English Baroque Soloists

One of the world’s leading period instrument orchestras, the ensemble has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues including Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Sydney Opera House.

The EBS has recorded for many companies, including the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras’ own label Soli Deo Gloria. They made the earliest recording of Mozart's complete piano concertos on period instruments, as well as his greatest operas for Deutsche Grammophon.

The EBS’s current season has seen them expand their repertoire and conductor collaborations, including a deep dive into Charpentier with Christophe Rousset that was toured across Europe in December 2024. These performances were universally greeted with praise including the Guardian describing it as “joyous and immaculate,” while Operawire noted “a fresh sense of artistic renewal”.

Scheduled performances in 2025 highlight this drive for new creative challenges with a year that includes Mozart with Marc Minkowski, Bach with Masaaki Suzuki, semi-staged Rossini with Jakob Lehmann, Handel with Christophe Rousset.

The EBS and the Monteverdi Choir are appearing at the Edinburgh International Festival with ‘Sing to the Lord a New Song’ featuring a selection of works by Purcell, Bach and Handel (including Dixit Dominus) conducted by Jonathan Sells.

In December 2024 the EBS performed Bach and Charpentier with the Monteverdi Choir on a European tour to La Scala Milan, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and its London home at St Martin-in-the-Fields. The tour was conducted by renowned French Baroque specialist Christophe Rousset, making his MCO debut.

In 2024 the EBS joined the Monteverdi Choir for performances of Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt, conducted by Peter Whelan. As well as a performance at St Martin-in-the-Fields, the programme toured to the Palau de la Música Barcelona, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Chapelle Royale Château de Versailles, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and Haus für Mozart, Salzburg.

In 2023 the EBS and the Monteverdi Choir, conducted by Dinis Sousa, performed Bach’s Mass in B minor, as well as Handel’s pastoral ode L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, on their American tour following a European tour of Bach’s monumental work. In May 2023 the EBS and the Monteverdi Choir were honoured to perform at the Coronation of HM The King.

The ensemble famously took part in the iconic Bach Cantata Pilgrimage in 2000 alongside the Monteverdi Choir, performing all of Bach’s sacred cantatas throughout Europe and recorded for Soli Deo Gloria.

Founded in 1978 by John Eliot Gardiner, the EBS has also participated in major opera productions alongside the Monteverdi Choir in works by Handel, Purcell and Monteverdi.

“The strings created a beautifully earthy sound.” – New York Times

“Intricate and detailed throughout, but in its overall jubilant, assertive, even combative monumentality, it was brilliant.” – Die Presse