shawms, dulcians, baroque and classical oboes
Ann Allen was bitten by the Early Music bug at an early age and has never quite recovered. After studying music at Manchester University she went on to specialise on baroque oboe and recorder at the Royal Academy of Music and then moved to Switzerland to continue her studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. While she was there she went even further back in time playing shawms and dulcians, getting a soloist diploma in medieval and renaissance wind music.
She now divides her time between Basel and London and is in demand as a multi-instrumentalist performing on the whole range of early wind instruments. Recent engagements include accompanying Damon Albarn in his rock opera Dr Dee at ENO and performing rain and shine at the Globe theatre in the much acclaimed version of Richard III with Mark Rylance.
She also directs the medieval ensemble MEDIVA and the baroque chamber group IL BACIO as well as running her own festival NOX ILLUMINATA.