The Nashville African American Wind Symphony (NAAWS) stands as a beacon of artistic excellence and cultural empowerment.
NAAWS is more than just a symphony; it represents a movement committed to fostering diversity in the musical arts.
This non-profit organization has a deep commitment to the cultural enrichment of the African American community through the art of wind band music.
NAAWS is dedicated to creating pathways for African-American musicians to thrive in the classical and wind symphony space.
Despite strides in diversity, African-American musicians remain vastly underrepresented in symphonies across the nation, and NAAWS is working to bridge this gap.
Read also: USA vs. Ghana: A Recap
Historically, classical music has not always been inclusive or diverse.
A 2016 study by the League of American Orchestras found that non-white musicians made up less than 15 percent of the orchestra population.
But according to percussionist Torrance Buntyn Jr., music is driving a new wave of artists to challenge what classical music has looked like in the past.
"When you go and see symphonies across America you maybe only see one or two Black people in that symphony along but to see a full wind symphony of Black people that representation matters especially for younger people,"
"Black people we always have to put in 200 percent just to receive what we normally get," Buntyn Jr. said.
Read also: Experience African Dining in Nashville
NAAWS aims to provide a nurturing space for both seasoned musicians and emerging talent, creating a world-class wind band ensemble while offering transformative educational experiences.
The Vision and Mission of NAAWS
Their vision is to create an environment where youth musicians can thrive, develop their talents, and gain exposure to the world of professional music.
NAAWS is committed to preserving the legacy of African American musical artistry while creating lasting and dynamic cultural experiences that will inspire future generations of musicians and music lovers.
More than just a performing arts group-NAAWS is a vibrant community dedicated to providing resources, support, and opportunities for growth in music education.
NAAWS advocates for promoting music education and minorities in instrumental music, as African-Americans musicians are underrepresented in formal ensembles.
Read also: Chad Sellers and Bryan Ruby: An authentic Nashville tale
Between 1980 to 2014, musician diversity saw substantial growth in numbers; however, African-American and Hispanic/Latino musicians remained extremely low.
NAAWS is doing important work to bring diversity to the world of classical music.
NAAWS is a unique and gifted wind ensemble, making its first out-of-state appearance, made of professionals from the African American community, all possessing a great love for classical music.
NAAWS's outreach initiatives bring music education to underserved communities, fostering creativity, leadership, and confidence in young musicians.
NAAWS is here to serve African American Nashvillians.
“We want the community to have access to see people who look like me play this music and see that they can play it well.
We want to create this community where everyone feels welcome and comfortable coming.
NAAWS is on a mission to change the course of classical music.
NAAWS is a professional “wind’ symphony, (we are not an orchestra) founded to celebrate, uplift, and showcase African American musicians in a genre where they have historically been underrepresented.
NAAWS's performances are rooted in excellence and cultural pride, and while they perform standard literature and transcriptions at a high level, they intentionally highlight works by Black composers and conductors, blending classical traditions with contemporary relevance.
NAAWS is the only organization of its kind in the Nation-a professional wind ensemble centered on African American musicianship, history, and leadership.
NAAWS's presence in “Music City” is not a duplication of what’s already here; it’s an expansion of it.
From the annual Juneteenth Freedom Day concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, to the Youth Honor Band Program-which provides mentorship, instruction, and performance opportunities for young musicians-NAAWS is building a brand that is as much about community as it is about artistry.
NAAWS offers something different, contributing to the richness of what makes Nashville a true music city.
NAAWS's music, mission of being E.P.I.C.C. (Educate, Perform, Inspire, Create, and Cultivate Change), and cultural perspective add to the richness of what makes Nashville a true music city.
The Founders and Key People
In 2019, Ayers conceived and founded the 70-member Nashville African American Wind Symphony, or NAAWS.
Bruce Ayers is the musical director and founder of the Nashville African American Wind Symphony; he's been leading the ensemble since September of last year.
Dr. Bruce Ayers explained to Nashville's NewsChannel5 how his personal experience growing up inspired his creation of NAAWS.
"When I'm on the podium and I'm conducting the Nashville African-American Wind Symphony, it’s a young Black boy that's living out what his purpose of life is."
Dr. Ayers is also operations manager for the Aristocrat of Bands at Tennessee State University, which just made history as the first college marching band to win a Grammy in the category of Best Gospel Roots album for their recording, "The Urban Hymnal".
Bruce V. Ayers, Jr., is a native of Dover, Delaware and serves as a Professor of Music and an Instructor of Applied Euphonium at Tennessee State University.
Prior to his role at Tennessee State, Mr. Ayers served as the Director of Bands at the Grammy award-winning Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School in Nashville, Tennessee.
During Mr. Ayers’ tenure at Pearl-Cohn, the band made many appearances on national stages.
Most notably, under Mr. Ayers’ direction, the band was nominated for an Emmy for their performance with African American artist Nick Cave for his exhibition: Nick Cave: Feat.
Nashville, which debuted at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, home of the Nashville Symphony.
Mr. Ayers is an ambassador for the Honda Battle of the Bands and is a member of the Tennessee Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Educators, the Conn-Selmer Institute, the National HBCU Band Director’s Consortium, the National Band Association, the Intercollegiate Music Association, Who’s Who in America, the NASPAAM, and the Tri-M Honor Society.
The Nashville African American Wind Symphony (NAAWS) was born out of a passion to create space for African American classical musicians.
Ashley M. Crawford serves as the co-founder and president of the new Nashville African American Wind Symphony, a local wind ensemble composed of Black musicians.
Many of the musicians in the ensemble studied music in college but put their instruments down after graduating.
Co-founder Bruce Ayers, a friend of Crawford’s from TSU, came to her about a year ago presenting his vision for the group and a proposal for her to come on board.
Crawford said, “Of course.
Cameron Jones is the NAAWS Composer in Residence, and for the past two years, NAAWS have programed at least two of Cam’s original compositions and arrangements per performance.
Special shoutout to the Founding Board; Ashley M. Crawford, (Founding President) Dr. Reginald A. McDonald, (Founding Board Chairman) Alexandro Nichols, (Associate Conductor) Rontrell Callahan, (Assistant Conductor) Stephanie Richardson, (Founding Marketing Director) Dr.
Key Figures in NAAWS:
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Bruce Ayers | Musical Director and Founder |
| Ashley M. Crawford | Co-founder and President |
| Cameron Jones | Composer in Residence |
| Dr. Reginald A. McDonald | Founding Board Chairman |
| Alexandro Nichols | Associate Conductor |
| Rontrell Callahan | Assistant Conductor |
| Stephanie Richardson | Founding Marketing Director |
The Journey and Challenges
Launching that vision in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, was a major hurdle.
One of the earliest challenges was simply finding facilities that would allow NAAWS to rehearse safely and affordably.
