About us

Hailing as Ireland’s premier flute, violin, viola, and cello quartet, Glas Quartet comprises of four exceptional musicians with roots in Louth, where this group have been performing together since their early years. Their musical journey led them to the United Kingdom, where each pursued conservatoire training at esteemed institutions such as the Royal Northern College of Music, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Before officially forming Glas in 2020, and to this day, each member of the quartet boasts a thriving career as a professional freelance musician. They are familiar faces in both Irish and UK music scenes, collaborating with distinguished orchestras and ensembles such as the RTE Concert Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. Glas Quartet performs in various venues, from prestigious concert halls and renowned music festivals to intimate settings like weddings and corporate events. They have left their mark on recordings and have collaborated in studio and live with esteemed musicians such as Biffy Clyro, Villagers, Ocean Colour Scene, Father John Misty, Kygo, Young Fathers, Michael Buble, Paul Weller, Deacon Blue, Echo and the Bunnymen, Westlife, Josh Groban, Coronas and Ham Sandwich. Dedicated to sharing their passion for music, the quartet is deeply involved in education, holding teaching positions at esteemed institutions including Music Generation, The Royal Irish Academy of Music, and DkIT. Most recently, Glas Quartet has embarked on an enchanting project titled ‘Little Notes for Little Dotes’, crafted to deliver captivating and age-appropriate musical performances. With a carefully curated repertoire, the Quartet aims to resonate with young audiences, captivating both babies and preschool-age children alike. Glas Quartet is on a mission to make classical music accessible to wider and more diverse audiences. Their goal is to ensure that everyone can enjoy music in any setting and to appreciate classical music’s huge influence over modern music culture. Their latest project “After Dark” is a show designed to go beyond traditional concert experiences to create an unforgettable and unique experiences for the audience.

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Annemarie McGahon

Viola

Annemarie is a founding member and managing partner of both Glas Quartet and our sister quartet in Scotland, the Cairn String Quartet. Annemarie studied viola at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for both her post-graduate and under-graduate degrees. After 15 years touring the world from her Glasgow base with many well-known artists and bands, Annemarie returned to Ireland where she has freelanced in the Irish Orchestras whilst studying initially for a Masters’ in Business and Marketing and currently researching for a PhD in Social Inclusion and Music Education. Annemarie is the composer and orchestrator for both Glas Quartet and Cairn String Quartet, keeping the playlists current with everything from ‘video game soundtracks’ to ‘what’s in the charts’. At the heart of her classical music education lies a pop and rock princess who loves nothing more than arranging whatever she heard on the radio that morning. Annemarie has orchestrated, recorded, and performed with many notable bands and is the currently violinist and orchestrator for Biffy Clyro.

Ailbhe Clancy

Violin

Ailbhe is a managing partner of Glas Quartet. She trained at the Royal Northern College of Music. Following that, she studied in Bilkent University in Turkey before returning to Ireland for a Masters in Performance at Conservatory of Music & Drama, DIT. As a freelance musician she has worked extensively with the Ulster Orchestra, The National Symphony, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, as well as NI Opera and Wexford Opera. Ailbhe also enjoys session work, TV appearances and playing with bands including Biffy Clyro, Ham Sandwich, Ryan McMullan, Michael Bublé and Soda Blonde. When Ailbhe is not running around the country for work, she likes to run up mountains and cycle across the country!

Aoife Dennedy

Cello

Aoife is a professional cellist based in Dundalk. She has been working as a freelance cellist across Ireland for nearly 15 years and has played and recorded with many artists including Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Westlife, Alesha Dixon, Gavin James and The Coronas. A keen orchestral musician, she has played with NI Opera, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Wexford Festival Opera Orchestra and Symphonia Cymru. Aoife holds a BA in Music Performance from The Royal Irish Academy of Music and a Masters in Music Performance from The Royal Northern College of Music. Music and food are two of Aoife’s great loves. Not so much cheese in the music but definitely in the food.

Vourneen Ryan

Flute

Vourneen trained in flute performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She continued her studies at WIT where she was awarded an MSc in Performance Psychology. Vourneen was previously sub- principal flute with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and now has a varied career as a freelance flautist, educator and performance psychologist. As a freelance flautist, Vourneen performs extensively with orchestras and chamber groups throughout Ireland including the National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Wexford Opera, Trio Táin and Glas Quartet. Vourneen is on the flute faculty and lectures in Career Development at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. At the end of a long day, Vourneen loves to curl up with a good box set.

Weddings

Something Different

Glas has over 14 years of experience in the wedding industry and create the perfect ambiance for gliding up the aisle or rocking up to your drinks reception. We cater to all types of ceremonies including church, humanist, spiritual, interfaith and civil.

Events & Parties

Exceeding Expectations

We help create the right atmosphere for networking and mingling, between a tailor-made playlist and requests from your guests.

Little Notes for Little Dotes

For the wee ones

A relaxed concert for you and your baby.

Recording Sessions

Creative Collaborations

Glas members provide professional string sections for recordings and live events throughout Ireland, UK, Europe, North and South America and North Africa.

Funerals

Personal Touch

We Provide an elegant and personalised soundtrack to the celebration of your loved one’s life.