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Upcoming Events & Playdays

Sinfonia Smith Square (formerly St John's Smith Square) - 24th November 2024 - HALF-PRICE tickets: https://www.sinfoniasmithsq.org.uk/event/beethoven-the-symphonies-nos-1-and-3/
The National Symphony Orchestra will perform the final concert of their complete Beethoven Symphony cycle for 2024 at Sinfonia Smith Square (formerly St John's Smith Square) on Sunday November 24th, 2024, at 7:30 PM. This performance will feature Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 and the iconic Eroica Symphony No. 3.

We are pleased to offer the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble musicians half-price tickets, which can be redeemed by entering the promo code Eroica50 after selecting your seats on the Sinfonia Smith Square website. Alternatively, tickets can be booked by calling the box office at 020 7730 4500.

Big Christmas Wind Orchestra & Choir on Sun 15 Dec 2024!: www.bigchristmaswindorchestra.org/
An annual, charity fund-raising event in London for singers, wind and brass players for one afternoon of Christmas tunes and carols.
Participants must register in advance so sign Up Now to perform on Sun 15 Dec 2024!

Courses

Berkeley Chamber Sessions: London chamber music course: www.berkeleyensemble.co.uk/education/chamber-sessions/
A non-residential weekend course in London giving amateur string and wind players the opportunity to play large-scale chamber music side-by-side with members of the Berkeley Ensemble

Benslow Music in Hitchin: benslowmusic.org/
Benslow offer a wide range of courses for wind players from near-beginners to advanced players. Accommodation is available for longer courses.

Berwang Music Holidays: https://www.musicholiday.com/
Music courses in the Tyrol and in Derbyshire which mix music making and holiday activities. The courses usually have a choir, a string ensemble and a wind ensemble that spend some time working independently and some time in a variety of combinations.

City Lit: https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts
The City Lit offers wind and chamber ensembles as well as workshop classes for clarinet and flute players from beginners to advanced players.

CSSM Summer School of Music: cssm.org.uk/
A residential music course including opportunities for wind chamber music and for playing in a wind, chamber or symphonic orchestra. This course is now based at Uppingham School in Rutland.

Dartington Summer School & Festival : www.dartington.org/whats-on/programme/summer-school/
Summer, residential music courses in Devon for all ages and abilities. The programme varies weekly but overall includes wind workshops and masterclasses, wind chamber music and a wind band.

Flutes, Clarinets and Saxophones en Vacances: flutesenvacances.co.uk/
Residential music courses, held regularly, for amateur flute, clarinet and saxophone players both in the UK and abroad. The courses are for all levels of players. Courses for adults are separate from those offered for younger players.

Harrogate Summer Schools: www.windstruments.co.uk/index.cfm
Courses for saxophone, clarinet and flute players. These are residential courses in Harrogate (see 'Events' on the web site).

Jackdaws Music Education Trust: www.jackdaws.org.uk/wind/
Weekend courses for flautists, oboists, clarinetists and bassoonists. These are residential courses near Frome in Somerset. The Trust encourages musicians of all abilities to come together and learn from some of the most experienced tutors in the trade.

Malvern Wind Chamber Music Course: www.malvernwinds.co.uk/
An established and popular summer course for amateur wind players in the beautiful Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, UK. This is a course for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn players of minimum Grade 6 to post-Diploma standard, to play in ensembles of graded ability with expert tutoring by experienced professional performers.

Morley College, London: www.morleycollege.ac.uk/
Morley College runs classes for winds including Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone. There are also opportunities for ensemble playing.

Music 4People: www.m4p.org.uk/
Music 4People (M4P) runs an annual residential course in North Yorkshire. The course provides opportunities to play wind chamber music, jazz and to perform with an orchestra, wind orchestra, sax ensemble or big band.

Summer clarinet: https://www.summerclarinets.co.uk/
A special feature is the opportunity to play some or all of the Mozart Clarinet Quintet will be a highlight , with the added bonus of doing the Brahms Clarinet instead. Alongside this opportunity will be a mixture of clarinet choir, quartets, seminars and lessons. All accommodation will be full board in en suite rooms.

Wind Ensemble Retreats: www.windensembleretreats.com/
With tutors predominantly from the orchestra of Opera North, these are summer retreats for woodwind & french horn players, in the idyllic setting of Parcevall Hall in the Yorkshire Dales.

Wind Serenades: laurenceperkins.com/wind-serenades/
Wind Serenades offers a range of courses for a wide range of playing standards in wind chamber music around the country.

Zamzam Music: zamzammusic.com/
Residential music courses, held regularly, for amateur flute, clarinet and saxophone players both in the UK and abroad. The courses are for all levels of players. Courses for adults are separate from those offered for younger players.

Music

June Emerson Wind: www.juneemersonwindmusic.com/
A specialist on-line supplier of sheet music for wind instruments. Music from the very large range of titles is supplied by post within a day or two if in stock.

Hummingbird and Maskarade: https://www.hummingbirdmaskarade.co.uk/
Hummingbird and Maskarade publishes the compositions and arrangements of Edward Watson (Hummingbird) and John Meadows (Maskarade) for woodwind, saxophone and other instruments.

Larry Clark Music: www.larryclarkmusic.com/books/
Duets, trios, quartets by Larry Clark in a 'compatible' series that allows chamber groups to play together, no matter the instrumentation or who wants to play melody. A member recommends them as fun pieces.

Portus Press: https://portuspress.com/
From the Pink Panther to Praetorius – and Bach to the Beatles – Portus Press offers an extensive catalogue of arrangements and original music for a range of small woodwind ensembles that are varied, interesting … and fun.

Sempre Music: www.sempremusic.co.uk/
A specialist supplier of sheet music for woodwind, trumpet and mixed ensembles. Sempre Music gives instrumentalists the opportunity to play music arranged and composed as a result of many years experience of teaching in schools and performing professionally.

Instruments and Music

Howarth of London: www.howarth.uk.com/
Howarth of London are suppliers of oboes, bassoons, clarinets and saxophones. The London showrooms offer a comprehensive range of accessories and woodwind sheet music.

DOTS, the Camden Music Shop: https://dotsmusiccamden.co.uk/
A friendly shop that deals with everything musical: instruments, music, reeds, repairs, advice and help. Enterprising when it comes to getting hold of music that is hard to find.

Membership organisations

British Double Reed Society: bdrs.org.uk/
A society for oboe and bassoon players. The society supports the interests of all double reed players, whether students, amateurs, professionals or teachers.

The British Flute Society: https://bfs.org.uk/
A society for flute players. Members come from all walks of life and include amateur and professional players, teachers, students, the flute trade, and people who simply love the flute.

Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain: https://www.cassgb.org/
A society for clarinet and saxophone players. Membership is open to all from beginners to serious students, keen amateurs and professionals and in all musical styles.

Making Music: www.makingmusic.org.uk/
The BMG is a member of Making Music which supports and encourages all kinds of music groups and individuals. We are insured through Making Music and value their guidance and information sheets.

Other Ensembles in London
Amateur orchestras – London: www.amateurorchestras.org.uk/olondon.htm
A listing of amateur orchestras, concert bands and wind ensembles within the M25.

London Wind Bands and Ensembles: homepages.phonecoop.coop/snibbo/
A listing of concert bands, wind orchestras and wind ensembles within the M25.

Latest News

City Mouse - Country Mouse
May 19, 2024
BWE's May 2024 concert was well attended by an audience that thoroughly enjoyed the programme as described under Past Performances. more
Town or Country?
February 25, 2024
BWE members are enjoying the rehearsals for its May concert. As well as works played by the whole ensemble, there will be a number of items performed by smaller groups. ... more
BWE members at the Chromosphere launch
February 9, 2024
As we reported, the publication of the Chromosphere CD of music for Wind Orchestra attracted plenty of attention in January. The collaboration between Shea Lolin, Chris Hussey and wind players ... more

More news...

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