Formerly known as Philharmonic Chamber Winds, the Philharmonic Wind Ensemble (PWE) is part of the Philharmonic Wind Orchestra family, featuring professional musicians from the orchestra in a more intimate chamber setting. Dedicated to music written from small wind ensemble, PWE explores a rich treasure-box of repertoire ranging from classical masterpieces to contemporary works, including gems such as Mozart’s C minor Wind Serenade and Zechariah Goh’s 4 Taiwanese Aboriginal Songs for Wind Quintet.
PWE made its debut on 1 December 2024 with 8 at Play at the Esplanade Recital Studio. The concert spotlighted music for the Harmonie, a small ensemble of wind players often scored in pairs of oboes, clarinets, French horns, and bassoons. This octet combination was widely used by 18th-century composers in both original works and transcriptions of popular music of the time. Through works such as Beethoven’s Wind Octet in E-flat, PWE celebrates the tradition of Harmoniemusik, an important genre that helped lay the foundations for the growth of the wind band as a musical medium.
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