High Desert Winds Santa Fe
High Desert Winds Santa Fe is a community wind ensemble comprised of primarily wind and percussion instrumentalists. The ensemble promotes wind-centered music and music education in the Northern New Mexico community. This community has a need for high level music opportunities, which allow for collaboration among accomplished adult community musicians and music educators and advanced high school students.
If you would like more information about participating in High Desert Winds, as a musician or volunteer, please contact us.
Meet High Desert Winds Santa Fe’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Ricardo A. Hernandez is an active musician and public school educator in New Mexico. In addition to leading High Desert Winds Santa Fe, he is currently the Director of Bands at Capital High School. Previously Mr. Hernandez held the same position at James Pace Early College High School in Brownsville, Texas, where he taught for 22 years.
Upon graduation from East Texas State University in 1982, Mr. Hernandez served for ten years as Associate Principal Horn in the United States Marine Band, “The President’sOwn,” in Washington, DC, and earned his Masters degree in Music Performance from the Catholic University of America. While living in the DC area, Mr. Hernandez was also principal Horn in the Arlington Symphony before winning a position with the Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México.
Mr. Hernandez has been a member of High Desert Winds Santa Fe and the Concordia Santa Fe Wind Orchestra since 2016 and is honored to serve as the High Desert Winds Santa Fe’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.
Upcoming concert events
All concerts are at 2:00 pm
New Mexico Museum of Art
St. Francis Auditorium
107 W. Palace Ave. – Santa Fe
February 15, 2026
May 17, 2026
October 11, 2026
“We happened upon the performance after strolling around the museum. What a delightful surprise!”
P. Flash