Performing Arts Music Director
Thérèse enjoys a varied career playing both modern & Baroque violin. She combines playing with teaching and tutoring chamber music ensembles.
She is a member of the world-renowned period instrument orchestra- The English Concert, and has played with them for almost 20 years. Founded by Trevor Pinnock in the 1970's, the orchestra has a busy touring and recording schedule.
Thérèse has also been a member of the Academy of Ancient Music, The Hanover Band and has played with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Raglan Baroque, Deütsche Handel Solisten (Karlsrühe) & the Drottningholm Opera Orchestra (Stockholm). She also leads Marlborough Baroque in Dublin.
In 1996 with Mark Duley, she founded Ireland's first professional period instrument orchestra- Christ Church Baroque- now known as Irish Baroque Orchestra. She was Artistic Director and Leader until 2003. In this role she encouraged many young Irish players to play Baroque instruments and to investigate and explore historical performance practices. Many of these players went on to study in London, Manchester, and The Hague and now play with prestigious Baroque orchestras in London and Mainland Europe.
A founder member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Thérèse played with them for 23 years. She was leader for 13 years, and appeared as Soloist and Director regularly. She was also Co-Leader of the Cologne Chamber Orchestra and toured extensively throughout the world with them.
A member of the RTE Symphony Orchestra for many years, she appeared with them on many occasions as Soloist and Guest Leader. In 2000 Thérèse was invited to become leader of the RTE Concert Orchestra, a position she held for 5 years. She was also one of the leaders of the Wexford Festival Opera Orchestra from 2008- 2016. For the last 30 years, she has successfully managed to balance her love of Baroque music with her career on modern violin. She has an extensive repertoire which includes music written in the 1600's through to music of the present day. She has had numerous works written for her by some of Ireland's finest composers including John Kinsella, Philip Martin, David Byers, Frank Corcoran, James Wilson and Eric Sweeney. She has appeared as Soloist with Nigel Kennedy, James Galway, Iona Brown, Friedemann Immer and has worked with Directors such as Charles Mackerras, Harry Bicket, Andrew Manze, Steven Bishop Kovacevich, Roy Goodman, Sir John Barbirolli, Yehudi Menuhin, Christopher Hogwood. She has also appeared at some of the world's most prestigious festivals including Edinburgh, Mostly Mozart (NY), Leipzig Bachfest, BBC Proms, Barossa Valley (Australia), Aldeburgh, Istanbul, Montreux, Spitalfields, Kilkenny, Wexford and specialist Handel Festivals in Göttingen, Halle and Karlsrühe.
Thérèse was a tutor for the Irish Youth Orchestra for over 25 years. She is a regular examiner at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She studied violin in Dublin with Jaroslav Vaneček, in Italy (Siena and Trieste) with Franco Gulli and Vladimir Szerlak, and chamber music with Riccardo Brengola, masterclasses with Manoug Parikian in Oxford. She also studied flute with Eithne Delaney in Dublin and had conducting lessons with Janos Fürst.
In 2017 Thérèse was appointed as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Music, UCD.