The Aurora Ensemble

Since it's debut ORS Television (Austria) the Aurora Ensemble has promoted the wind quintet and its music as a serious and wide-reaching chamber ensemble.  As well as performing in a wind quintet combination, this flexible ensemble also includes piano and harp.  In their concerts the Ensemble aims to programme appealing and accessible repertoire as well as presenting less familiar works.

The Ensemble has performed in many major venues and festivals including the Purcell Room, Cheltenham International Festival of Music, English Music Festival, South Bank Centre's Rimsky-Korsakov Festival and at the International Sommer Akademte Prag-Wien-Budapest.  They have broadcast on BBC Radio 3 for the Young Artists Forum Series. 

This year the Ensemble has launched its own education project "Sounds Exciting" which runs in conjunction with their recital work visiting local schools and universities.  In the year 2000 they were guest tutors at the Charterhouse Summer School of Music, Surrey.  In 2001 they return to Hawkwood College, Gloucestershire for their annual wind chamber music course.

In April they record their first CD with the Deux Elles label.  This CD features music by the British composer Cecilia McDowell; it will include a new work commissioned by the Aurora Ensemble for piano and wind quintet.