South Dakota Jazz Orchestra’s Winds of Change

The Music of Danny Thornburg The South Dakota Jazz Orchestra presents a collection of original works by Composer-in-Residence and Musical Director Danny Thornburg, born and raised in Rapid City. Drawing on experiences of growth and struggle, Winds of Change is an introspective journey through the ways we are shaped by the people and places around us. Thornburg studied composition and conducting at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked closely with musical giant and polymath Dr. William C. Banfield as staff arranger, orchestra manager, and librarian for Jazz Urbane Recordings. As a trombonist, he has performed with the Jazz Composers Alliance, Ayn Inserto, Gregory Groover Jr., Zahili Zamora, and Samuel Batista. As an arranger and orchestrator, his work has been performed by conductor Julius P. Williams, The Imagine Orchestra, Tuffus Zimbabwe, Marco Pignataro, and the New Jazz Orchestra. The South Dakota Jazz Orchestra is an initiative of Improvise Arts and is led by Danny Thornburg, Musical Director and Composer-in-Residence, and Alex Massa, Artistic Director. Together, they guide an ensemble dedicated to presenting exceptional jazz and Black American music while creating opportunities for artists, composers, educators, and young musicians throughout South Dakota. Improvise Arts is a South Dakota nonprofit dedicated to empowering tomorrow’s artists through mentorship, collaboration, and improvisation. Through youth mentorship, artist development, performances, masterclasses, and community programming, Improvise Arts works to build a stronger and more accessible creative ecosystem in the Black Hills and beyond.