Free Lunchtime Recital: Regent’s Wind Quintet

Join us for this recital series by students of the Royal Academy of Music

Free admission, donations encouraged

Regent’s Wind Quintet

– Chiara Guijarro Grela – flute
– Grace Tushingham – oboe
– William Hammond – clarinet

– Runa Kosberg – horn
– Francesco Di Matteo – bassoon

The Regent’s Wind Quintet is a newly formed, London based ensemble connected
to the Royal Academy of Music. All musicians have extensive experience in their
respective fields, and seek to expand their musical output through music making
through close friendship. The quintet come from a diverse range of backgrounds
with members from Norway, Italy, Spain and the UK which has been vital in
enriching their sound world and making them passionate about exploring new and
lesser known repertoire from across the globe.
Chiara Guijarro Grela has a rich background in performance and music education.
She played with the Fontys University Chamber Orchestra, appearing in notable
venues such as the Muziekgebouw in Eindhoven and the Schouwburg Concertzaal
in Tilburg. As part of her chamber duo, C&L Classical, she toured across the
Netherlands, earning a distinguished 3rd place in the Nico Vis Chamber Music
Competition and performing on the Omroep Brabant TV Channel. Music education
is a vital aspect of Chiara’s musical journey. From 2022 to 2023, she taught young
flute players at Breda International School in the Netherlands. Her dedication to
collaboration is also evident in her work with emerging composers and
interdisciplinary projects that blend modern dance with classical music. Chiara
recently graduated from Fontys Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg,
The Netherlands. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the Royal Academy
of Music under the guidance of Karen Jones.

Grace Tushingham recently graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and
Drama and is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music with Mel Ragge, Tom
Blomfield and Patrick Flanaghan, where she is supported by the Sir Elton John
Award. Her concerto appearances include the Marcello and Lebrun concerti and
she has performed with the Cardiff Chamber Orchestra, Regency Sinfonia and
Young Musician’s Symphony Orchestra. She has performed across the UK and Wales
with her reed trio the Darach Ensemble and as an experienced doubler on Cor
Anglais, she recently played in the Royal Academy’s opera production of Hansel and
Gretel.

William Hammond is an accomplished and versatile clarinettist currently pursuing
his Masters studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London under the guidance
of Chris Richards and Maura Marinucci. William is supported by the Margaret Booth
Award and the Charlotte Fraser Foundation. A dynamic artist both as a soloist and
orchestral musician, recent highlights include guest performances with the BBC
Concert Orchestra, English Touring Opera, and London Firebird Orchestra, as well
as collaborating with Sir Mark Elder in a performance of Strauss’ Tone Poems with
the Academy Symphony Orchestra. Outside of performing, you’ll find William
experimenting with recipes in the kitchen over a glass of wine with friends.

Runa Kosberg is a Norwegian French Horn player, currently undertaking a master’s
degree at the Royal Academy of Music. She has her musical background from wind
ensembles in Norway, which led to music program in high school, and a bachelor’s
degree in classical performance from the Grieg Academy. Previous engagements
include freelance work with various professional ensembles, chamber and solo
performances. She is kindly supported by Mark Elliott, Skipsreder Tom Wilhelmsens
Stiftelse, Sparebank 1 Hadeland Ringerike, CREO and Ellingsens Legat.

Francesco Di Matteo started his studies at the “Scuola Comunale di Musica “G.
Verdi”” under the guidance of Dante Vicari. In 2015 after moving to the UK he started
attending the Junior Royal Academy of Music as a pupil of Joanna Stark. In 2023 he
graduated from the Royal College of Music after four years under the guidance of
Andrea de Flammineis and Sarah Burnett, supported by The Big Give Scholarship.
He is currently an ABRSM scholar at the Royal Academy of Music where he is
completing his MA under the guidance of Robin O’Neil and Meyrick Alexander.
Whilst at conservatoire, Di Matteo was able to develop as soloist, chamber and
orchestral musician often featuring in the RCM’s Symphony Orchestra projects with
conductors such as Antonio Pappano, Sakari Oramo and Rafael Payare and Sir Mark
Elder with RAM Symphony Orchestra. He has been an active member of the Italian
orchestral scene touring extensively with the YMEO orchestra in Albania, Vietnam,
Lebanon and more recently Estonia where he played as part of Pärnu Music Festival
under the baton of Neeme Järvi. As a chamber musical he has participated to
various festivals including the St Marylebone CE School Music festival at Wigmore
Hall, The Newbury Festival- playing Mozart’s Grand Partita with other RCM
woodwind students.