By Kristen Dan
On Friday, June 26, the Patagonia Winds performed for an audience of more than 200 at the opening of the three Glen Mar United Methodist Church’s Summer Concert Series. This woodwind quintet brings together accomplished musicians whose careers and talents extend beyond the stage. Flutist Melissa Lindon is also a yoga instructor, oboist Stephanie Ying is a professor, clarinetist Dr. Emily Robinson and bassoonist Chris McFarlane are former members of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, and hornist Jay Chadwick also practices commercial law. Their program was just as diverse as their backgrounds.
The Patagonia Winds prides itself on performing music written by living, local, and historically underrepresented composers. Highlights included Alyssa Morris’ “Dumbarton Oaks” (2019), which emulates the soundscape of a healing walk in the Dumbarton Oaks park and gardens in Washington, D.C., and Valerie Coleman’s “Red Clay and Mississippi Delta” (2009) which tells the story of life in the South through bluesy clarinet riffs. Members of the quintet introduced each piece, sharing diverse perspectives and new stories with the audience.
The ensemble also performed Jasmine Arielle Barnes’ “How to Fly” (2025), a work that captures the process of starting things. Commissioned by the Patagonia Winds, this piece reflects the ensemble’s ongoing commitment to expanding the woodwind quintet repertoire written by contemporary, historically underrepresented composers.
Audience members greatly enjoyed the quintet’s program. Not every concert starts with a dance, takes the listener on a dreamy journey, and ends in a juke joint in the Mississippi Delta. After cheers for an encore, the Patagonia Winds played Zequinha de Abreu’s “Tico-Tico” (1917), an energetic Brazilian choro, whose intricate rhythms and persistent musical form imitate a small bird — the tico-tico — pecking at corn.
While the second of the three concerts will have passed by the publishing of this article, you can still attend the last concert of the series Air Force Blue Aces on Friday, August 14 at 7:00 pm in the Spirit Center!
