Performance
Holly Redshaw is a versatile and accomplished freelance bassoonist based in London. Equally at home performing in orchestras, chamber ensembles and as a soloist, Holly values variety in her music making. She has performed with orchestras across the UK, is a current member of the Southbank Sinfonia 22/23 cohort, and frequently performs with her award-winning quintet, Festivo Winds, across the North-West. A consummate portfolio musician, she is always looking to develop her interests in solo and contemporary performance, as well as her musical research and writing.
Holly graduated with a Master of Music in Performance from the Royal College of Music where she studied bassoon with Sarah Burnett, Joost Bosdijk, Andrea de Flammineis and contrabassoon with Martin Field. She previously studied for four years on the ‘Joint Course’ between the University of Manchester (BMus) and Royal Northern College of Music (GRNCM), graduating with First-Class Honours from both institutions in 2019. During her time at the RNCM she studied bassoon with Gretha Tuls, Roberto Giaccaglia, David Chatwin and contrabassoon with Bill Anderson.
Her studies at the RCM were generously supported by scholarships from the Derek Butler Trust and The Headley Trust.
Holly plays on a 7000 series Heckel bassoon, previously owned by Vernon Elliott, who composed and performed much of the music of the iconic children’s television programmes produced by SmallFilms, such as ‘Ivor the Engine’, ‘Noggin the Nog’ and ‘The Clangers’.
Orchestral
An experienced orchestral musician, Holly has performed professionally with the London Mozart Players, Hallé Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and Covent Garden Sinfonia. She has performed with the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble at the Concertgebeouw, Amsterdam, and the Hallé Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall as part of Professional Experience Schemes. For the 22/23 season she was appointed one of two bassoonists as part of 2022/23 Southbank Sinfonia cohort, a chamber orchestra composed of young professionals from around the world, which each year brings together 33 graduate musicians for a programme of performance and professional development.
During her conservatoire studies Holly gained experience in all of the colleges’ major ensembles, including as Principal Bassoon for a performance of Mahler’s 5th Symphony at the RNCM, conducted by Vassily Sinaisky and later broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
“An excellent solo performer with fantastic section-playing understanding and ability, Holly is a player I would recommend in any situation.”
Robin Wallington, conductor
Chamber
Holly has a distinguished background as a chamber musician and regularly plays with her wind quintet, Festivo Winds. Festivo Winds have performed extensively across the North-West at venues including the Bridgewater Hall and Manchester Museum; as part of the Lake District Summer Music Patrons Series, Ilkley Concert Club and at Buxton International Festival. In 2018 they won both the John Fewkes Woodwind Prize and the Audience Prize at the Christopher Rowland Chamber Group of the Year competition at the RNCM, and in 2019 were invited to participate in the Tunnell Trust’s Music Coll Chamber course. They have recently performed at Keswick Music Society and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and in 2021 and 2022 were featured guests of the Manchester based composers collective UnHeard Hybrid Orchestra, performing to a sold out audience at the Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room.
“Holly’s playing is stellar, and we were especially impressed with her ability to master an extended and challenging piece for wind quintet in a short timeframe.”
Tywi J H Roberts, Artistic Director of UnHeard
Solo
An experienced soloist, in 2021 Holly was the joint overall winner of the RCM Solo Woodwind Prize. She was one of four wind soloists in a performance of Reynaldo Hahn’s ‘Concerto Provençal for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn and String Orchestra’ with Southbank Sinfonia in November 2022. In October 2017 she performed Elgar’s Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra with the Manchester University Symphony Orchestra as a prize-winner in their concerto competition.
Holly has a keen interest in contemporary music and has performed works by Harrison Birtwistle, Paul Patterson and George Benjamin in the presence of the composers, the latter in a concert at the Wigmore Hall. She is passionate about collaborating with other musicians and composers. In 2018 she gave the world premiere of Dominic Skingle’s piece for bassoon and live electronics, ‘BrQn’.
With Festivo Winds, she has premiered a number of RNCM composers’ works for the Gold Medal competition and at Bridgewater Hall, as well as engaging in more unusual performances such as Yoko Ono’s art installation ‘Sky Piece to Jesus Christ’ at Leeds Arts University. The group recently appeared as featured guests with Manchester’s UnHeard Orchestra, and to date have premiered over 20 new works by young composers.
Holly was a part of the 2021-2022 cohort for the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s NEXT Scheme, exploring contemporary works alongside other cohort musicians and receiving coaching from members of BCMG and other invited musicians.
“Holly’s playing is stellar, and we were especially impressed with her ability to master an extended and challenging piece for wind quintet in a short timeframe.”
Tywi J H Roberts, Artistic Director of UnHeard
Solo
An experienced soloist, in 2021 Holly was the joint overall winner of the RCM Solo Woodwind Prize. She was one of four wind soloists in a performance of Reynaldo Hahn’s ‘Concerto Provençal for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn and String Orchestra’ with Southbank Sinfonia in November 2022. In October 2017 she performed Elgar’s Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra with the Manchester University Symphony Orchestra as a prize-winner in their concerto competition.
Holly has a keen interest in contemporary music and has performed works by Harrison Birtwistle, Paul Patterson and George Benjamin in the presence of the composers, the latter in a concert at the Wigmore Hall. She is passionate about collaborating with other musicians and composers. In 2018 she gave the world premiere of Dominic Skingle’s piece for bassoon and live electronics, ‘BrQn’.
With Festivo Winds, she has premiered a number of RNCM composers’ works for the Gold Medal competition and at Bridgewater Hall, as well as engaging in more unusual performances such as Yoko Ono’s art installation ‘Sky Piece to Jesus Christ’ at Leeds Arts University. The group recently appeared as featured guests with Manchester’s UnHeard Orchestra, and to date have premiered over 20 new works by young composers.
Holly was a part of the 2021-2022 cohort for the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s NEXT Scheme, exploring contemporary works alongside other cohort musicians and receiving coaching from members of BCMG and other invited musicians.
