Gail Hennessy

Gail Hennessy is a Historical Oboe professor at the Royal College of Music, specializing in Historical Performance. She is recognized as one of the foremost exponents of the baroque oboe in Britain, with an extensive career as a performer, recording artist, and educator.

Her educational background includes studying modern oboe at the University of Louisville, Historical Performance Practice at Washington University, and baroque oboe with the late David Reichenberg through the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She was also an apprentice to baroque oboe maker Mary Kirkpatrick in Oxfordshire, gaining valuable insight into instrument construction.

Professor Hennessy's research and performance interests focus on Historical Performance Practice, particularly with the baroque oboe. Her expertise spans Baroque Music interpretation, Period Instrument Performance, and the revival of historical techniques. She has championed the baroque oboe through extensive performance work and has actively encouraged contemporary composers to write new music for historical instruments, premiering works by Jennifer Fowler (1988), Roderick Williams (2004), Rhian Samuel (2008), and Thea Musgrave (2011).

She maintains an active international performance schedule as a soloist and chamber musician, appearing with leading early music ensembles including The Academy of Ancient Music, La Serenissima, New London Consort, The Parley of Instruments, St James's Baroque, and Ex Cathedra. Her critically acclaimed recordings of Bach sonatas and Vivaldi chamber music are available on the Signum label.

Professor Hennessy has been broadcast as a soloist on BBC Radio 3 and international radio stations in France, Denmark, Japan, Switzerland, Belgium and the USA, demonstrating her international recognition in the field of historical performance.