The Festive Ensemble was established in February 1996 by three professional musicians Ute Liebenberg (violin), Carel Henn (cello) and Deirdre Larkin (piano) with the aim of providing attractive background music at a wide variety of Functions such as Business Functions, Promotions, Luncheon or Dinner Parties, Weddings and Anniversaries. Besides providing music for numerous occasions at leading Hotels and Wedding Venues in and around Johannesburg, Pretoria, Vereeniging, Dullstroom and the Drakensberg, they have also given many public concerts together; performances include those at the Roodepoort City Theatre (Pro Musica Theatre) the Witwatersrand National Botanical Gardens both at Roodepoort and Pretoria, the Gencor Gallery (University of Johannesburg) and the Sandton Art Gallery (now The Old Mutual Theatre on the Square). The position of cellist is filled on an ad hoc basis by Maureen Marler or Peta-Ann Holdcroft.