The Festival Winds is a Canadian Harmonie

Harmonie

Harmonie is a German word that, in the context of the history of music, designates a band of wind instruments employed by an aristocratic patron, particularly during the Classical era of the 18th century...

ensemble. The group appears regularly at the Festival of the Sound

Festival of the Sound

Festival of the Sound is an annual classical music festival that occurs from July to August in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada.Established in 1980 by Anton Kuerti, the festival's original artistic director, the annual festival was held in the auditorium of Parry Sound High School until the opening of...

, a summer music festival based in the resort town of Parry Sound, Ontario. The ensemble hs been a part of the festival since 1988.

The group specialises in the performance of Harmoniemusik

Harmoniemusik

Harmoniemusik is a musical term denoting a form of 18th century chamber music similar to Tafelmusik, but almost exclusively for wind instruments. From 1780 until 1840 harmoniemusik flourished in the courts of Europe...

. The Festival Winds made the first recording of the first editions of Harmoniemusik the Harmoniemusik of K.V. Anhang C, works attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The members of the ensemble are:

• James Mason
  James Mason
  James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
  
  , Brian James, oboes
• James Campbell
  James Campbell (clarinetist)
  James Campbell is a Canadian/American clarinetist. James Campbell has followed his muse to five television specials, more than 40 recordings, over 30 works commissioned, a Juno Award , a Roy Thomson Hall Award, Canada's Artist of the Year and the Order of Canada...
  
  , David Bourque
  David Bourque
  David Bourque is a Canadian musician, who has played clarinet and bass clarinet in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 1983, has played on numerous film soundtracks and teaches in higher education....
  
  , clarinets
• James McKay (bassoon), Christian Sharpe, bassoons
• James Sommerville
  James Sommerville
  James Sommerville is the current principal hornist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic, in Hamilton, Canada. Before coming to Boston in 1998, Mr...
  
  , Neil Spaulding, horns
• Joel Quarrington
  Joel Quarrington
  Joel Quarrington , is a Canadian double bass player, soloist and teacher.He was born in Toronto, and began playing the double bass at the age of eleven in order to complete a bluegrass trio with his brothers, Paul Quarrington and Tony Quarrington...
  
  , bass

The members of The Festival Winds play in various orchestras: the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...

, the National Arts Centre Orchestra

National Arts Centre Orchestra

The National Arts Centre Orchestra is an orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. It is a classically-sized ensemble currently conducted by Pinchas Zukerman.-Description:Since 1998, Pinchas Zukerman has been the Music Director. Mario Bernardi C.C...

, the Boston Symphony and Symphony Nova Scotia

Symphony Nova Scotia

Symphony Nova Scotia is a professional orchestra based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Symphony Nova Scotia traces its origins back to several different orchestras, including the Halifax Symphony , the Halifax Sinfoniette , and the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra . Its current structure began in 1983...

. In addition, the members teach at music schools including the New England Conservatory of Music

New England Conservatory of Music

The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...

, the University of Toronto

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...

, Wilfrid Laurier University

Wilfrid Laurier University

Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....

, the University of Western Ontario

University of Western Ontario

The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...

, the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal and the Jacobs School of Music

Jacobs School of Music

The Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music...

 at Indiana University

Indiana University

Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...

.