The Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble

The Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble is a community wind ensemble based out of Langley, British Columbia.  Our mission is to bring communities together through music, and we do so by performing regularly throughout the Fraser Valley and lower mainland, often in collaboration with other local musicians, composers, or ensembles. Under the direction of renowned music educators Mr. Rob Goddard (Artistic Director), Mr. Josh Rauw (Assistant Conductor) and Dr. Wayne Jeffrey (Director Emeritus), the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble has established itself as a mainstay in the local music community, engaging audiences with its mix of classic, contemporary, and original works for wind band.  

Originally founded in 2011 as the Kwantlen University Alumni Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the band quickly expanded to include musicians from a variety of musical backgrounds. The name was subsequently changed to better reflect the diversity of its members, and the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble was born.  Now an established ensemble, it is comprised of people from all walks of life – from students and steel workers, to engineers and educators – who all share a passion for music, and a desire to perform quality repertoire at a high musical calibre, while still maintaining an enjoyable and relaxed rehearsal environment.

Since its inception, the ensemble has performed music from a wide variety of composers and musical styles, including Bach, Bernstein, Grainger, Holst, de Meij, Whitacre, Williams, and more. Performance highlights include our annual Christmas concert, joint concerts with the Kwantlen University Wind Symphony, the Richmond “Music In Our Schools” concert, and the Ladner Band Festival.  In 2013, the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble had the honour of being the featured guest ensemble at the reputable “Anches d’Azur” Music Festival in South France.

Please contact us for details on rehearsal, and visit our concert page for a list of upcoming performances.

Artistic Director: Josh Rauw

Josh Rauw is a conductor, educator, and horn player that has been active in the BC music community for nearly two decades. He is currently an Itinerant Band Teacher in the Surrey School District, as well as the Artistic Director of the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble. Mr. Rauw’s prior conducting engagements include serving as Music Director of the Brock House Orchestra, Guest Conductor of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Wind Symphony, Conductor of the Victoria Portuguese Concert Band, and numerous teaching appointments in both the Abbotsford and Surrey school districts. Mr. Rauw received his Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting from the University of British Columbia where he studied with Dr. Robert Taylor and served as a Graduate Conducting Assistant for both the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the UBC Concert Winds. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Victoria, where he studied horn with Kurt Kellan and conducting with János Sándor and Dr. Steven Capaldo. Mr. Rauw has also taken horn lessons with Dr. Valerie Whitney (UBC) and David Cooper (L.A. Philharmonic), and received conducting lessons from Dr. Wayne Jeffrey (KPU/Glenn Gould Conservatory), Dr. Jacqueline Dawson (University of Manitoba), and Yariv Aloni (Victoria Chamber Orchestra). He has participated in numerous conducting symposia, working with a variety of renowned teachers including Robert Ambrose, Craig Kirchhoff, John Lynch, Gillian MacKay, Gerard Morris, Timothy Robblee, Mallory Thompson, and Emily Threinen. Mr. Rauw has previously served as President of the British Columbia Band Association, as a board member of the Canadian Band Association, and as President of the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble. In his spare time, he enjoys playing the guitar, trying out new restaurants, binge-watching TV, and spending time with his wife, Maggie and their cat, Fox.

Assistant Artistic Director: Dr. Wayne Jeffrey

Jill has been a member of the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble since 2015 playing saxophone and as Assistant Conductor since 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Education from University of Victoria. She taught at Seaquam Secondary School in Delta from 1990 to 2022 conducting award winning Concert Bands, Wind Ensembles, Jazz Bands, and Choirs, as well as teaching IB Music, Life Skills Music, and serving as Fine Arts Department Head. She served on the BCMEA Executive from 2001 to 2017 as Journal Editor, Conference Site Chair and Honour Ensemble Chair. In 2013 she was honoured to be the recipient of the BCMEA Professional Music Educator Award. Always seeking to improve as a musician and conductor, attending conducting symposiums and conferences and playing her saxophone and singing throughout her teaching career under the direction of excellent conductors. Prior to joining FVWE, she was a member of Fat Jazz, Coquitlam Chorale, Port Moody Concert Band, and Amabilis Singers.