American Wind Symphony Orchestra Returns To Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An orchestra born on the rivers of Pittsburgh has come back home.

The American Wind Symphony Orchestra will perform near Point State Park Saturday night.

Fifty-five summers have passed since the orchestra first performed on a barge called "Point-Counterpoint."

A newer model, "Point-Counterpoint II," would later entertain audiences all over the world. After a long absence, the famous barge has now come home.

"I need my musicians to be up," says founder and conductor Robert Boudreau, gesturing toward seats and music stands perched on platforms. "So, as you see, we have this seating arrangement where every musician can be seen."

Young musicians still hone their craft in summer concerts on his barge.

"I look at these young musicians. Then, I see young musicians that were with me 50 years ago, playing with the New York Philharmonic, the symphony in Holland, the Tokyo Symphony," said Boudreau. "All of these played on this boat."

Boudreau's focus now is closer to home. He calls his next project "Winds on the Mon."

"We're going to have eight school districts. We'll have 400 youngsters, 12 private teachers starting this fall and that's what I'm about now," he said. "I want to teach young people to know what beauty is in this world."

Saturday night's concert starts at 8 p.m. on the Allegheny River side of Point State Park.

KDKA's Dave Crawley will join the fun, narrating passages from a composition called "The Pickle Suite."

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