The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble (RIWE) is a dynamic performing group of more than forty skilled professional and amateur musicians. All the members are volunteers: people with a wide age range, from all walks of life. The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble provides a forum for this diverse membership to perform and share their love of music with the community.

In this setting, the director elicits and continues to develop the finest musicianship. Selected as our new director beginning in January 2009, Dr. Robert Franzblau continues the tradition of the founder of our group, Frank Marinaccio, in offering a wide repertoire of music: orchestral transcriptions, opera and symphonic pieces, ethnic, contemporary and traditional band repertoire, jazz, musical and movie themes.

This Ensemble has considerable experience playing in concert halls and at outdoor venues, with annual concerts throughout Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. We have collaborated with choral, instrumental, community and school groups, including Providence College Ensembles. Our concerts often feature instrumental and vocal soloists drawn from our group and from the professional community.