Meet the Artist: Jazz Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval

On April 3^rd the Piedmont Wind Symphony kicked off the baseball season opener for the Winston-Salem Dash. The adult wind ensemble serving the Piedmont Triad area was founded under the direction of Robert Simon back in 1989 with seed money from the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Their goal is to further adult music education and provide performance opportunities for post-college-age musicians. Along the way the Piedmont Wind Symphony has been expanding the musical experiences available to Triad audiences of all ages. They do it by providing high-quality wind ensemble concerts often times accompanied by exciting guest artists. In 2011 that artist was legendary Cuban jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. In 1990 Sandoval defected to the United States while touring with his early mentor, the late great Dizzy Gillespie. He became a naturalized citizen in 1999 and has since been awarded 10 Grammy Awards, and nominated 19 times. Arturo spoke with David Ford by phone from his home in California.

Last year Arturo Sandoval was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2011 he performed in Winston-Salem with the Piedmont Wind Symphony. It was Arturo's third collaboration with conductor Rob Simon and the ensemble. On May 31^st Rob will lead the group at the Triad Field of Honor Memorial Dedication.  The Piedmont Wind Symphony will participate in the dedication as well as perform a Patriotic Concert.