What critics say…

“Performances are spirited and vibrant, with good balance between the players, but also with the independence of line that woodwind chamber music thrives on… “
Gavin Dixon, Fanfare [July/August 2020]

“The Sonora Winds offer pleasant timbres, secure technique, and good balance and blend; and the group dives headfirst into the difficult scores with a hearty collective sound that comes across as bigger than the number of personnel on stage… Much of the music seems to favor quirky and crunchy dissonance over scenic and resonant consonance; but the ensemble allows each composer to speak and lets the listener decide.”
Hanudel, American Record Guide [May/June 2020]

“The members of Sonora Winds do a top-flight job with all the music on the CD, and hearing them explore this largely unfamiliar repertoire is a major pleasure of the recording… people who are themselves wind players will find a great deal of interest in this rediscovery of mostly undiscovered 20th-century Polish music.”
Mark J. Estren, InfoDad [February 2020]

“.. And kudos to the Sonora Winds for a uniformly detailed and expressive sonance from first to last. It should be a boon to all who follow Polish Modernists and wind chamber music. The music has a down-to-earth accessibility that should have general appeal as well. Nicely done! Sonora is a definite phenomena and the repertoire is a most pleasant surprise”
Gapplegate Review [January 2020]

Sonora is a definite phenomena and the repertoire is a most pleasant surprise.
Greg Applegate Adwards, Classical-Modern Music

In a world in which much of what we know, including musical achievement, is readily left behind in changing times as we rush toward the future, Sonora Winds bring recognition to Polish 20^thcentury composers to help preserve their heritage and legacy…As a tribute to the composers the musicians bring the clear, resonate sounds of the instruments to the ears of the listener.
Joel C. Thompson, Cherry Grove Music

Went to hear the Minnesota-based Sonora Winds whose repertoire consisted exclusively of mid-20th century Polish repertoire for oboe (Madeline Miller), clarinet (Anastasiya Nyzkodub), and bassoon (Marta Troicki). I was so glad I did, because I had never heard any of the three pieces they performed previously—works by Antoni Szalowski and Władysław Walentynowicz, plus an early piece I was unfamiliar with by Witold Lutosławski, the only familiar name. (After the conference, I listened to their excellent disc on MSR Classics which also features a wind quartet— adding flutist Bethany Gonella—by another new name to me, Janina Garścia, so thankfully the disc was not devoted exclusively to male composers.) Sonora’s showcase gave me the same thrill I get from hearing so-called “new music” premieres: encountering something I didn’t know.
Frank J. Oteri, New Music USA

They have uncovered some interesting music here…Performances are spirited and vibrant, with good balance between the players, but also with the independence of line that woodwind chamber music thrives on.
Gavin Dixon, Classical Music Reviews

What audiences say…

“Went to hear the Minnesota- based Sonora Winds whose repertoire consisted exclusively of mid-20th century Polish repertoire for oboe (Madeline Miller), clarinet (Anastasiya Nyzkodub), and bassoon (Marta Troicki). I was so glad I did, because I had never heard any of the three pieces they performed previously—works by Antoni Szalowski and Władysław Walentynowicz, plus an early piece I was unfamiliar with by Witold Lutosławski, the only familiar name. (After the conference, I listened to their excellent disc on MSR Classics which also features a wind quartet— adding flutist Bethany Gonella—by another new name to me, Janina Garścia, so thankfully the disc was not devoted exclusively to male composers). Sonora’s showcase gave me the same thrill I get from hearing so-called “new music” premieres: encountering something I didn’t know.”
Frank J. Oteri, New Music USA

“ Sonora Wind’s concert made me feel happy like I was at an opera.”
Resident of Maplewood Care Center

“The music is relaxing, takes you away for a while.”
Residents of Maplewood Care Center

“Great music choice that was played well.”
Residents of Maplewood Care Center

“I enjoyed hearing new pieces that were fun while also a bit challenging.”
Resident of Maplewood Good Samaritan Center

“I enjoyed the music itself but also the explanations about the instruments. Thank you for sharing your talents and introducing new music to us here.” 
Resident of Maplewood Good Samaritan Center