John McDonough studied the oboe at the London College of Music with Elizabeth Fyfe (Royal Opera House) and later Chris Cowie (Philharmonia). He graduated with Honours and won a scholarship for further studies winning the 1994 Woodwind Prize and being awarded the Henry Bromley-Derry Prize for all-round musicianship.

John is currently Principal oboist with the Malta Philharmonic and has performed several concertos including the Bach Double Concerto, Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, Albinoni D minor and Vivaldi Double Oboe concerto. He has been guest Principal with The European Union Chamber Orchestra and the Urals State Chamber Orchestra. He reguarly performs chamber music recitals with the Cosmos Wind Ensemble, performing in Canada, Germany, The Netherlands and Australia as well as Malta and Oboe-Harp Duo in Italy with harpist Donata Mattei.

Recent interest in Early Music and study of the baroque oboe with Katharina Spreckelsen and Andreas Helm and also recorder with Rebecca Miles have led him to play baroque oboe with the English Concert under Harry Bickett and to record works by Gabrielli and Monteverdi with the Valletta International Baroque Ensemble (VIBE).

John has recorded music by maltese composers including Sinfonia in Re by Francesco Azopardi (1748-1809) and Chamber music by Joseph Vella( Hagar Qim and Prizma.) In March 2015 he recorded a complete CD of Maltese Music ( Charles Camilleri, Veronique Vella, Albert Garzia and Ruben Zahra)with the Cosmos Wind Ensemble. He has also recorded music by British composers Robin Milford (1903-1959) Suite for oboe and strings and Concertino for oboe and strings by Walter Gaze Cooper (1895-1981) on the Cameo-classics label. www.cameo-classics.com

John has taught oboe at the London College of Music Junior Department and the Johann Strauss School of Music, he is also a wind tutor for the Malta Youth Orchestra. Apart from his work as a performer and instrumental teacher, he has transcribed over 40 works – Warlock Capriol Suite and Mozart Serenade no 10, both for Wind Quintet are published by Cramer Music, London.

Claire Massa graduated from the University of Malta with a BA (Hons) in Music Studies and a PGCE in the teaching of music. She obtained an M. Mus with distinction in Voice Performance at the same university. Massa is a regular performer in vocal concerts.  Her repertoire spans from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ to the operas of Mozart and Rossini, German Lieder to the French romantics and impressionists and the more demanding twentieth century works. She is currently Head of Department of Music within the Government Education Department, as well as a teacher of music in primary schools. She is also a lecturer in the Music Department within the Faculty of Performing Arts and in the Faculty of Education, University of Malta.

Ulrike Buhlmann was born in Potsdam, Germany, started playing the bassoon at 13 and studied at the Musik Hochschule Hanns Eisler under the guidance of Klaus Thunemann. Throughout her studies, Ulrike performed regularly with chamber ensembles and youth orchestras including the Landesjugendorchester Berlin and the Philharmonie der Nationen. Since then, Ulrike has played with numerous German orchestras and has performed as far away as Canada and Mexico.

Maria Frendo is a well-known personality in music circles. She has performed extensively, both as a pianist and as a soprano, in her native Malta and in major venues in Europe and New York. She has recorded more than 13 CDs and is a respected exponent of Maltese Baroque Music, which she has performed to critical acclaim. She is also one of the major interpreters of contemporary music in Malta and has premiered works by Joseph Vella, amongst others. Maria is Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Malta, leader of the Laudate Pueri Choir, and is co-organiser of Malta’s longest Festival of chamber music, the Victoria International Arts Festival.