Czech Philharmonic
Woodwind Orchestra Recording

I am really excited to announce that the official funding campaign has been launched to make an album of woodwind orchestra with the Czech Philharmonic.

The Czech Philharmonic are on the world stage and hailed as one of the world’s top five orchestras. The Chief Conductor Semyon Bychkov has recently been signed to stay with the orchestra until 2028. Their tour to the UK earlier this year attracted rave reviews from the Barbican Hall in London to the Edinburgh Festival.

Their trademark warm intensity of tone and colourful playing are reasons for choosing them again for a second album. Working with producer and composer Christopher Hussey, we want to explore new ground and build on the huge success of our first recording. Recorded in 2014, Twisted Skyscape was the first and only commercially released album showcasing the woodwind orchestra. Now we want to go much further to explore new and innovative repertoire.

As a former Musical Director of the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble, I have commissioned 15 new works and numerous arrangements. I have spent some time curating this amazing collection with Christopher Hussey. It’s our vision to demonstrate a full spectrum of colours, moods and musical landscapes with the new album. The diversity is very exciting for us and we can’t wait to work with these great musicians again to create something really unique and diverse.

Final statement from the funding campaign.

A crowdfunding campaign was launched on Friday 8 January 2023 and closed on Wednesday 8 March 2023. £14,501.75 was raised from 110 backers – this represents 102% of our target funds for the project. You can read the final statement document below by clicking on the PDF icon which includes a list of the contributors and corporate sponsorship.

Please note pre-release copies of the album were sent on Friday 27 October 2023 to supporters by Royal Mail.

“one of the most exciting projects on at present”
Dr Timothy Reynish MBE

“This project is really great news. It will be a real treat to have such first-rate professionals playing, that happens so rarely with windband music.” Judith Bingham OBE

“Very glad to support this enterprise of contemporary woodwind music, Shea is doing great work to promote this type of wind ensemble”. Dr Martin Ellerby

“I am delighted to be in a supporter of this wonderful venture to record exciting new works by British composers with myriad diverse and fascinating, innovative styles of composition. To be able to record these works with such a prestigious ensemble as the woodwind section of the Czech Philharmonic and to help facilitate that in some way is indeed a privilege and I am very proud to be associated with this very worthy venture. I wish Shea Lolin every success and very much look forward to hearing the end results of this inspiring project.” Leslie Craven