GERARD McDONALD

Baroque Oboe; Oboe d'Amore; Oboe da Caccia; Flauto Traverso; Flautino; Recorders; Chalumeau.

The only British professional woodwind player who offers this instrumental combination, Gerard McDonald was responsible for setting up the Early Music Faculty at the Royal Academy of Music, and was the first "Early" musician to hold a teaching Fellowship there. He has made many appearances at London's South Bank Centre in concerto and chamber music performances on all three instruments (see also below) and has toured extensively in England (with the Cambridge Baroque Camerata) and France (with Badinage). Appearances in the Angers Bach 2000 concert series in France were met with repeated standing ovations for performances on Baroque oboe/oboe d'amore, Baroque flute and recorder.

Gerard McDonald has given first British performances of works by Vivaldi and Telemann. Engagements in 2000 include concerti with Thames Chamber Orchestra, City of London Chamber Players and The Consort Of Twelve and he has broadcast on Baroque flute, Baroque oboe and Recorder for the BBC. He teaches modern and Baroque oboe, Baroque flute and recorder at the University of London (Royal Holloway College), and has lectured on performance practice at London, Cambridge, Leeds and Anglia Universities. His publications include several volumes of editions and arrangements of recorder music.

An accomplished and scholarly communicator with audiences, Gerard McDonald is Artistic Director of the period instrument group Arborea Musica & Friends. Their appearances in Edinburgh during August 2001 are documented elsewhere in this site, while their August 2002 concerts in that city are detailed on the Russell Collection website.

Gerard McDonald's latest South Bank Centre appearance was at the Purcell Room on Wednesday, the Fifth of March 2003 at 7:30 p.m., when he appeared as guest soloist in the fiftieth concert given by Badinage at that venue.

"Parmi des mieux Baroqueux Anglais". (LE COURRIER DE L'OUEST)
"One of the country’s foremost performers and teachers". (SHEET MUSIC)
"Respected performer and teacher". (RECORDER MAGAZINE)
"A virtuoso soloist of exciting stature". (BIRMINGHAM POST)
"Splendid oboe playing". (RECORDS & RECORDING)
"It is good that there are Baroque wind players sufficiently versatile to be able to offer such a varied programme".
(EARLY MUSIC REVIEW)
"The Baroque flute playing ... was pure delight". (THE SCOTSMAN)
"The future of the authentic movement is in safe hands". (MUSIC & MUSICIANS)

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