Festivo Winds are a dynamic Wind Quintet based in Manchester and London. Formed in December of 2017 at the Royal Northern College of Music, the group achieved notable competition successes including picking up the ‘Audience Favourite’ Prize at the RNCM Christopher Rowland Chamber Group of the Year’ Competition, and winning the John Fewkes Woodwind Chamber Prize and the June Emerson Launchpad Award. They have been invited to perform at a number of prestigious festivals and venues such as the Buxton International Festival, Manchester Chamber Concerts Society, Lake District Summer Music International Festival, Music Coll - the Tunnell Trust and have given well received performances at numerous venues across the North West of the UK.

 

As well as specialising in the core repertoire for wind quintet, Festivo Winds have a keen interest in promoting arrangements and brand new works from emerging composers. To date, they have performed over 20 new compositions at venues including the Bridgewater Hall, the RNCM Chamber Music Festival and Gold Medal Competition, and at the Manchester Museum in an exciting collaboration with PhD students compositions inspired by health data. In February 2019, Festivo Winds performed as part of Yoko Ono’s art installation piece, ‘Sky Piece to Jesus Christ’ at the opening of Leeds Arts University’s new gallery wing. Most recently, they were the featured guests of the UnHeard Hybrid Orchestra’s debut concert at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in 2021, premiering composer Robert Laidlow’s piece for wind quartet and piano, ‘Lines Between’.

 

Individually, the members hold a number of personal accolades and successes, and between them have performed with esteemed ensembles including the Hallé Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal National Scottish Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Nederlands Blazers Ensemble. 

 

Passionate about sharing music and their passion for both the classics and brand new works, Festivo Winds have previously helped launch the ‘Start the Music’ Scheme at St Aidan’s High School in Harrogate and participated in Cumbria Music Hub’s ‘FridayLive’ scheme, performing and delivering workshops to students of mixed ages throughout primary and high schools across Cumbria.