Meet Chameleon
Chameleon are a versatile woodwind ensemble with a mission to Create, Empower, and Share music with audiences young and old, far and wide. Their performances feature an impressive array of up to 13 woodwind instruments split between only four members, with the quartet seamlessly transitioning between them to showcase the diversity of the woodwind family in an array of concerts, residencies and workshops.
Cara Houghton, Sarah Austen, Jessica Tomlinson and Eleanor Mills deliver visually exciting, accessible performances that explore an array of sound worlds. They step outside of the conventions of classical music performance, by re-imagining a wide range of repertoire from various settings and exploring the relationship between memorisation and movement work, always putting audience experience at the heart of what they do.
Chameleon are winners of the Royal Philharmonic Society Henderson Award, 2023, and are Live Music Now artists specialising in SEND and primary school engagement. They were recipients of the RPS Enterprise Fund for “Virtually Live” in 2021, a concert series driven by a passion for connecting with their audience through conversation and interaction. Their performing and engagement projects work in tandem, with a firm belief that every piece of music can be understood and enjoyed by anyone.
Since their creation in at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2016, Chameleon have been awarded the June Emerson Launchpad Prize (2017), have won the Trevor Wye Woodwind Prize (2017) and the Brodsky Prize (2018), and were highly commended and won the audience vote for the Christopher Rowland Chamber Music Competition (2018) at the RNCM.
Chameleon are graduates from the RNCM, RCM, Trinity Laban, University of Leeds and University of Nottingham and have individual playing credits with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Kaleidoscope Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, JAMES, Hope Mill Theatre and Thursford Christmas Spectacular. Through their engagement work, they have worked with London Sinfonietta, Wigmore Hall Chamber Tots, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Music for Life and The Rig, and are musicians in residence at SEND schools in the North West.
Chameleon often get told that they “look like they’re having fun on stage” - and it is absolutely true!
Get to know us
Cara Houghton
Flute, Piccolo, Alto Flute, Alto Saxophone
Cara is a freelance flautist currently based between London and Manchester. She has played alongside professionals from the BBC Philharmonic and with the Netherlands Wind Ensemble for their New Year’s concert in Amsterdam, live on Dutch television. She hopes to have a varied and exciting playing career in the future.
Sarah Austen
Soprano and Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
Sarah is a Manchester based Saxophonist who has just finished her postgraduate studies at the RNCM. She loves performing and teaching and is especially passionate about music in community projects and exploring the therapeutic applications of music. As a Reed Doubler, Sarah also enjoys playing in pit bands for musicals.
Jessica Tomlinson
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Jessica Tomlinson is a multi-instrumentalist from Manchester. She is passionate about creating exciting, accessible and engaging performances. She has an active freelance career, with recent highlights including Thursford Christmas Spectacular and Southwell Festival Orchestra.
Eleanor Mills
Basson, Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet
Principally a bassoonist Eleanor also frequently plays saxophone, clarinet and flute. She is an active freelancer, often playing in pit orchestras, including recently playing in the Hope Mill’s 2019 Christmas Show 'The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchitt'. In summer 2019, she played with the Halle after a year long professional experience scheme through RNCM.
Simone Rebello
Head of School of Wind, Brass and Percussion, RNCM
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“The quartet produce performances of a very high standard with engaging, lively and polished presentations...which shows real versatility, creativity and a unique aspect to their ensemble. Their sense of balance and blend across the wide range of instruments they use is impressive and brings a real depth of colour to their programmes.”
Michael Scott, Musical Director
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“A great concert with excellent texture in all the pieces performed. Each member of the ensemble had a range of solos, complemented wonderfully by the other musicians. It was great to see every single instrument from the woodwind family being used and it was obvious that the group enjoy performing together. Well done, guys.”
KTB Music
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“What a treat we have had this afternoon. Chameleon were absolutely fantastic. Professional, extremely talented and very entertaining!”
