Andover Concert Series

Galliard Ensemble

Galliard Ensemble

Former BBC New Generation Artists, the Galliard Ensemble is established as one of Britain's leading chamber groups, with repertoire ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Berio and Birtwistle.

The ensemble has performed in many of the world’s leading venues and festivals, including Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre, Bridgewater Hall, Sage Gateshead and at the BBC Proms.

They have also performed in Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and Slovenia and are frequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and around the world.

The Galliard Ensemble is known for its virtuosic, entertaining and distinctive performance style and its recordings have been widely praised; the Sunday Times, BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, and BBC Radio 3 have all selected a Galliard Ensemble CD as "outstanding" or as Critics' Choice.

They have worked closely with many leading contemporary composers, including György Ligeti and with Sir Harrison Birtwistle, on his quintet Five Distances (for their performance at the BBC Proms) which led to their award-winning CD of Birtwistle’s chamber music for winds.

In 2013 they ran the 'Galliard Anniversary Composition Competition' to mark their 20th year. Their latest recording, ‘From the Beginning’, described by Gramophone magazine as “vivacious and well-balanced, with impeccable intonation and ensemble”, was released in 2024 to mark their 30th anniversary.

The Galliard Ensemble is passionate about bringing music to a diverse audience realising the positive impact that music can have on learning and personal development. Their educational work ranges from concerts for children to masterclasses at leading conservatoires and universities such as Royal Northern College of Music, University of Cardiff, Trinity Laban, and at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Kathryn Thomas

Kathryn Thomas (flute) is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where she was subsequently made an Associate for achieving distinction in the music profession. Kathryn is an established recitalist and chamber musician at venues including the Wigmore Hall, the South Bank Centre, Bridgewater Hall, and at festivals including BBC Proms, Cheltenham, Two Moors and Presteigne. Her CD recordings as a soloist, chamber musician and with the Galliard Ensemble have been awarded Gramophone Editor’s Choice, The Observer CD of the Week, and Critics Choice in BBC Music Magazine. Particular recommendations have been given by Gramophone magazine, The Times and BBC Radio 3 Record Review. Kathryn has an affinity for contemporary music and has worked with eminent composers and given many world and British premieres. She has performed with a number of leading orchestras and regularly appears as guest principal with the London Concert Orchestra and with Chamber Music Box. Her concerto performances include works by Ibert, Honegger, Arnold, Bach, Rawsthorne, Barber, Mozart, Telemann, Cecilia McDowall and Christopher Gunning. Kathryn has also appeared on rock albums, where she has improvised and composed for rock flute.

Owen Dennis

Owen Dennis (oboe) read Mathematics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and graduated with a first class honours degree in 1995. He then studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Douglas Boyd and at the Rotterdam Conservatoire with Emanuel Abbuhl, winning the Leila Bull prize for oboe as well as the 1999 Royal Overseas League Wind Final. With the Galliard Ensemble, Owen has released many CD’s including the first recording of Birtwistle’s ‘An Interrupted Endless Melody’ for oboe and piano. As a BBC Radio 3 New Generation artist, Owen has performed the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and numerous live broadcasts, in particular Britten’s ‘Metamorphoses after Ovid’ for solo oboe in the BBC Proms. In addition to his chamber music, he freelances with the City of London Sinfonia and continues to develop his mathematics, teaching A level and Further Mathematics in Brighton. He completed an MSc in Intelligent and Adaptive Systems at Sussex University in 2017, leading to research projects into gender bias and predictive analytics within education.

Katherine Spencer

Katherine ‘Waffy’ Spencer (clarinet), the newly appointed principal clarinet of the Handel and Haydn Society, is also the principal of The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, Gabrieli Consort and Players, The Irish Chamber Orchestra, and the City of London Sinfonia, as well as guesting with many of Europe’s leading period and modern orchestras. Katherine has played for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and at a private performance for the Emperor of Japan.

The New York Times says Katherine delivers “a knockout performance”, Opera Wire said her performance with H+H “was so exquisite her solo should have been repeated as an encore” and The Independent has acclaimed her “brilliant clarinet solos”.

Katherine made her concerto debut at London’s Royal Festival Hall aged 14. She has played as a soloist in all of the UK’s major concert venues with orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. She has made numerous BBC Radio 3 solo broadcasts, performs at the BBC Proms, and has presented BBC radio programmes. She also performs regularly on Classic FM and many European radio stations, on both modern and period instruments. A believer that music is for everyone, Katherine leads the education and outreach departments of most of her orchestras.

Katherine studied at Chethams School of Music (Manchester), The Royal Academy of Music (London), Hannover Hoschule für Musik, and is completing a doctorate at Stony Brook University, New York. Next season Katherine will begin her first season with H+H and tour the Mozart Clarinet Concerto as part of OAEs 40th birthday celebrations. When on tour, she misses her persian cat instagram.com/dailymidge.

Richard Bayliss

Richard (horn) enjoys a varied performing career as a chamber musician, soloist, and principal player for period instrument orchestras and modern orchestras alike, both at home and abroad. Most recently, he has been a regular guest principal for the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He is currently principal horn for the Gabrieli Consort and Players and the London Contemporary Orchestra. With the London Contemporary Orchestra, Richard has performed on numerous film, tv and computer games including ‘Call of Duty’, ‘Saltburn’, ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ and solo horn for ‘Power of the Dog' and the marvel film ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Overseas, Richard has performed as guest principal for Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Taipei Symphony, Capella Cracoviensis, and {oh!} Orkiestra Historyczna. Richard is also a regular performer in Londons west end, currently appearing as guest player in Wicked, Les Mis, and Wizard of Oz, and has held positions for Shrek, Superstar, and the Sound of Music, among others. As well as being a founding member of the Galliard Ensemble, Richard is also a member of the mixed chamber ensemble Chroma, and brass group, Symphonic Brass of London.

Helen Storey

Helen (bassoon) studied at the Purcell School of Music before continuing her studies with scholarships to the Royal Academy of Music and the Hochschule fur Musik in Vienna, studying with John Orford, Rachel Gough, Milan Turkovic, and David Chatterton. After several years of freelancing Helen took a position in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra where she was a member for 23 years, before accepting the Sub-Principal bassoon seat at the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 2024. As well as being resident at the South Bank Centre the orchestra enjoys the Summer season at Glyndebourne Opera. Helen is very keen on taking music into a wider community setting and takes an active role within the orchestra’s varied education programmes. Helen became a member of the professorial staff at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London in 2010 where she teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as coaching chamber music and conducting ensembles.

Main Photos: Stan Papior        Biography Photos: Pip Bacon