Stanford Jazz Workshop “Giant Steps” Big Band, supervises student teachers for San Jose State, and enjoys playing trumpet in The Footnotes, a semi-professional jazz band.

Mr. Burn has received several significant commendations including the 2025 California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Hall of Fame, a 2019 Grammy Music Educator Award Semi-finalist, and the 2009-2010 HHS Teacher of the Year. He was a 2009 Inductee to the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Legion of Honor. He is a past-president of: CMEA, California Band Directors Association, California Music Educators Association Bay Section, Santa Clara County Band Directors Association, and the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival Board of Directors. Bands and orchestras under Mr. Burn’s direction consistently earned high ratings at regional, state, and international festivals. He holds a B.A. in Music Education from UCLA and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois.

Music Director Emeritus

David B. Adams, Director Emeritus David Bruce Adams became the Music Director of the Foothill Symphonic Winds in September 1993, after performing for many years as lead trumpeter for the group. His professional conducting experience includes three years as the Assistant Conductor of the San Jose Municipal Band. In 2024, he was appointed Associate Conductor of the Monterey County Pops! Orchestra where he is in charge of their Outreach Programs for high schools in Monterey County. Mr. Adams earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University, studying trumpet with John Coffey and Roger Voisin of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He later earned his Master of Arts degree at San Jose State University while teaching music and directing bands in the Cupertino Union School District. For fourteen years he was Instrumental Music Director at Palo Alto High School, where his concert and jazz bands won numerous awards. In 1987, Mr Adams received a Fellowship for advanced music studies at Northwestern University. In 1998 he chose to teach music in the Palo Alto elementary schools so that he could spend more time with his wife and young son. He continues to perform professionally with many Bay Area ensembles and is an active adjudicator for jazz, orchestra and band festivals in Northern California. He has served as president of the Santa Clara County Band Directors' Association and as Area Representative for the California Music Educators Association. Mr. Adams retired as Music Director in June 2026 after 35 years of participation.

Concerts

On average, the Foothill Symphonic Winds performs three concerts each year. There are formal concerts that occur at the end of the Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions in December, March, and June, respectively. In addition, there are have been special events over the years. These events might include a joint concert with another host band, pop concerts, festivals, or mentoring events with younger school bands. There is more discussion of the latter activities in the section on Outreach efforts.

Our concerts are performed in the Theatre at the Cubberley Community Center, 4000 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. This 325-seat theater is slightly small for our performances, but it is located on level land with nearby, free parking. Concerts start at 3:30 PM on Sunday afternoons. A schedule of upcoming concerts is here. There is usually a nominal admission charge for the three main concerts of the year. The proceeds partially offset the costs of concert hall rental and the acquisition of new music. Ticket prices are presently $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Keeping admission costs low is a way of making our musical performances more accessible to all segments of our community. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there are many arts organizations that compete for an audience that is very involved with jobs or free-time activities.

Programs have always been distributed at our concerts. These were usually one, two, or four pages and included the works to be performed and the roster of musicians. In 1989, program notes were added providing information about each of the works performed along with short biographies of the composers. These notes have been an important adjunct to appreciating the music being performed. While not everyone in the audience reads the several pages of program notes at each concert, there are a large enough number that appreciate the material to justify their inclusion. There are several ensemble members who ask for early drafts, so that they can better understand the works being rehearsed. This website was established to share these notes with other bands. Program notes, listed by composer, are available on-line. Publicity posters are also available for review. A listing of our past performances can be found here. Our YouTube Channel provides samples of our full band concerts, small ensemble performances, and virtual concert videos performed during COVID lockdowns.

Over the years, the Foothill Symphonic Winds has shared its concerts with a large number of comparable ensembles. We have both served as host for concerts and been guests at others. These opportunities allow our members to experience other music for concert band and to hear how our sound compares to the other groups. It's also an opportunity for each other's audience to become aware of another musical organization in the community. For the Intermediate and High School Bands, it demonstrates that a musician can continue to have a place to perform music after he or she graduates from school.

Upcoming concerts

Chamber Music Ensembles

The FSW encourages its musicians to participate in small groups, to augment their experience with the larger ensemble. Once a year, these ensembles have put on a separate concert showcasting their group efforts. Videos from some of these concerts are on FSW's YouTube Channel. The program for the May 4, 2025 concert is here.

Organizational Membership

The Foothill Symphonic Winds is an Organizational Member of the Association of Concert Bands (ACB). ACB members include bands, high school and adult musicians, conductors, composers, and corporations who are dedicated and equipped to serve the needs of musicians that perform in and/or lead adult concert, community, and municipal bands. The ACB has compiled a list of concert bands.

Other Local Community Bands

Bel Canto Flutes - Palo Alto, CA 94306
Chabot College Wind Ensemble & Symphony - Hayward, CA 94545
Cupertino Symphonic Band - Sunnyvale, CA 94087
De Anza College Symphonic Wind Ensemble - Cupertino, CA 95014
Deutscher Musikverein (SF German Band) - San Francisco, CA 94109
Hayward Municipal Band - Hayward, CA 94544
Los Altos Ye Olde Towne Band - Los Altos, CA 94022
Milpitas Community Concert Band - Fremont, CA 95035
Newark Symphonic Winds - Newark, CA 94560
Ohlone Community Band - Fremont, CA 94539
Ohlone Wind Orchestra - Fremont, CA 94539
Peninsula Symphonic Band - Palo Alto, CA 94301
Portugese Band of San Jose - San Jose, CA 95116
Saratoga Community Band, Saratoga, CA 95070
Skyline College Concert Band - San Bruno, CA 94066
San Jose Metropolitan Band - San Jose, CA 95138
San Jose Wind Symphony - San Jose, CA 95138
West Bay Community Band - Millbrae, CA 94030
Woodside Village Band - Woodside, CA 94062