The Sacred Winds Ensemble is a wind band that consists of more than 60 volunteer musicians from across the United States encompassing a gifted body of musicians including instrumental music educators, students pursuing a music degree, private instrumental educators, music faculty in higher education, and professional musicians.
Founded in 1997 by Scott Bersaglia, the ensemble presents concerts focusing on the everlasting truth of God and His son, Jesus Christ. The ensemble’s initial purpose was to provide an expansive musical compliment to the worship service of Petrey Memorial Baptist, the conductor's home church. Since then, the ensemble has unfolded into a ministering body spreading the Word of a sovereign and personal God. 
The Sacred Winds Ensemble Commissioning Project was established in 2000 and encompasses works for wind, string, and choral ensembles. In 2007, David Maslanka was commissioned to write a work commemorating the group’s ten-year anniversary.  The result was Unending Stream of Life. In 2015, the ensemble recorded their first album, In Christ Alone. The album was recorded over two days in Lexington, KY, with three-time Grammy-award winning recording engineer, David Lau, of Brookwood Studios in Plymouth, MI. The album features four works from the ensemble’s commissioning project. 
The ensemble has performed at the Baptist Church Music Conference National Convention and twice at the Kentucky Music Educators Association State Music Conference. Additionally, the ensemble has been recognized by The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for “proving itself as an outstanding asset to the community.” Noted guest artists of the Sacred Winds Ensemble include Jerry Junkin, Greg Detweiller, and Richard Miles, guest conductors; Teresa Alzadon, soprano; Judson Perry, tenor, Craig Biondi, John Vander Gheynst, and the late Thomas Root, Jody J. Nagel and David Maslanka, composers-in-residence.
The ensemble has garnered high praise from composers Donald Grantham, Jody Nagel, and David Maslanka, among others. Dr. Jody Nagel, whose work Voyage of Discovery is featured on the ensemble’s aforementioned album, writes, “Your recording of Voyage is brilliant! It is certainly THE definitive recording. I just listened to the CD in its entirety, and there's no doubt you have added a serious gift of music to the musical world.” In commenting on the ensemble’s performance of his final movement from the Symphony No. 7, David Maslanka wrote, “Your performances of the Symphony No.7 movement [IV] are very touching and beautiful. You have done fine work under very restricted circumstances. It is quite clear that your players are deeply involved in the music.”
In 2018, Sacred Winds established a partnerships in Guayaquil, Ecuador with La Academia Musica Bautista del Ecuador for the training and teaching of music and worship to the church and the Conservatorio de Musica Cristiana Adoradores and the Universidad de las Artes to provide music instruction to students in Guayaquil. A consort of ensemble members returned to Guayaquil in 2019 performing by invitation with the Orchestra de Sinfónica de Guayaquil and taught music masterclass at the Conservatorio de Musica Cristiana Adoradores and the Universidad de las Artes. In June 2024, the ensemble performed by invitation at the storied Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville, KY.

About the Sacred Winds Ensemble

Sacred Winds Ministries, Inc. Mission Statement

Sacred Winds Ministries, Inc. exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by providing opportunities that edify people in Biblical knowledge and understanding.  Therefore, in defense and confirmation of the Gospel, and undergirded by the ministry of music, the organization seeks to:

provide study, sound teaching, and exposition of the Holy Scriptures;

assist people in the areas of the music, music ministry, discipleship, and curriculum; and

present lectures, services, concerts, educational symposia, and collaborative projects that assist in the spiritual development of individuals and the church.

The Sacred Winds Ensemble was founded upon the core beliefs that the highest excellence in music-making should be found within the Christian community as a symbol of our reverence and adoration of a perfect God and that music as an art form and an act of worship can have powerful and transforming effects when based upon the truths of the Holy Scriptures. For these reasons, the ensemble seeks to:

renew the spirit of excellence once found within Christendom in respect to music making, promoting no agenda of musical styles, idioms, or preferences, but seeking freedom from human limitations through dependence upon the Holy Spirit of God in the programming, commissioning, and performing of sacred repertoire;

commission new works and arrangements of the highest caliber by today’s art music composers for the expansion of repertoire;

foster the appreciation of music in the community through innovative programming and artistic performances while maintaining accessibility to our audiences;

allow musicians, both professional and amateur, to enjoy the high calling of making music for the glorification of God and as a ministry to others; and

present the Gospel of Jesus Christ unashamedly.

Commitment to Biblical and Artistic Education

Biblical and artistic education are principle priorities of the ministry. Performances are regularly accompanied by authoritative information disseminated through biblical commentary and exegesis, musical commentary, and extensive program notes. The Music Director is responsible for the musicological, exegetical, and hermeneutical research necessary to prepare notes and commentary for each program. Meanwhile, guest composers – those commissioned for a current work – have been invited to speak on their pieces, both to the musicians and to the audience. The ministry also pursues frequent collaborations with churches and other organizations.

Even though the Sacred Winds Ensemble is composed primarily of professional musicians, the ministry frequently seeks out highly motivated, precocious young musicians who are in their final years of high school or undergraduate studies to participate with the ensemble. This provides a unique and rare opportunity for a young player to sit amidst the musicianship he or she hopes to achieve. The musicians receive instruction in performance practices while gaining access to older musicians who, in many cases, become mentors/tutors to the younger musicians. Most importantly, all members are presented with the biblical truths woven throughout the musical programs.

As Sacred Winds Ministries, Inc. expands, a primary focus is providing increasing opportunities of biblical and artistic education into larger-reaching events such as music and discipleship programs, publications, conferences as well as continual collaborations with churches and other outreach organizations. The ministry embarked on its first international mission in Ecuador in 2018 and 2019 where they partnered with La Academia Musical Bautista del Ecuador to present the first National Baptist Church Music Congress in Guayaquil (Congreso Nacional de Música de la Iglesia Bautista). The ministry is currently planning additional international Gospel outreach partnerships.