Northwinds Concert Band has been performing concerts in Florissant since 1975.  Larry Marsh has directed the sixty-piece ensemble since 1983.  The band is sponsored by the Ferguson-Florissant School District’s Community Education Department and rehearses every Tuesday evening at McCluer North High School.  Most of its concerts are given at the James J. Eagan Center.  Northwinds presents five or six concerts each year, and has often performed at Florissant’s July 4 celebrations.

The band’s members come from throughout the metropolitan St. Louis area, but most are from Florissant and the surrounding communities.  Members come from all walks of life, including engineers and accountants, casino dealers and sales people, lawyers, scientists and ministers, real estate agents, retirees.  Northwinds is very fortunate to have many teachers in the group, including eight band/chorus directors.  Northwinds gears its programming to popular audiences, with an emphasis on Broadway and film scores, traditional American music, marches and jazz tunes.  Northwinds also performs arrangements from many worldwide publishers, and has given both American and worldwide premier performances of new works.