Grammy-award winning Paul Winter will lead a music-making workshop on April 23 that is free and open to the public.
By: Marisa Maldonado
HIGHTSTOWN Robert Rund says he has seen people who have never played an instrument make music during one of soprano saxophonist Paul Winter’s workshops. He hopes that local residents will do the same next week.
As part of an Earth Day residency, the Grammy-award winning Mr. Winter will lead a music-making workshop on April 23 that is free and open to the public. He also will perform with his band, the Paul Winter Consort, in a concert on Earth Day (April 22) and play for area elementary school students.
Mr. Rund, director of the Community Arts Partnership at the Peddie School, said he has been a friend of Mr. Winter’s for 15 years and has long wanted the soprano saxophonist to work at Peddie. But he had waited for Earth Day to fall on a Friday to ask Mr. Winter, the so events could extend throughout the week with the concert falling on Earth Day.
"He’s been dedicated to the Earth and environment through music for over 30 years," Mr. Rund said. "He’s transcended that a great deal by taking this music to advance a personal mission of his own, which is to celebrate all the creatures and cultures of the world."
Mr. Winter is known for interweaving diverse instruments and elements with voices from what he refers to as "the greater symphony of the Earth," including wolves, whales, eagles, and several other species of "wilderness musicians." He has traveled to 37 countries, using methods such rafts, mules, dog sleds, horses, kayaks, sailboats, steamers, tugboats and Land Rovers.
Mr. Rund said the artist has been categorized into many genres of music over the years, including jazz and new age. But other forms of music go with Mr. Rund’s sound as well, he said.
For example, Bruce Springsteen opened for Mr. Winter’s band in 1973. Mr. Winter also was the first jazz musician to perform in Russia, Mr. Rund said.
The culminating event of the week is a "music-making workshop" from 9 a.m. to noon on April 23, which up to 200 community members can attend. All participants must bring an instrument, even though they don’t have to have prior knowledge of how to play it, Mr. Rund said.
Mr. Winter also will give a one-hour performance to each of the four elementary schools in the East Windsor Regional School District, as well as perform at the Peddie School on Earth Day.
The Earth Day concert with the Paul Winter Consort starts at 8 p.m. and takes place in the Mount-Burke Theater at the Peddie School. The program, which costs $15 and is open to the general public, will serve as a segue to the workshop.
Workshop members will form groups of four and create music with various instruments, given tools by Mr. Winter to express themselves through sound.
"A lot of people need to see what he does before committing to it," Mr. Rund said. "It’s unusual that you would bring in an instrument you don’t play."

