Arcangelo

The British early music ensemble Arcangelo is one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras, bringing together exceptional musicians who excel on both historical and modern instruments. Its players’ belief in the power of collaboration, required in chamber music, brings forth the production of the highest musical expression and attracts to it an outstanding calibre of performers who already have flourishing solo and chamber music careers. 

Formed in 2010, Arcangelo has flourished on the classical musical scene with verve and energy under the direction of founder, artistic director and conductor Jonathan Cohen, and has since enjoyed numerous invitations to appear at major festivals and concert halls in Europe and America. In February 2016, the group toured with young and upcoming Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang, performing Mozart violin concertos at the Oslo Opera House and Zurich’s Tonhalle, where it was described by the Swiss newspaper Neue Zücher Zinder as ‘an ideal Mozart orchestra’.

The ensemble's repertoire consists of musical masterpieces of early, baroque and classical periods, although there have been various successes with later repertoire and there are plans to develop in this direction in the future. 

 Arcangelo has also won great critical acclaim for its CD releases. The debut CD, featuring cantatas by Porpora with star countertenor Iestyn Davies, was released by Hyperion Records in 2011 and was met with critical acclaim. According to The Guardian, ‘the musicianship is exquisite … and the embellishments are gorgeous’. The CD Arias for Benucci with Matthew Rose was nominated for the 2016 International Opera Awards. In November 2015, a recording of Bach Violin Concerti with Alina Ibragimova was chosen as Classic FM’s Drive Time Album and BBC Music Magazine’s Recording of the Month.

Arcangelo has begun its Residency with London’s Wigmore Hall in June 2016 and will be making its BBC Proms debut this summer with works by Purcell, Blow, Locke and Draghi – including music for Shakespeare’s The Tempest.