Coming Home: Where the Heart Belongs
The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble presents Coming Home on Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 2:00 pm at the Woodman Family Community & Performance Center at Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island. This season finale brings together a thoughtful and compelling program that explores the meaning of home through music—how it shapes our memories, identities, and sense of belonging. Admission is free, and donations are gratefully accepted.
The concert features percussion soloist Peter Ferry ’09, a Moses Brown alumnus and internationally recognized performer, educator, and arts entrepreneur. Ferry is a member of the 2026 GRAMMY Award–winning ensemble Alarm Will Sound and serves as Assistant Director of Artistic Planning for the organization. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, he has performed at leading venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and has appeared at festivals across the United States, Europe, and the Americas. His work includes collaborations with prominent contemporary composers such as Meredith Monk and John Luther Adams. Ferry’s return to Rhode Island for this performance represents a meaningful homecoming, both personally and artistically.
At the center of the program is Keiko Abe’s Prism Rhapsody, a vibrant and expressive work for marimba and wind ensemble that highlights Ferry’s virtuosity and musical range. The program continues with a diverse selection of works that reflect different perspectives on the idea of home. John Philip Sousa’s Homeward Bound March evokes a sense of patriotism and tradition, while Aaron Copland’s Buckaroo Holiday captures the energy and spirit of the American West. Charles Ives’s Old Home Days offers a nostalgic and imaginative reflection on small-town life, blending familiar tunes with a uniquely American voice.
Selections from John Williams’s score to Home Alone bring warmth and familiarity, connecting audiences through shared cultural memories. The concert concludes with the powerful finale of Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World,” a work shaped by the composer’s experiences in America and his longing for his homeland. Together, these pieces form a cohesive and expressive musical journey that invites listeners to reflect on their own connections to home.
In addition to the performance, Moses Brown music students will have the opportunity to participate in an educational session with Peter Ferry, offering insight into the life of a professional musician and the many paths a career in the arts can take. This engagement reflects the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble’s ongoing commitment to education, mentorship, and community connection.
The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble is a 50-member adult community concert band dedicated to artistic excellence and meaningful musical experiences. Its members represent a wide range of professions and backgrounds, united by a shared passion for music-making and community engagement.
For more information about the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble, visit www.riwe.org
Event Links
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3591981-0
