History

Highlights of the Group's history

1993
Graham Lyons founds the London School of Pharmacy Flute & Clarinet Choir which evolves into the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble.

2005
Shea Lolin appointed as music director.

2006
The Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble gives the world première of their first commissioned work, The Zoo Keeper by Ruth Young, as part of the Newham Music Month festival.

2008
Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble gives the world première of Twisted Skyscape by Christopher Hussey at the Riverside Studios, London as part of the adopt-a-composer scheme.

2009
David Morris, appointed as music director for a new ensemble.

2010
Committee of the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble founds BWE2, a flute & clarinet choir.

2010
Bloomsbury Music Group forms and is registered as a charity.

2010
Celebratory concert of the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble and BWE2 held at St. John’s, Smith Square with the world première of Journey Through Time by Alan Bullard

2012
Bloomsbury Music Group concert held at LSO St Luke’s with the world première of Postcards by Jeffery Wilson.

2014
BWE2 moves to Lumen for rehearsals and is renamed the Bloomsbury Band of flutes and clarinets. 

The Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble performs Lux Aeterna composed by Shea Lolin to mark his ten years as music director.

Two successful concerts in November and December continue the longstanding tradition of raising money for charity. The group contributes just under £1000 to Nordoff Robbins, Childline and other charities.

2015
BWE performs Sinfonia Aqua. This new work commissioned from Martin Ellerby was enjoyed by a record audience of just under 200 people. Bass clarinet player and Band member, Carl Upsall, contributes an original composition as well arrangements for the Bloomsbury Band concerts.

2017
BWE gives the première of Slavonika!. A new work commissioned from Philip Sparke. 

Concerts in November and December continue the longstanding tradition of raising money for charity. The group contributes just under £1000 to St Joseph's Hospice in Hackney and to UNICEF. 

2018
BWE celebrates its 25th anniversary and the ten-year collaboration with Chris Hussey by giving the première of a new work by him called Child of the Wandering Sea.

2019
The Bloomsbury Band increases the range of its community concert venues with performances at Gatwick Airport, Beckenham Place Mansion, The Isle of Wight and the BT Centre.

In its November concert BWE performs a programme inspired by Domes which was arranged for the Ensemble by the composer, Kamran Ince.

2020
The Bloomsbury Band celebrates its tenth anniversary.

2021
BWE marks the end of Shea Lolin's sixteen years as director of music with a concert featuring an original work, Mozart's Pets, commissioned from Judith Bingham.

2022
Michael McGowan appointed as director of music for BWE. His first concert features a new work by Shea Lolin.

In May, the Bloomsbury Band is at last able to perform its anniversary concert featuring original compositions by Roger Cawkwell and Jenni Pinnock.

2023
BWE celebrates its 30th anniversary with a concert 'Looking Back' over its proud tradition of commissioning new music. The May concert raised fractionally under £1000 for charity.

The Bloomsbury Band moves to St. Mary's with St. Georges German Lutheran Church for rehearsals and concerts.