As former BBC New Generation Artists, the Galliard Ensemble has become one of Britain’s leading chamber groups, with repertoire running from Mozart and Beethoven to Berio and Schoenberg. Soon to celebrate their 20th anniversary, they play regularly in many of Britain’s prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre and Bridgewater Hall, at festivals throughout Europe, with appearances at the BBC Proms, also at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and the Bath, Brighton and Harrogate festivals, the MAFRA Festival for the British Council and the Castello Branco and Porto Festivals in Portugal. They regularly give masterclasses and lectures to the top British music academies.
The Galliard Ensemble has a lively, entertaining and distinctive performance style that has thrilled audiences in Britain and abroad. The ensemble’s CDs have been selected by the Sunday Times, BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, and BBC Radio 3 in their critics’ choices of outstanding releases.
Committed to bringing music to a wider audience, the Galliard Ensemble has undertaken educational concerts with Live Music Now! and has enjoyed performing in many schools, family concerts, workshops and demonstrations. With a strong interest in contemporary composition, in addition to working with Paul Patterson, Gyorgy Ligeti and Richard Rodney Bennett, the Galliard Ensemble has worked with Sir Harrison Birtwistle on his quintet Five Distances for their performance at the BBC Proms.
Among other engagements, 2010 saw the ensemble return to the Presteigne Festival where they played five new commissions written for the Galliard Ensemble by five leading British composers. They also completed a highly successful tour of Scotland. 2011 promises to be a busy year again for the Galliard Ensemble and includes recording their forthcoming CD for the Deux-Elles label.
‘Pure pleasure… This in short is wind quintet playing of great distinction… From this admirably recorded disc you also get a very good idea of how enjoyable the Galliard’s public concerts must be. Strongly recommended.’ Gramophone Magazine