Formed in 2004 by three friends with a passion to explore the world of chamber music, WindRose Trio has grown into an Edmonton institution. Over the years they have performed virtually all the standard works for reed trio as well as a dozen commissions. "Path of Contact", their first CD, was awarded a Western Canadian Music Award for Best Classical Recording. In August of 2015 they represented Canada at the International Double Reed Conference in Tokyo, Japan with a program of Canadian works for reed trio. They were invited to perform at the Harbin Summer Music Festival in Harbin, China in 2016. This was a particular honour as it was the first time a Canadian group played a this 60-year-old festival.
Back at home their local concert season continues to present works diverse in size, instrumentation, and style. Past performances have included collaborations with string quartet, dancer, piano, live electronics, video, flute, and brass instruments. An important part of a WindRose program is the premiere of a new work. Out of seventeen Canadian works in their repertoire, twelve were written for the trio. Future premieres include works by Howard Bashaw and Geoff Li.
Matthew Howatt has been part of the C’mon Festival since its inception in 2013. That year, he famously impersonated Elvis in Michael Daugherty’s “Dead Elvis”; and there is photographic evidence! Matthew grew up in Sherwood Park, studying the bassoon with Diane Persson before heading off to the University of British Columbia, where he worked with Jesse Read. Matthew was Acting Principal Bassoon of the Edmonton Symphony for several seasons. He stepped into that role at the last minute when the ESO played at Carnegie Hall in 2012. Matthew is currently Principal Bassoon of the Red Deer Symphony.
Matthew appeared in the C’mon Festival production of The Soldier’s Tale at the 2018 Edmonton International Fringe Festival, and was featured in the 2020 documentary “Chamber”, a co-production of the C’mon Festival and Sticks & Stones. As a founding member of the reed ensemble, the WindRose Trio, Matthew has appeared in concerts across western Canada, in New York, China and Japan. The group was honored with an award for “Best Classical Recording” by the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards in recognition of its CD “Path of Contact.”
Beth Levia has played third oboe and substitute Principal Oboe with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and has played with several Edmonton based ensembles including the Alberta Baroque Ensemble and the Citadel Theatre Orchestra. A founding member of WindRose Trio, Ms. Levia can be heard on their debut recording “Path of Contact”, the 2009 winner of the Western Canadian Music Award for best classical recording. In 2015 WindRose trio performed a recital of Canadian music for reed trio at the International Double Reed Society conference in Tokyo, Japan, and in August 2016 they were the first Canadian ensemble to play at the Harbin Summer Music Festival in Harbin, China. Beth has been a featured soloist performing Albinoni's Double Concerto Op.9 with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble; Bach's Double concerto with the Wye String Ensemble and ESO Principal flutist Elizabeth Koch, and Vaughn-William's Concerto for Oboe with the Concordia Orchestra. She is a teaching artist at the Kings University, the Conservatory of Music at MacEwan University, and maintains a private studio Ms. Levia holds a Master’s degree in Oboe Performance from McGill University and a Bachelor’s degree in Oboe Performance (with honour) from Michigan State University.
Robert Spady started playing clarinet as a boy in Edmonton. Following studies at the University of Toronto he completed his Doctor of Music at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2011. Robert was thrilled to return to Edmonton, as a full time member of the Royal Canadian Artillery Band. The band has taken him to Buckingham Palace, Normandy, and many small town parades all over Alberta. Robert has performed with symphonies across North America including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic, and the Missouri Symphony.
Robert leaps at the chance to play chamber music. While working on his doctoral thesis, he participated in the Carnegie Hall Workshops as a member of the Kolot New Music Ensemble, playing klezmer-influenced classical music. More recently, he has performed with New Music Edmonton, the C’mon Festival, and the Edmonton Recital Society. In 2018, Robert performed a clarinet and aerial rope duet with his (now) wife in a Firefly Theatre & Circus show. Robert currently teaches clarinet at the University of Alberta.