Notus Winds

Notus Winds comprises five London-based musicians each holding full scholarships to the Royal Academy of Music. Finalists of the Royal Overseas League Chamber Music Competition 2013, they were the winners of the Elias Fawcett Award for Outstanding Chamber Music as a result of their performance throughout the competition. They also won the Nicholas Blake Ensemble prize at the Royal Academy, and were successful in competing to go to São Paulo, Brazil, for the Festival de Inverno in July. Most recently, they were the winners of the Royal Academy's most prestigious competition, the Patrons Award, and now look forward to performing at the Wigmore Hall in June 2014.

Whilst the group was formed in 2011, members have been playing with each other in various ensembles for several years. Before joining the Royal Academy, four members of Notus attended specialist music establishments, including Chethams School of Music, The Purcell School and the Junior Departments of the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music. Three were appointed section principals in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, whilst a fourth led the bassoons in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales.

Members of the quintet have trained on the prestigious LSO Academies and with the Britten-Pears Orchestra, and have worked professionally with orchestras and ensembles including the Gabrieli Consort, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, London Winds and the London Sinfonietta.

Members of the group are developing successful individual careers, with solo performances at venues including the Barbican, the Wigmore Hall, the Cadogan Hall, and the Royal Albert Hall, and have appeared as concerto soloists with, amongst others, the National Symphony Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Cardiff Sinfonietta and the London Mozart Players, as well as the bassoonist and oboist performing alongside Maxim Vengerov in Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante at the Royal Academy.

Whilst the quintet has mastered a wide range of repertoire, from earlier to 20th century music, a particular love is the works of French composers, including Ibert, Poulenc and Francaix. Over the last few months, the group has developed a passion for newer music, and is now very keen to promote the less well-known wind repertoire. They recently recorded and premiered their first commission, "Crystal Eyes", by Bristol-based composer, Jonathan Palmer.

Notus has been coached extensively by Keith Bragg, a founder member of the highly regarded Elysian Wind Quintet, alongside others including John Orford, Angela Malsbury, Michael Thompson, and the distinguished conductor and composer, Elgar Howarth.