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The Irish conductor and bassoonist and keyboardist, Peter Whelan, received his initial training as a keyboardist, but he switched to the bassoon after realizing that he preferred to perform with other musicians. He also saw a commonality between the two instruments, which are both often part of the Baroque continuo group. He studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Trinity College in Dublin, and the Musik-Akademie der Stadt, Basel, in Switzerland (Class of 2002).
With parallel careers as a conductor, bassoonist, and keyboardist, Peter Whelan an acclaimed solo artist with an extensive and award-winning discography as a solo bassoonist, and is one of the most dynamic, versatile and original performers on the historical performance scene. He is also a noted educator and ensemble leader. He plays both modern and Baroque bassoon, and beginning in 2008, he served as principal bassoonist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. As a soloist, he has played bassoon recitals at Wigmore Hall. He also became co-principal bassoonist of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Dunedin Consort (Director: John Butt), and since then, his efforts have concentrated on the field of Baroque music. He was the founding director (and bassoonist) of Ensemble Marsyas, which has toured internationally and recorded chamber music of Jan Dismas Zelenka, among others. With Ensemble Marsyas, he also became interested in Irish Baroque music, which he recorded on his 2014 album "Proud Bassoon". That album appeared on the Linn label, for which he has recorded exclusively. He has also performed with the Xacona ensemble, which won two prizes at the Brugge International Competition in 2007.
The desire to explore unfamiliar ensemble material led Peter Whelan to take up conducting. He told the Irish Times that he wanted to perform "music that I felt passionate about but that wouldn't get done anywhere else." In March 2018, he was named conductor of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Ireland's only professional period-instrument ensemble, and he led the group on a USA. tour in 2019. That year, he led the Irish Baroque Orchestra on "Welcome Home, Mr. Dubourg", a recording of music by the neglected composer Matthew Dubourg. Whelan and the Irish Baroque Orchestra issued albums annually during the COVID-19 pandemic, releasing "The Trials of Tenducci" (an examination of the career of an Italian castrato in Ireland) in 2021, "Mozart's Bassoon" and "The Hibernian Muse" in 2022, and "Mr Charles the Hungarian: Handel's Rival in Dublin" in 2023.
As a conductor, Peter Whelan has a particular passion for exploring and championing neglected music from the Baroque and Classical eras. He is also Curator for Early Music of Norwegian Wind Ensemble and Artistic Partner of Irish National Opera. Recent engagements have included appearances with San Francisco Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Nederlands Kamerorkest, Meininger Hofkapelle, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, and Lahti Symphony Orchestra.
The 2023-2024 season included his critically acclaimed debut with Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists in their European tour. Other highlights included the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (March 2018-March 2019) , Royal Northern Sinfonia, Dunedin Consort, La Festa Musicale, Meininger Hofkapelle, and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. He returned to conduct and tour with Irish National Opera in their production of Antonio Vivaldi’s l’Olimpiade across Ireland and at the Royal Opera House, London. Highlights of the 2024-2025 season include an appearance at the Edinburgh International Festival with the Irish Irish Baroque Orchestra, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, and National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. Peter makes his debut at Garsington Opera, conducting George Frideric Handel’s Rodelinda in July 2025.
Peter Whelan's artistic direction in live performance and the recording studio has been widely praised for its “rich insight, style and charisma” (Guardian), its “stylish verve” (BBC Music Magazine) and “phenomenally energetic direction” (Artsdesk). As a champion of early music, Peter Whelan represents “the very best of contemporary trends in bringing this music to life: flex and zest with tempi, lithe and vigorous … an incredible alertness to colors and moods summoned by the cut-and-thrust harmonic footwork of this music” (Operawire). |
