St Ann's welcomes Delgani Ensemble

The ensemble was first formed in the mid–1980s by a group of young musicians keen to explore a wide variety of chamber music for wind and strings. Based around oboe and string trio, the ensemble made the inaugural tour of Music Network in 1986, as well as numerous Dublin concerts, and a broadcasting schedule that saw them record virtually the entire repertoire for oboe and strings, classical and modern. Over the years, the group has expanded and diversified into wider chamber music repertoire including string quartets, larger mixed wind and string groupings and works with piano, organ and voices.

Three of the founder members continue to perform regularly with the ensemble: the core group consists of; Ruby Ashley, oboe, Alan Smale, violin, John Lynch, viola and David James, ‘cello. Ruby, Alan and David are founder members. Ruby is the foremost oboe teacher in Ireland, has held positions in all the major Irish orchestras and ensembles, and is widely known as a soloist. Alan is Leader of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, John is co–principal viola of the same orchestra, and David is section principal ‘cello of the RTE Concert Orchestra.

The Degani Ensemble takes its name from Alan Smale’s violin, made by Eugenio Degani in Venice in 1896.

The ensemble will perform the following programme in St Ann's Church, Dawson Street:

Haydn: Quartet in F, op. 50 no.5 for oboe, violin, viola and cello.

Gounod: 2 songs for soprano( Kate Canning) and ensemble. Aubade, Serenade.

Reynaldo Hahn: 2 songs for soprano (Grace Bermingham)and ensemble. Le Souvenir d’avoir chante, A Chloris.

Moeran: Fantasy Quartet fo oboe, violin, viola and cello.