Flautist Kathryn Thomas and the Galliard Ensemble Wind Quintet

Flautist Kathryn Thomas

Ask for # 343

and the

Galliard Ensemble Wind Quintet.

London, Oxfordshire,
Cambridgshire, Essex & Kent

Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 1995, where she studied with Sebastian Bell, Kathryn has been rapidly developing a reputation as one of Britain's leading flautist, with a particular reputation for contemporary music. She regularly appears as a recitalist and chamber musician, recent appearances including the Purcell Room, Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, and the Chichester, Fishguard and Newbury Spring Festivals. Her concerto performances have ranged from works by Bach to Arnold. She has also toured abroad as a soloist and an orchestral musician including tours of France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Russia, Finland and Greece. She regularly broadcasts on BBC Radio 3.

As flautist and founder member of the Galliard Ensemble Wind Quintet, Kathryn has been awarded a Young Musicians Trust Award, The Maisie Lewis Young Artists Award (Worshipful Company of Musicians) and they were selected by the Park Lane Group and BBC Radio 3 Young Artists Forum. Recent highlights include recitals at the Wigmore Hall, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Bridgewater Hall, the Barbican Centre, and a tour of Wales sponsored by the Arts Council of Wales. The Galliard Ensemble have signed a contract with Meridian Records to record the complete music for wind quintet by Paul Patterson.

Kathryn has given many world premieres, including "The Fruit of Glory", by Ruth Byrchmore (Professor of Composition at the RAM). This work for flute, choir, and organ was commissioned for her by the Marylebone Church. She recently gave the world premiere of Graham William’s ‘Music on the Wind’ for solo flute, and the European premiere of Elliot Schwartz’s ‘Sonata for Flute and Piano’. She gave the British premiere of Elena Firsova's 'Odzvuki' for flute and guitar. She toured Germany, Russia and Finland with The Philharmonia of the Nations and has worked with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestraand the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra amongst others. She has also appeared as guest soloist in a compact disc of contemporary seasonal music which was recommended by Gramophone magazine as one of their Christmas highlights, and has recorded for television as a soloist.

‘One of the most highly regarded of our younger flute playing members’ - Musician

‘I heard Kathryn Thomas give a fine recital at St George’s Brandon Hill ten years ago and was most impressed then by the subtlety and imagination of her playing and her natural stage presence. Since then she has built up an impresssive portfolio of recitals and has gained even more stature as a performer’. - Richard Shaw - official accompanist at the Royal Academy of Music.

Founded when its members were students at the Royal Academy of Music, the Galliard Ensemble has performed at many festivals, including the RAM Film Music, Ligeti Festival, the Halifax, Wraysbury and the Chichester Festivals.

The Galliard Ensemble has a strong interest in contemporary composition. In addition to working with Georgy Ligeti, they have also worked with Richard Rodney Bennett for performances of his 'Concerto for Winds' at his 60th birthday celebration at the Royal Academy of Music and at the Halifax Festival.

The Galliard Ensemble have worked closely with Paul Patterson on his ‘Comedy for Winds’ which they haven performed at the Wraysbury Festival, Newton Abbot Music Society, and various recitals around London. To stimulate new composition for the wind quintet the have established the Galliard Ensemble Wind Quintet Composition Competition. As well as performing challenging contemporary repertoire, the Galliard Ensemble also performs a wide range of music from the Baroque period onwards.

The Galliard Ensemble were recently awarded a scholarship by the Young Musicians Trust to participate in a week of intensive coaching and performance in Perthshire, Scotland. Tutors on the course included Neil Black, Clifford Benson and William Bennett. In October 1997 they were awarded a Maisie Lewis Young Artists Award by the Worshipful Company of Musicians. They recently performed a recital at St Martin-in-the-Fields and gave a highly successful debut at the Wigmore Hall in March.

Recent highlights include recitals at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, and a tour sponsored by the Arts Council of Wales Roundabout Scheme.

They are committed to bringing classical music to new audiences. Examples of this commitment include a highly successful improvisation workshop with an inner city East London youth poetry group and performances in hospitals. They have recently given a master-class to composition students at the Purcell School.

‘Five fine wind players ... Ibert’s “Trois Pieces Breves” provided them with the opportunity to demonstrate their virtuosity and sense of fun’ ... ‘very clear ideas about the music they are playing, and why they are playing it’. BBC Radio 3.

Chosen by Michael White on BBC Radio 3’s ‘Best of 3’ as one of his highlights of the week.

‘Birtwistle’s Refrains and Choruses makes demands that were easily met by the Galliards. The capricious textures were handled with the same assurance they brought to Ligeti in the beguiling Six Bagatelles.’ John Allison - The Times

‘A performance so sharp, sardonic, and vividly coloured that they sounded really quite special ... mercurial brilliance’ -The Herald (Glasgow).

‘The award -winning Galliard Ensemble, who have made a name for their interpretation of contemporary music’, Time Out

‘All five young musicians demonstrated so clearly the art of ensemble playing, almost breathing as one... a thoroughly enjoyable recital given by a group of versatile and committed musicians who deserve every success’, Pan

‘A performance so sharp, sardonic, and vividly coloured that they sounded really quite special ... mercurial brilliance’ The Herald (Glasgow).

‘Remarkable performances ... as good as I’ve heard anywhere’ - Paul Patterson, Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music.

‘I could recommend these first class musicians to anyone’ - Nigel Clarke, composer and head of Wind, Brass and Percussion at the London College of Music.

‘A very fine evening’s music-making by a highly skilled young group, rewarded by prolonged applause ... an authentic style [Handel’s Water Music] ... individual brilliance and cohesion - a thoroughly satisfying performance [Nielsen] ... a polished rendering [Vinter] ... an excellent reading [Ligeti] ... a great impression [Patterson] ... mastery of very different styles ... smooth phrasing and general restrained expressiveness well in keeping with the Classical atmosphere of the piece [Mozart]’ - Malcolm Hayell (former Third Programme presenter), The Herald Express.

‘A wonderful programme ... brilliantly performed and much enjoyed’ - The Fenland Citizen.

‘One of Britain’s leading young chamber groups’ - The East London Advertiser.

‘They have developed a considerable reputation for bringing classical music to sections of the community which have not traditionally seen classical music as accessible or relevant’ - East End Life.

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