The Raystown Wind Orchestra will present its 13th annual concert on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona. Admission is free, but a free will offering will be taken. The RWO was formed in 2013 by conductor Dr. James Latten, Professor of Music at Juniata College and conductor of the college’s symphonic band, orchestra, and “Percussion at Juniata” program.
The masterwork for this concert will be the world premiere of “Gaudi,” by Joshua Idio. This large-scale work is named for the Spanish architect whose famous works (led by the gigantic cathedral La Sagrada Familia) inspired this piece, Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). After witnessing much of the beauty of Barcelona’s mystical UNESCO world heritage sites, Joshua ventured to learn more about the city’s mysterious architect – the religious man, perfectionist, and devoted observer of nature named Antoni Gaudi. In doing so he found a story filled with death, sorrow, and loneliness, but with it also humility, admiration, and faith. In an attempt to bring more awareness to the Catalonian architect’s story, Joshua composed the piece for band, with four connected movements depicting different perspectives of the architect’s narrative: mystery, growth, struggle, legacy. His hope is that Gaudi’s story pushes us to reimagine the life we live in and learn from him on how to become a better and inspiring person.
Other repertoire on the concert will include the “Concerto for Marimba” by James Basta, with soloist Michael Thomas of York, PA. Michael is co-principal percussion with Hanover Symphony Orchestra, with which he was a featured soloist in 2023. He has performed with York Symphony Orchestra, Altoona Symphony Orchestra, Spring Garden Band of York, as well as various freelance percussion gigs including jazz drum-set, musicals, and churches. Michael teaches throughout the south-central Pennsylvania area as a private percussion instructor and group clinician. He was also a featured soloist with York Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2024.
Assistant conductor Dr. Sandra Lee will lead the ensemble in two selections, Steven Bryant’s Dusk and Sir Malcolm Arnold’s “Four Scottish Dances,” and Latten will lead a subset of the full band in Vincent Persichetti’s Serenade No. 1.
RWO performed its first concert as a guest ensemble during the Juniata College Wind Symphony’s April 2013 concert. The ensemble is comprised of advanced adult, collegiate, and high school musicians from the Huntingdon/Raystown Lake region of Pennsylvania, as well as State College and Altoona areas.
