Austin music under Austin trees was the treat that it promised to be. The skies opened up late in the afternoon, but the sun was breaking through by 7 pm and the grass was dry enough for the audience to set down blankets and beach towels in order to enjoy the dual concert in complete comfort on the very finest St. Augustine greensward I’ve seen anywhere in Austin for years and years.

There seems to be some overlap in membership between the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble and Austin Wonder Brass. Except for one person on percussion, though, the latter is brass and only brass, omitting the non-brass woodwinds of the first group.

Patriotic music was not overlooked, but my personal favorite was a medley played by Austin Wonder Brass that seemed to contain an arrangement of every single melody from The Mikado. Two beautiful hours of beautiful sound and with practically no time wasted on setting up and changing out: what a treat!