Alumni—Karen Gibbard
Since graduating in July 2007 with a BMus Honours (First) from the University of Leeds, Karen Gibbard has studied with Richard Simpson (oboe) and Gail Hennessy (baroque oboe) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, recently graduating with a distinction for the MMus Oboe Performance – Orchestral Training course, generously supported by the Humphrey Richardson Taylor Charitable Trust and the Mercers’ Company. This course was highly intensive and included many activities in addition to performance studies, such as Guildhall Symphony Orchestra concerts at the Barbican, sit-in rehearsals with both the Philharmonia Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, the chance to assist with music workshops in hospitals and primary schools, and collaborative work with Guildhall actors.
Karen is now starting out as a freelance musician and plays the oboe, cor anglais, baroque oboe and baroque oboe d’amore in a variety of solo, chamber and orchestral settings, including a recent televised orchestral concert in Poland with the Gabrieli Players. She is a member of the Kariosa Ensemble (flute, oboe, bassoon and piano), through which they have led children’s music workshops at the Wigmore Hall as part of the ‘Chamber Tots’ programme. Also, her early music chamber group, the Prince and Pauper Consort, was recently selected to take part in the Brighton Early Music Festival Live! 2008 scheme. Karen also enjoys teaching the oboe for Richmond Music Trust and now hopes to extend all aspects of her career – in terms of both performance and community/education work.
It was during Karen’s second year at University that she first laid hands upon a baroque oboe, and this was thanks to Leeds Baroque Orchestra who managed to acquire an instrument (and a chart of fingerings!) and encourage her to take part in the orchestra. Karen’s playing has much developed as a result of this valuable experience, as has her curiosity regarding period instruments. Therefore this year she is taking part in the Jeune Orchestre Atlantique course at the Abbaye aux Dames in Saintes, France, which provides her with romantic and classical oboe coaching at regular intervals throughout the year with highly regarded tutors such as Paul Dombrecht and Marcel Ponseele.
“What an exciting ensemble, music cunningly articulated …every work delivered different colours and emotions.”