CFW Members

---

Dr. David T. Borst is our principal Bassoonist who is originally from Hempstead, New York.  While he was a senior at Hempstead High School, Dave studied bassoon with the famous Simon Kovar, who performed with the New York Philharmonic, taught at Julliard, and published many bassoon étude books.  Mr. Kovar awarded Dave a summer session scholarship to the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California.  After graduating from Fredonia State University of N.Y., Dave won the audition for the Buffalo Philharmonic and performed there three years as a full-time player. After taking a teaching position and being the Director of Music for an area school district, he continued to perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic during the summers and as needed during the regular season.

In 1965, Dave was invited to take a music professorship at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), where he taught for 33 years before retiring.  While teaching there, he and his violinist wife, Ingrid, performed with the Johnstown Area Symphony Orchestra for over 35 years. While at IUP, he continued to study bassoon with K. David Van Hoesen at Eastman School of Music and earned a DMA degree at Eastman in 1974. Over the course of several summers, Dave performed concerts with the IUP Keystone Winds and recorded commercial CDs of major wind composers under the direction of Jack Stamp.

In 1979—1980 Dave was awarded a full-year sabbatical from IUP, during which he, his wife, and their young son traveled through Europe.  He also had the privilege of living nine months in Israel. While living in Jerusalem, he started an instrumental program at the Anglican School, and was appointed as the conductor of the Jerusalem Youth Orchestra. In the summer of 1980, he conducted the orchestra on a goodwill tour of Germany and Austria.

After retiring in 1998 from IUP, Dave and his wife traveled with their motorhome across the United States. They  were snowbirds in Florida for seven months a year until several years ago, when they became full-time residents at the ORA Resort in Melbourne Beach, Fl.  While in Florida, he has performed with the Miami Symphony, Land of Lakes Symphony, Brevard Symphony, Space Coast Pops, Central Florida Winds, the Central Florida Chamber Winds, other professional ensembles, and the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, where he was a charter member and principal bassoonist for 10 years.

Dave and Ingrid were married for 65 years before she passed away last Easter morning.  All throughout their years together they enjoyed performing in many churches. They are blessed with 3 wonderful children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.  With a grateful heart, Dave gives thanks to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the strength and ability to continue to perform with the Central Florida Winds and Chamber Winds, which he has greatly enjoyed for 19 years.

Rick Collins is our French Horn Section leader. He hails from Decatur, Indiana and is a graduate of Ball State University. While he spent his professional career in Indiana, he currently resides in the retirement community of Genesis Pointe just south of Lake Wales. 

Rick enlisted in the Indiana National Guard as a trumpet player while still in high school. He remained in the Band during his time as a student at Ball State and continued to be a member until his retirement 42 years later. During his enlistment he became played Trumpet, Euphonium, and French Horn. Rick served in the Officer Corps in several personnel roles, wrote Equal Opportunity policies while working at the Pentagon, and retired as the Commander and Director of the 38th Division Band.

Rick enjoyed a parallel career in public education as a Band Director, worked as a clinician in several settings, and judged marching bands, concert bands, and instrumental solo contests. He also served as a public school administrator and building level principal.

He retired from teaching and the military in the same year. Shortly afterwards, Rick’s wife of 30 years, Annie, fell victim to cancer in 2004. They had six children. Ten years later Rick married Joyce, who was also widowed and already living in Florida. They were “Snowbirds” until deciding to move to Florida permanently in the fall of 2017.

While Rick played in many community bands in Indiana, he saw a greater opportunity for performing in Florida. Since coming to Florida, Rick has played with:

Central Florida Winds, Central Florida Chamber Winds, Central Florida Brass Choir, Orlando Concert Band, Orlando Brass Sextet, Peacock Wind Ensemble, All Saints Episcopal Church Woodwind Quintet, Heartland Pops, Bartow Adult Community Band, Lakeland Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Tampa Bay Symphony Orchestra, Winter Haven Symphony Orchestra, Heatherwood Concert Band, and guest soloist with Central Florida area Churches and Universities.