Lynn Barszcz
Lynn Barszcz is a performing saxophonist based in Western Massachusetts. She is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she earned her Master of Music degree in Performance under the direction of Jonathan Hulting-Cohen. Her love of new music has been a highlight of recent years, premiering and commissioning new works for […]
Steve Ehrler
Steve Ehrler is currently serving as the President of The Valley Winds. Although not a musician himself, Steve very much enjoys working with wonderful musicians and other volunteers to support The Valley Winds. Steve served in the United States Navy as a submarine officer on a fast-attack nuclear submarine. He then spent almost 25 years […]
Peg Conniff
Peg is the Secretary of the Valley Winds Exec. Board
Monte Becker
Monte is the Outreach Director on the Valley Winds Executive Board
Brian Messier
Dr. Brian Messier is founder and Artistic Director of the 2016 American Prize winning Valley Winds based in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. In addition to his role with The Valley Winds, Messier is Director of Bands at Dartmouth College, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Pep Band, and Youth Wind Ensemble. He […]
Eric Putnam
Eric Putnam was the Music Director of the Greater Chicopee Area Community Concert Band. He has served as a music educator, percussion director, and Music Arranger for the Blackstone-Millville Regional School District, Tantasqua Regional Senior High School, East Bridgewater High School, and the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps. As a percussionist Eric served with the […]
Chris Mortensen
Christine Mortensen teaches French horn at NCMC. She received her B.M. in Music Education from Oberlin College and her M.M. in performance from UMass. She also currently teaches at the Berkshire Music School. Christine plays in the Berkshire Brass Quintet, Ensemble Bacchanal, En Cor Horn Quartet, Valley Winds and the Valley Woodwind Quintet. In addition […]
Janice Murphy
As a young musician fresh out of graduate school in Chicago, I was auditioning all over the country for the coveted orchestral job, which I thought was the only job for me. When a spot opened up in Washington, DC with the “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, I was intrigued. What would it […]
