Meet the Members
Louisa Kataria
Soprano Saxophone
Louisa Kataria is a versatile saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist with a dynamic career across classical, musical theatre, contemporary, and commercial music. A classically trained performer, she regularly gives solo performances and appears as a chamber musician with her multi-instrumental quartet, Versa Winds. Orchestral appearances include with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Pegasus Opera, Tête-á-Tête Opera and National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
In demand as a woodwind ‘trebler’, Louisa debuted in the West End with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra in 2022 and was the chairholder on White Christmas (The Mill at Sonning) from Nov 2024-Jan2025. Other Musical Theatre credits include Cinderella (Hackney Empire, 2025) Hairspray, Anything Goes, Merrily We Roll Along, Sister Act, and Curtains. She was a regular member of the RCM Jazz Orchestra and later lead clarinet for Lewes Big Band, and has had commercial bookings ranging from televised events at OVO Wembley Arena to the red carpet at World Vogue.
A passionate educator, Louisa holds woodwind peripatetic positions at ACS Hillingdon and Orchard House School and has been a tutor for LMTO’s Upbeat programme since 2023. She is also works with the Youth Chorus at Opera Holland Park.
Louisa’s musical training began as a chorister of St Albans’ Cathedral. Later, studied as a Leverhulme Arts Scholar at the Royal College of Music, where she learned saxophone with Martin Robertson, clarinet with Janet Hilton, and jazz flute with Andy Panayi. Louisa graduated from her bachelor’s degree in 2023 with First Class Honours.
Lydia Cochrane
Alto Saxophone
Lydia Cochrane is a saxophonist and multi instrumentalist who recently graduated from the Royal College of Music with first class honours.
She is passionate about jazz, funk, folk, and classical music and how these disciplines can intertwine to create new sounds and spaces to explore - she is eternally inspired by her frequent playing with a ceilidh band and takes this into her other groups, exploring the fusion of trad folk with rhythmic music.
A few recent highlights include playing at Cadogan Hall with Lisa Simone, with her quartet at the Pride of Britain Awards, Ronnie Scott's, the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Barbican, the Southbank Centre, the Natural History Museum, La Sagrada Familia, Latitude festival, and has toured with Nikki Yeoh, Tommy Blaize, Steamdown, and played at the Young Euro Classics festival in Berlin with NYJO. She recently played in Yolanda Brown’s band at the Kings Cross Sounds Festival.
Lydia especially values the chance to share music in many different settings, from concert halls to classrooms, aiming to connect with people through sound and story.
Rosemary Ball
Tenor Saxophone
Rosemary Ball is an undergraduate student at the Royal College of Music (2022-26) studying under Kyle Horch as a Robert Sutherland Award Holder supported by the Musician’s company Lambert Scholarship.
She has a range of experience performing classical, jazz and contemporary music in prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Barbican Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Windsor Castle. Rosemary enjoys playing with chamber ensembles such as the Astral saxophone quartet, Versa Winds, the Risoluto quartet and the RCM jazz quartet who recently performed for King Charles and community music makers across the UK.
In 2022, Rosemary won first prize in the Greek International Saxophone Festival competition and since then has enjoyed giving solo performances in the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar room and on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune programme. Rosemary is also a passionate educator and has provided group jazz workshops to primary schools in London and composition workshops to young musicians in Antigua and Barbuda. She was recently an assistant tutor for the National Youth Orchestra of GB’s saxophone ensemble and teaches at the RCM’s Junior Department.
Ethan Townsend
Baritone Saxophone
Ethan is a London-based saxophonist and reed player whose versatility has seen him perform on some of the UK's most prestigious stages.
He has appeared multiple times with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Ballet, performed at Ronnie Scott's alongside Orphy Robinson, and played at renowned venues such as Pizza Express Live Soho and Crazy Coqs. He has also performed with prominent ensembles like the Syd Lawrence Jazz Orchestra and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Artists he has worked alongside include Dave Holland, Norma Winstone, Evan Parker, Trish Clowes, Tim Garland, Rob Luft, Tori Freestone, Clare Teal, Chris Dean, Pete Long, Winston Rollins, Benny Greb, Jojo Mayer and Virgil Donati.
In the classical world, Ethan has also performed with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and is a member of Versa Winds, a recently formed tripling quartet that strives for versatility. He is also a founding member of the award-winning Astral Saxophone Quartet, who reached the semi-finals of the Royal Overseas League and won the Royal College of Music Woodwind Chamber Competition, earning a residency at Boconnoc Estate in Cornwall.
Ethan has a strong passion for pit work and has performed in a variety of productions that demand proficiency on saxophone, flute, and clarinet. His experience includes playing in shows such as Sweeney Todd, Chicago, Billy Elliot, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act, 9 to 5, and Grease.
Ethan is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Jazz Saxophone at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded an entrance scholarship. He is also a graduate of the Royal College of Music, where he received a first-class degree. Additionally, he is a Neville Wathen Scholar, a Henry Wood Trust Award recipient, and has been granted a Help Musicians Postgraduate Award for the 2024/25 academic year to support his studies. With a real drive to have a broad career in jazz and classical music, Ethan is quickly establishing himself as an artist who captivates audiences, leaving a lasting impression wherever he plays.