LAKEWOOD RANCH WIND ENSEMBLE
About
Mission Statement
The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble is a premiere ensemble dedicated to serving the community by providing exposure to the finest wind ensemble literature performed at a professional level. We offer concerts to share the enjoyment of high-quality music-making, to support the preservation of band literature, and to inspire young musicians to pursue lifelong engagement with music.
Humble Beginnings
​The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble had a humble beginning. Founder Joe Miller, with help from others, met with 33 musicians for a two-hour reading session at Manatee High School Band Room. The session was exciting! The musicians were excited and a schedule was developed that reflected the availability of the musicians. Currently, the musicians in the LWRWE perform in no less than 14 other performing groups throughout the concert season.
The Future Looks Bright
Our premier concert was performed on Sunday, November 24, 2019, at Our Lady of the Angels Church Hall in Lakewood Ranch. With all the enthusiasm generated from our premier concert, our goal now is to perform three concerts during the season from November through May of each year.
Joe Maciariello Miller, Founder & Music Director
Joseph “Joe” Miller’s performance career began at age 12, playing first chair solo cornet in his father’s concert band in Mechanicville, N. Y. Mr. Miller earned a BS in Mathematics and Physics from Siena College, a Master’s in Operations Research from Union College, and a Master’s in Educational Administration from The College of St. Rose. He taught Physics and Chemistry at Mechanicville High School, became a Scientific Applications Programmer and Systems Analyst at General Electric, and worked on his PhD in Systems Engineering at Union College, where he became an Adjunct Associate Professor of Operations Research and Statistics.
Mr. Miller switched careers in 1975 and served as a junior high and high school music educator and band director. In 1994, he founded and was music director of the Capital Region Wind Ensemble, comprised of the finest performing and teaching musicians in the Albany, N. Y. region. Over the years, Mr. Miller has performed with many concert bands, big bands, symphony orchestras, pit orchestras, and show bands. Mr. Miller relocated to Venice, Florida in 2005. He has performed with the Venice Symphony, the Anna Maria Island Community Chorus and Orchestra, and several jazz groups, including the Savory Swing Band, Skip Conkling’s Dixie Mix, and numerous other organizations. He also has soloed with Dick Hyman and the VSO.
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Enjoy this article featuring founder Joe Miller, which appeared in the Observer and in LWR Life magazine.
Joe Martinez, Conductor
Photo Credit: ArcadiaCottageArts.com
Meet Joe Martinez, a maestro with a passion for music that has woven a rich tapestry of experiences and melodies throughout his life. His musical journey began in the vibrant heart of Miami in the mid-1960s, where the rhythms of Latin music infused his early years with a deep love for the art.
As Joe's musical talents blossomed, he found a guiding star in Broadway show trumpeter Jack Pinto. Under Pinto's tutelage, Joe not only honed his trumpet skills but also embraced the magic of show music, a vital strand in the symphonic tapestry of his career.
Miami and Miami Beach became stages where Joe’s trumpet resonated with the Miami Symphony and other esteemed ensembles. However, the call of classical music beckoned, leading him to Tallahassee to study under the guidance of Professor Bryan Goff at Florida State University.
Joe's musical journey found a second home in Sarasota, where his trumpet's voice graced the Florida West Coast Symphony (known today as the Sarasota Orchestra) for an impressive 18 years. His more than three decades with the Sarasota Concert Band and his role as principal trumpet with the Venice Symphony bear testament to his enduring commitment to the craft.
His enduring love for music extends beyond performance as he shares his knowledge and passion as a dedicated teacher. Joe retired in 2017 after 35 years as a music teacher in the Miami and Sarasota areas.
Joe's heart truly found its rhythm in the art of conducting. His love for leading orchestras and ensembles, guiding them through the intricate dance of musical expression, became a driving force in his career.
But Joe's musical odyssey doesn't end there. For more than 25 years, he's worn the hat of a musical matchmaker as the owner of JMP Talent Agency. With over four decades of professional trumpet and conducting experience and an extensive network within the music industry, Joe curates a roster of diverse local, national, and international talents.
Join Joe on a melodious voyage, where “every note tells a story, and every performance is a celebration of the soul.”