The Erie County Wind Ensemble was originally founded as the "Erie County Music Educators' Wind Ensemble" in 1983 under the direction of Donald Schleicher, who has been Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Illinois since 1995. The ensemble is currently under the direction of Mr. John Maguda, a member of the music faculty at SUNY Fredonia.

The ensemble has evolved from a primarily music teachers' ensemble to a more mixed group of fine players of various occupational backgrounds from throughout the Western New York area. Described as "a virtuosic and resilient group", the Erie County Wind Ensemble's objective is to perform the best of the wind literature at an exemplary level to a wide range of listening audiences, with a special outreach to school musicians.