In 2008 Karen Gibbard graduated with distinction from the MMus Oboe Performance – Orchestral Training course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, generously supported by the HR Taylor Charitable Trust and the Mercers’ Company. Karen has since then received assistance from the HR Taylor Charitable Trust to continue private coaching with Richard Simpson, Christian Schneider and Gail Hennessy, whilst also undertaking period instrument coaching through the Jeune Orchestre Atlantique programme at the Abbaye aux Dames in France. This has included tuition with eminent historical oboists such as Katharina Spreckelsen, Michael Niesemann, Richard Earle, Marcel Ponseele and Taka Kitazato. Karen has a place on The Ann and Peter Law OAE Experience 2010 scheme, which provides her with the opportunity to participate in Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment concert projects and work alongside the orchestra with world-class conductors and soloists. She has also received scholarships to attend various residential summer schools such as the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute in Toronto, Dartington International Summer School, and the European Academy for Music and Arts organised by the Hochschule in Cologne.
Karen loves to perform in a variety of solo, chamber and orchestral settings. These have included solo oboe performances as part of the International Double Reed Society conference, Leeds International Concert Season and Dartington International Summer School, as well as various baroque oboe concertos with directors such as Peter Holman and Pavlo Beznosiuk. Later this year Karen will also be performing the Gordon Jacob Oboe Concerto no.2 with Kingston Chamber Orchestra. Karen is a keen chamber musician and through the Kariosa Ensemble for woodwind and piano she has taken part in various recitals, as well as ‘Chamber Tots’ concerts and workshops at the Wigmore Hall. She is also baroque oboist in the Prince and Pauper Consort, which has participated in the BREMF Early Music Live! Scheme and has performed at events such as the Brighton Early Music Festival White Night, the National Portrait Gallery and for private functions at the London Guildhall.
Karen’s orchestral engagements have included performances with the Gabrieli Players, Jeune Orchestre Atlantique, Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, The Brook Street Band, Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Baroque Armonico Consort, Sinfonia Cymru, Royal Academy of Music Baroque Orchestra, Rehearsal Orchestra, Solomon Orchestra, Consort of Twelve, All Souls Orchestra, Essex Baroque Orchestra, Linden Baroque and the Orchestra of the Teatro Olimpico of Vicenza in Italy. This has entailed work under prominent conductors such as Sir Charles Mackerras, Paul McCreesh, Christopher Seaman, Sir Mark Elder, Andreas Spering, Jérémie Rhorer, Hervé Niquet, David Stern, Peter Holman, Adrian Butterfield, and Steven Devine in various venues including the Barbican Hall, New York Carnegie Hall, Opera of Rouen, St. John’s Smith Square, and St. George Hanover Square.
Karen also enjoys taking music into community and education settings, having worked in hospitals and schools through organisations such as the LSO Discovery Scheme, Richmond Music Trust, City of London Festival, Brighton Early Music Festival and the OAE.
