Considered one of the most exciting and innovative duos in London, the Glendower Duo breathes new life into classical repertoire while promoting contemporary works for the clarinet and piano; they regularly perform around the UK and Europe (see individual biographies below)
They have performed in prestigious venues across Europe including the Leeds International Festival, St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Purcell Room (South Bank)
and the Philharmonic Hall, Krakow. The duo won a 1st prize in the International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition; the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artist Competition and also won the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Scholarship. Their debut at the Purcell Room received a four-star rating in The Times.
Hannah and Thomas met in 2004 at the Royal College of Music, London. Last year Hannah completed her Masters in Advanced Performance at the RCM with distinction and Thomas has recently completed a junior fellowship at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Their studies have been supported by awards from Ian Fleming (MBF), Countess of Munster, Richard Carne, Leverhulme and Elisabeth Evans.
They have been selected to be Concordia Foundation artists and have worked regularly with the Yehudi Menuhin outreach scheme, Live Music Now! that aims to provide high standard performances to a variety of audiences; from concert halls to hospitals and schools around the UK.
The Glendower Duo is available for public or private recitals in addition to educational projects. Please go to the contact page to request further information.
For any more information on any of these associations please go to the links page.
See below for individual biographies.
South Wales clarinettist Hannah Morgan began learning the clarinet at the age of 10. She studied at RWCMD junior until she became a scholar at the Royal College of Music, where she was awarded distinction in her Masters. On an ERASMUS exchange to the Vienna Universität she received tuition from Ernst Ottensammer, Principal clarinet of the Vienna Philharmonic.
Hannah has performed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Welsh National Opera. Recently she played performances at the Coliseum with the English National Ballet. More commercial work includes West End show Billy Eliot and a UK tour with the Heritage Orchestra. Hannah has recently finished a post with the Southbank Sinfonia where she worked with the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Opera House Orchestra and the orchestra of St-Martin-in-the-Fields.
As a soloist Hannah has also performed concertos with the Milton Keynes Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia and the RWCMD Orchestra. Additional prizes for Hannah include the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe and the Selmer Clarinet Prize in memory of Frederick Thurston.
Training Orchestras Hannah has played with include the Britten Pears Programme, the Netherlands Jungende Orchester, the National Youth Orhcestra GB and Wales, and the Young Musician Symphony Orchestra.
The Countess of Munster, Ian Flemming Award MBF, Richard Carne Trust, Leverhulme Fund and the Elisabeth Evans Trust have supported Hannah’s studies and she would like to express her gratitude to all these supporting benefactors.
Following his studies at the Bordeaux Conservatoire, Thomas Besnard graduated in 2008 from the Royal College of Music, London, where he studied with Gordon Fergus-Thompson. He completed an MPerf course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Caroline Palmer on a full GSMD Scholarship and then went on to become a Junior Fellow at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has played in master classes with Désiré N’Kaoua, Alain Planès, Roy Howat and Claire Désert, Natalie Clein, Gary Hoffman as well as the Archduke Trio of London.
Thomas has broadcast on several occasions for BBC 3: in the UK premiere of Louis Andriessen’s Bells for Haarlem, a concert at the Barbican Centre as part of the BBC Total Immersion concert series and a Pre-Prom performance this year with his quartet. He recently played again at the Barbican Centre for a pre-LSO performance of John Adams Road Movies.
A keen chamber musician, Thomas has played in many recitals throughout the UK but also in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Luxembourg, Macedonia and Serbia. Further engagements include solo and chamber music recitals in France, Wales and another pre-LSO concert at the Barbican centre.
Thomas would like to thank Philip Carne for his generosity in helping him finance his studies.