Spirit Wind 2018, the Northwest Texas United Methodist Youth Choir, began its summer tour Wednesday with a performance at First United Methodist Church, Olton. Concert venues include local Methodist churches in selected communities across the NWTX Conference and the DFW Metroplex. The choir is scheduled to appear in Muleshoe, Texas on June12 at First United Methodist Church – 507 W. 2nd Street. The concert will be at 7:00 p.m.
Spirit Wind 2018, a select group of 40 United Methodist senior high school youth from West Texas and Panhandle communities, represents conference congregations of all sizes. The ensemble is director by Dr. David Wallis, Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Chanters at McMurry University in Abilene. Spirit Wind 2018 is in its 41st year of presenting concerts of sacred music representative of all styles and periods.
Spirit Wind has traveled throughout the conference every summer since 1978, but has also made several additional trips outside the conference. In 1992 Spirit Wind performed for the Methodist Quadrennial General Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The first international tour to Great Britain in 1995 brought rave reviews from audiences across England. An East Coast tour in the summer of 1997 took Spirit Wind to concert venues such as the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., the West Virginia State Capitol Rotunda, as well as Atlanta, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. Spirit Wind 2000 traveled with members of the Midland/Odessa Symphony to New Zealand and Spirit Wind 2003 journeyed to the West Coast and into Canada. In July 2006, Spirit Wind visited Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., and Charleston, W.V. Spirit Wind 2010 traveled to Atlanta and Orlando to continue to spread the word through song.
True to its name, Spirit Wind refreshes and rejuvenates audiences as young people from Texas sing inspirational music from across the ages and throughout the world as offerings and testaments of loving and living faith. The public is invited to hear the Spirit Wind 2017 concert as they minister to the community through their music. There is no admission fee but a free will offering may be given.