ANGHARAD THOMAS
Angharad Elin Thomas is a Welsh freelance bassoonist currently residing in London. In 2017, she graduated from her Masters degree at Royal Academy of Music with distinction, following her studies with Robin O’Neill, John Orford, Amy Harman and Fraser Gordon. Reading Music at the University of Oxford, Angharad held both academic and instrumental scholarships at New College, and was an Ensemble ISIS instrumental scholar. She graduated from the University of Oxford in the summer of 2014 where she was awarded her degree with first class honours. Returning to New College, Angharad completed her Masters in Music with distinction in 2015.
As an orchestral musician, Angharad has recently performed with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, as well as many others. Angharad is also a keen soloist, and has performed the Mozart Bassoon Concerto in the Forbidden City Concert Hall, Beijing, New College Chapel, Oxford and Hoddinott Hall, Wales Millennium Centre. In 2016, Angharad was the winner of the John Fussell Award for Welsh Postgraduate Musicians, as well as being awarded the Gwynne Leyshon Prize and Very Highly Commended in the Florence Woodbridge Bassoon Prize. From 2016-2017, she was one of the Philharmonia Martin Musical Young Artists.
Alongside her career as an instrumentalist, educational work and teaching is also extremely important to Angharad. She has worked alongside the Philharmonia Educational Department, and with charities including Music for Open Ears and the Irene Taylor Trust, to support and lead creative learning and participation projects. Her wind quintet, Moriarty Winds, regularly lead workshops in schools across the UK, and have worked with Wigmore Hall as a Chamber Tots Ensemble. As an instrumental teacher, Angharad is the Visiting Teacher of Bassoon at Hampton Independent School for Boys, The Lady Eleanor Holles Independent School for Girls and Newland House Prep School.
Angharad was very grateful to be supported in her studies by a Leverhulme Postgraduate Scholarship, Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.