Join us for a free lunchtime concert on the 2nd of May with esteemed musicians from the Royal Academy of Music!

The Dogoda Quintet – Woodwind Quintet

The Dogoda Quintet was formed at the Royal Academy of Music in September
2023 having all played together as principals of the National Youth Orchestra.
Most recently, the quintet have enjoyed performing in London and Southern
Scotland. Dogoda has received coaching through the Royal Academy of Music
from Amy Harman of the Orsino Ensemble, Michael Thompson of the Michael
Thompson Wind Quintet and Jo Cole, the previous head of strings at the Royal
Academy of Music.

Sofia Patterson-Gutierrez (Flute) is 19, from Stockport, and has just completed her first year studying with Michael Cox at the Royal Academy of Music in London on a full scholarship. Previous to the Academy, she attended Chetham’s School of Music where she studied with Fiona Fulton. She went on to win the Chetham’s concerto competition in 2021 and was the woodwind grand finalist of the BBC Young Musician competition 2022. She was also the principal flute of the National Youth Orchestra in 2022 and 2023. Sofia is very grateful for the opportunities at the Royal Academy, having played as principal in the Academy Symphony Orchestra and was the recent winner of the piccolo prize.

Emily Long (Oboe) is in her second year reading music at Clare College Cambridge. Currently studying the oboe with Christopher Cowie, she previously attended the junior department of the Royal Academy of Music where she performed the Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto. Her passion for orchestral music was fuelled by her time as the principal oboist of the National Youth Orchestra in 2022 and 2023 and she currently plays with Odyssey Festival Orchestra and the Cambridge University Orchestra, as well as other chamber groups and orchestras throughout the university. She has enjoyed performing in recent masterclasses with Alexei Ogrintchouk and Nicholas Daniel.

Raj Bhaumik (Clarinet) studied at the Music School of Douglas Academy and Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, before starting his undergraduate degree at the Royal Academy of Music in 2023 on an ABRSM Scholarship. Raj studies Clarinet with Christopher Richards and Sonia Sielaff, E-Flat Clarinet with Chi-Yu Mo and Historical Clarinets with Katherine Spencer. He has enjoyed playing in the Academy Symphony Orchestra and in masterclasses with Andrew Marriner, Patrick Messina, Anthony McGill and Yehuda Gilad. Raj was a member of NYOGB for 5 years, including one as principal and with a feature on BBC Radio 3’s “In Tune.” He has won awards from Glasgow Music Festival and the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain.

Chloe Harrison (Horn) is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music under a full scholarship (Drapers Company for Music Award) with David Pyatt, Richard Watkins and Martin Owen. Recent performances include Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with James Gilchrist, Mozart’s 4th horn concerto with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, and Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with the Camerata Chamber Orchestra. In addition, Chloe has performed at the prestigious Wigmore Hall both as a soloist and an ensemble player, with highlights being the Schubert Octet with the Academy Soloists Ensemble, as well as the Premiere of Shringar:The Adornment with the Britten Sinfonia. Chloe was Joint Principal Horn in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 2022 and 2023.

Tom Donkin (Bassoon) grew up in Garlieston, Wigtownshire and was a pupil at the Douglas Ewart High School, Newton Stewart. He started learning (mini)bassoon when he was eight. During these early stages, he was taught by Christine Job. When Tom was 11, he successfully auditioned for the Junior Conservatoire (JC) where he studied bassoon with Rebecca Roberts. Thanks to Rebecca’s encouragement, he successfully auditioned for the Grampian Youth Orchestra (age 13), the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain (also age 13), the West of Scotland Schools Orchestra (age 17) and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britan (age 16 and 17). Tom was one of the joint principals of the bassoon section for NYO. In 2022, Tom was one of the winners for the JC’s Concerto Competition. As a result, he played the Weber Bassoon Concerto, accompanied by the JC’s Symphony Orchestra. Locally, Tom participated in the Galloway Music Festival since he was seven and regularly played at the fund-raising concerts for the Festival and other good causes. Tom is now under the tutelage Robin O’Neil and Fraser Gordon and is studying for a BMus in Bassoon at the Royal Academy of Music.