Karen Gibbard (MMus, MA, BMus, dipABRSM) is an accomplished oboist and teacher of oboe, recorder and early years music. She has performed with many professional orchestras as a historical oboist, receiving an MMus in Oboe Performance from Guildhall School of Music & Drama as well as an MA in Early Music from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Switzerland.

Karen is a BSMA accredited teacher, having trained with the British Suzuki Music Association as one of the first UK teachers of Suzuki Recorder (level 3). She also teaches Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE level 2) and Suzuki Piano (level 1). Karen has a current DBS check and is a professional member of the ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians). She has taught for over 13 years privately and in various schools, entering pupils for Suzuki graduations or ABRSM/Trinity exams when appropriate.

Karen set up Musical Buds in 2013 and it became a CIC (Community Interest Company) in 2021. Musical Buds is based in Newcastle but also offers online lessons for those further afield. Karen teaches students of all ages (newborns to retired) and is passionate about sharing the gift of music. She continues to be amazed at the remarkable ability of young children to learn music in the same way they learn to speak their native language. This is through the Suzuki philosophy which is highly effective in enabling children to reach their potential in music and life as a whole. As Dr. Suzuki said: "It is in our power to educate all the children of the world to become a little better as people, a little happier."