Merced Symphony to Debut Chamber Winds Ensemble at the Mainzer
MERCED, Calif. — The Merced Symphony will debut its newest ensemble, the Merced
Symphony Chamber Winds, during Sundays with the Symphony on Sunday, August 30,
at the Mainzer Theatre in downtown Merced.
The afternoon begins at 4:00 p.m. with an exclusive preview of the Merced Symphony’s
69th Annual Season, followed immediately by the Chamber Winds performance. Season
tickets will be available for purchase before and after the program.
The five-member ensemble brings together two prominent Merced-based musicians and
arts leaders—flutist Dr. Elizabeth Wolfrey and clarinetist Collin Lewis—along with three
accomplished musicians and educators from communities along California’s Highway 99
corridor: oboist Cindy Behmer, French horn player Jon Mayhew Anderson, and bassoonist
Michelle Keem.
“This performance is a true collaboration among local and regional musicians,” said
Jennifer Summers, Executive Director of the Merced Symphony. “We are especially proud
to feature two powerhouses in Merced’s arts community, Dr. Elizabeth Wolfrey and Collin
Lewis. Both are masters of their craft, and the repertoire selected for this program will
showcase the distinctive color, range and personality of chamber winds.”
Wolfrey serves on the music faculty at Merced College and is the Merced Symphony’s
principal flutist and secretary. She also chairs the National Flute Association’s Flute Choirs
and Clubs Committee and was recently appointed to the Merced Arts and Culture Advisory
Commission.
Lewis is an experienced orchestral and chamber musician who has performed with
ensembles throughout the United States and abroad. He currently lives in Merced and
serves as Executive Director for the Arts at the University of California, Merced.
Behmer, Anderson and Keem are active music educators at Sacramento State and
periodically teach at Stanislaus State, further strengthening the ensemble’s connection to
the Central Valley and Highway 99 corridor.
The program will feature a vibrant selection of works for winds, including Valerie Coleman’s
Umoja, György Ligeti’s Six Bagatelles, Jacques Ibert’s Trois pièces brèves and Amy
Beach’s Pastorale.
Doors open at 3:00 p.m. General admission tickets are $10. Reserved tables are also
available for $20 or $30, depending on table size, and include theater-room service for food
and beverages purchased separately from the Mainzer restaurant.
Tickets may be purchased through the Mainzer’s website.
Event Details:
Sundays with the Symphony: Merced Symphony Chamber Winds
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Doors open at 3:00 p.m.
Season preview begins at 4:00 p.m., followed by the concert
Mainzer Theatre
655 W. Main Street, Merced
All ages
Season Sponsors for the Merced Symphony’s 69th Annual Season are Kenra and
Don Bragonier.
Founded in 1958, the Merced Symphony is the oldest continuously operating performing
arts nonprofit in Merced County. The Symphony is committed to providing outstanding
orchestral music and meaningful cultural experiences for Merced and its neighboring
Central Valley communities.