Gliondar was formed in 1998 at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, from which the five permanent players are all graduates. Respectively however, in the past they have attended such varied institutions as Strathclyde University, Napier University, the Royal Military School of Music and Dublin College of Music.

All of Gliondar have been members of ensembles and orchestras at regional and national levels. All have also played as soloists in recital and concerto performances both at the RSAMD and around Scotland and Ireland. Gliondar have taken part in many chamber music concerts at the RSAMD and in July 1999, they were awarded the prestigious Mary D. Adams chamber music prize.

1999 was a fruitful year for the ensemble with it bringing their debut London recital in March of that year at The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Gliondar also played a major part in the Poulenc festival at Glasgow´s Hutcheson Hall, performing a number of Poulenc´s wind chamber music works across a series of concerts, and in May of that year were invited by the Tunnell Trust for Young Musicians to play at their festival at Strathgarry in Perthshire. The Tunnell Trust has since engaged Gliondar for a number of events including fundraising evenings and a concert for children with special needs.

Future plans include a tour of Argyll and Bute as well as recitals in Edinburgh and Ireland.

The word "gliondar" is a gaelic word meaning joy or glee.

The members

Simon Browne
Claire Latto
Emma Roche
Cliona Warren
Fergus Kerr

Simon Browne was born on the Isle of Bute and began learning the clarinet at the age of fourteen. In his endeavor to pursue a career in music, he joined the army as a bandsman. During his service he spent a year studying at the Royal Military School of Music and traveled world-wide playing various solos and concertos with his chosen band. In 1994 he left the army and went to the RSAMD where he studied for five years gaining a B.Mus.(Hons) and a Certificate of Postgraduate Studies. Simon is currently a teacher and free-lance musician, playing in various shows across Scotland and is also a member of a clarinet quartet.

Claire Latto is 25 years old and hails from Fife, although she is now living and working in Glasgow. She began playing the oboe when she was 9 years old and throughout her schooling she played in various windbands and orchestras at school, as well as playing in Fife Youth Orchestra for four years. Between 1993 and 1995 Claire attended Napier University in Edinburgh, studying for an HND (Musical Studies). During her time there she played with Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, and undertook a tour to Scandinavia with them in the summer of 1995. In 1995 after successfully completing her studies at Napier, Claire went on to the RSAMD in Glasgow, latterly studying oboe with the RSNO´s principal oboist Stephane Rancourt, and cor anglais with Stephen West. She graduated in July 1999 with a BA (Hons) Musical Studies. Claire currently plays with the Gliondar wind quintet and also teaches oboe. Her musical talents have taken her into the Territorial Army - she plays both oboe and clarinet with the 51 highland Brigade TA Military Band.

Emma Roche began her studies at the Cork School of Music. In her ten years of study there she was the recipient of numerous scholarships and prizes. She moved to Glasgow in 1995 to study with David Nicholson at the RSAMD, and graduated with honours in 1999. While at the RSAMD Emma was awarded many prizes, including the John McGregor flute prize, and in 1998 she won the Governor's Woodwind Recital Prize. In June 1999 as a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Musician competition she performed as a soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and last December played in the National Concert Hall, Dublin as a class finalist in the RTE Millennium Musician of the Future festival. Emma has just completed a year of post graduate study at the RSAMD.

Cliona Warren started her bassoon studies at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and was awarded a scholarship for three successive years there. In 1995 she entered the College of Music, Dublin on the BMus Performance(Graduate diploma) course where she graduated from in 1998 with first class honours and was awarded the Michael McNamara gold medal for the highest result in her year. In 1996 she was one of the woodwind finalist of the Yamaha Bursary and in 1998 she performed at the National Concert Hall, Dublin as one of four woodwind finalists in the "Musician of the Future Competition". This was broadcast live on FM3 Radio. In February '98 she was awarded the RSAMD woodwind trust which entailed a full scholarship on entry to the Masters Degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, from which she graduated in July 2000. During her time there she has given many performances in the Academy and outside and in June 2000 she performed the Weber Bassoon Concerto with the RSAMD Symphony Orchestra. Cliona plays with the RTE Concert Orchestra and the RTE Symphony Orchestra on regular basis. She has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player in the US, Canada, Ireland and Britain. She has studied with Prof James McKay from Western Ontario, Christopher Millard (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) Janet Bloxwich (Scottish Opera Orchestra) and many others.

Originally from Campbeltown in Argyll, Fergus Kerr started the French Horn at the age of 8, studying with the local instrumental teacher, Gordon Evans. In 1989 he was awarded the Best Soloist prize at the National Concert Band finals which resulted in him being invited to play with the International Youth Honour band at the WASWBE festival in Holland. Having originally embarked on a career in engineering, he has recently completed two years of post-graduate study at the RSAMD on the MMus (performance) course under the expert guidance of David McClenaghan (principal horn Royal Scottish National Orchestra). Fergus has given several solo recitals and concerto performances. These include Strauss and Larsson with the chamber orchestra of Strathclyde University; Haydn with the Kelvin Ensemble and Helensburgh orchestral Society; and Mozart with Helensburgh freelance players. As well as freelance playing, Fergus regularly plays principal horn with Camerata Scotland.

Contact details and further information

E-mail The Gliondar Ensemble

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