About
Ewan is one of the most prominent young oboists in the UK. In 2020 Ewan won the woodwind final of BBC Young Musician, advancing to the Grand Final, and giving an “exemplary, richly shaded account” (The Guardian), of Navarro’s “Legacy” concerto with the BBC Philharmonic. In 2025 he won the coveted Gold Medal at the Royal Over-Seas League competition at Wigmore Hall. He is supported by both the Tillett Debut Scheme and Countess of Munster Recital Scheme, helping him secure recital opportunities around the UK; he has performed at the Windsor, Cheltenham, and Lake District Summer Music Festivals amongst others. He has played as a soloist in Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, King’s Place, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and The Salle Cortot, and has given masterclasses in France and The Netherlands. Ewan's long-time collaborative pianist is the exciting young soloist Tomos Boyles. In their duo recitals they pride themselves on creative programming, performing niche repertoire and creating novel arrangements. Recently Ewan performed the world premiere of a half-hour work, “Eau de Cologne”, for oboe and piano by distinguished composer and Oxford professor Martyn Harry.
As a freelancer, he has performed as principal oboe with the LPO, RPO, CBSO, SCO, BSO, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Aurora Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra, and Birmingham Royal Ballet. In 2024 Ewan joined the award-winning wind quintet Lumas Winds, spending a year performing across the country with them.
Ewan gained first class degrees from St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, and his subsequent postgraduate at RAM, where he was awarded the Bicentennial Prize and Janet Craxton Memorial Prize, as well as winning the departmental Oboe Prize. He studied primarily with Melanie Ragge, while also receiving lessons from Christopher Cowie, Tom Blomfield, and Patrick Flanaghan for cor anglais. Growing up in Reading he was taught by Nicky Fairbairn.
Beyond oboe he is also a jazz pianist, and would gig professionally in bars and restaurants around Oxford and London.
Ewan is a Howarth Artist, and plays on a Howarth XM oboe, which he was kindly aided in buying by the Gerald Finzi Trust.
