They?ve come too far to blow it now.

With just over six weeks before their scheduled appearance at one of the most prestigious venues in the world, the Sacramento State Symphonic Wind Ensemble needs a hand; a handout to be exact.

The ensemble has been invited to be the highlight performance at the Second Annual New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall this April. The experience, however, does not come without cost. The price tag for the six-day excursion is $100,000.

So far, the ensemble has raised $63,000 through various sources as well as contributors in the community, and each student participating in the ensemble has contributed $500, said Robert Halseth, wind band conductor and director of wind studies at Sac State.

Expenses include plane tickets, the week-long stay at Park Central Hotel, meals and other incidental expenses.

The festival, which is produced by World Projects International Music Productions, is an educational event that allows student musicians to participate in workshops, clinics and competitions. The last night of the festival allows the bands the opportunity to perform. Other performances are scheduled for Central Park as well as other New York City venues.

“We?re excited about being asked to perform at this festival,” Halseth said. He emphasized the prestigious nature of the New York wind band festival and what an honor it was for his students to be invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.

Other student wind bands had been invited to attend the festival but were unable because of financial reasons. Utah?s Weber State University and the American Legion Band from upstate New York were two bands who were forced to back out of the festival. There are also six high school bands from around the United States that are scheduled to perform at the festival.

The 50-member ensemble will depart from San Jose on April 8, and will stay at Park Central Hotel in New York City. The ensemble?s performance will take place on April 13 and the group will return home the next day.

“It?s a fantastic and great opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall,” said one of the three wind ensemble conductors, Johnny Johnson. Johnson, a graduate student majoring in conducting, admitted that the ensemble members become rather nervous before a performance, but have learned to redirect their energy and reduce their anxiety. Johnson hopes to parlay his experiences with the ensemble into an eventual position teaching music to high school students.

To benefit the wind ensemble, they will conduct a fund-raising concert on Feb. 25 in the Capistrano recital hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. As an extra bonus, $1 will buy a chance to perform with the band that night as a guest conductor. The winning audience member will conduct John Philip Sousa?s the “Liberty Bell March,” a composition made famous by Monty Python?s Flying Circus television broadcast.

Anyone who is interested in contributing to the wind ensemble?s trip can do so through the College of Arts and Letters Development office in Mariposa Hall, room 5000.