Category: ENSEMBLES

Geaechinger Cantorey

Since its founding in 1981 by Helmuth Rilling, the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart has been dedicated to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach through benchmark-setting performances and vibrant educational initiatives. This mission also embraces the music of Bach’s contemporaries, as well as his predecessors and successors. With Bach at its core, the Bachakademie’s repertoire encompasses sacred vocal music, oratorios, and choral symphonic works from the 17th century to the present day.

Since 2013, the institution has been led by conductor Hans-Christoph Rademann, who in 2016 unified the former ensembles Gächinger Kantorei (choir) and Bach-Collegium Stuttgart (orchestra) into a newly restructured ensemble consisting of a reformed choir and a newly founded Baroque orchestra under the name Gaechinger Cantorey. In this ensemble, a Baroque orchestra and a carefully selected choir form a finely tuned original-sound ensemble. Under the direction of artistic director Hans-Christoph Rademann, the ensemble has made it its mission to promote an internationally recognized “Stuttgart Bach style.”

The Internationales Bachfest Stuttgart, a two-week festival, brings together young and seasoned artists from around the world who devote themselves to Bach and his era. Additionally, the Bachakademie maintains its own subscription concert series in Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg and is actively engaged in a busy concert schedule both nationally and internationally.

VIDEO





PRESS

“What Hans-Christoph Rademann, his Gaechinger Cantorey, and the carefully selected soloists reveal here in terms of vocal-instrumental balance, tonal refinement, and rhetorically informed artistry surely represents the pinnacle of historically informed performance today!”

concerti, 13 november 2023

“To the audience of 2023, it spoke directly from the heart.”

bachtrack, 16 july 2023

PROJECTS 2027/28 – A SELECTION

–Overview projects 2027/28 (PDF)

April 2028
ST. JOHN PASSION
Choir and Orchestra ot Gaechinger Cantorey / Hans-Christoph Rademann, conductor

The Gaechinger Cantorey, under the direction of Hans-Christoph Rademann, has set itself the goal of promoting a “Stuttgart Bach style” internationally. Among the many milestones achieved since its reestablishment in 2016, the St John Passion undoubtedly stands out—its emotional complexity is explored in remarkable depth and performed with great passion by both the ensemble and its conductor.

L. v. Beethoven: Missa solemnis op.123

Hans-Christoph Rademann © Holger Schneider

DOWNLOADS

–Gaechinger Cantorey and Hans-Christoph Rademann press photo 1
–Gaechinger Cantorey press photo 2
–Hans-Christoph Rademann press photo 1
–Hans-Christoph Rademann press photo 2
–Biography (PDF)
–Projects 2027/28 (PDF)

Munich Chamber Orchestra

Captivating audiences worldwide with its dynamic programmes, which combine well-known works with new music, the Münchener Kammerorchester (MKO) is famous for its distinct sound as well as for its outstanding level of interpretation. The core ensemble consists of 28 permanent string players from 14 different countries. Flexible in size, the MKO regularly expands its line-up with exceptional guest musicians from elite European orchestras to set interpretative standards in Classical and Romantic repertoire as well as in 21st-century compositions. Openness, curiosity and a passion for unusual formats further characterize the unique profile of the MKO.

In the 2022/23 season the MKO departed from its previous organizational structure with a chief conductor and redefined itself: over a period of several years, it works with the three Associated Conductors Jörg Widmann, Enrico Onofri and Bas Wiegers, who ideally embody the MKO’s extensive artistic spectrum and the unbridled will to probe new dimensions in music from the Baroque era to the present day. Performances under the direction of concertmasters Yuki Kasai and Daniel Giglberger are also an important part of the orchestra’s activities. The MKO regularly collaborates with musicians such as Isabelle Faust, Nicolas Altstaedt, Ilya Gringolts, Vilde Frang, Christian Tetzlaff and Alexander Lonquich.

The MKO places great significance to the dramaturgical conception of its programmes and to the long-term cultivation and further development of the chamber orchestra repertoire. It has commissioned and premiered numerous works: Iannis Xenakis, Wolfgang Rihm, Tan Dun, Georg Friedrich Haas, Pascal Dusapin, Salvatore Sciarrino, Jörg Widmann and other great composers of our time have composed music for the ensemble. ECM Records has released recordings of the MKO performing works by Sofia Gubaidulina, Giacinto Scelsi, Valentin Silvestrov, Toshio Hosokawa, Tigran Mansurian and Thomas Larcher amongst others, as well as a complete recording of Beethoven’s piano concertos with the pianist Alexander Lonquich in autumn 2024. A new collaboration with Enrico Onofri and harmonia mundi kicks off with a recording of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenades in early 2025. Numerous other CDs have been released by Sony Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, Warner Classics and NEOS.

VIDEO

PRESS

“I find them irresistible.“

The Times

“When Enrico Onofri and the Munich Chamber Orchestra perform Mozart’s cheerful marches for the summer serenade, a Salzburg flair immediately fills the air.“

BR Klassik

“It was the most compelling ‘Pastoral’ I have ever heard.”

Abendzeitung München

“Striking effects, fabulous precision […] Hell, that’s good.“

Süddeutsche Zeitung

SELECTION OF PROJECTS (2026/27)

–Overview Projects 2025/26 (PDF)

DOWNLOADS

MKO_Pressefoto_1_DanielDelangMünchener Kammerorchester press photo 1
MKO_Bas Wiegers©Florian GanslmeierMünchener Kammerorchester press photo 1
MKO_2024©Florian GanslmeierMünchener Kammerorchester press photo 1
MKO_Bio_EN_2425Biography (PDF)
MKO_Projekte_EN_2627Projects 2026/27 (PDF)

Festival Strings Lucerne

Since its foundation in 1956, the Festival Strings Lucerne has toured extensively throughout the world. In Europe, the orchestra is a regular guest at leading concert halls: the Vienna Musikverein and the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Berlin Philharmonie and the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the KKL in Lucerne with its own concert series at the KKL Luzern and every year as a guest of the Lucerne Festival.

The repertoire ranges from the Baroque to the present day; the orchestra makes a substantial contribution to the expansion of the string and chamber orchestra repertoire with new arrangements and world premieres of more than a hundred works by composers such as Jean Françaix, Frank Martin, Bohuslav Martinů, Sandor Veress, Iannis Xenakis and Krzystof Penderecki.

VIDEO

PRESS

“A slender, meticulously nuanced noble tone that can be nearly addictive.”

Stuttgarter Zeitung, 18 December 2025

“Precise in rhythm and timing, precisely balanced with gentle nuances.”

concerti, 09 April 2024

“They breathe together.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung, 07 February 2022

PROJECTS 2026/27

–Project Overview 2026-27 (PDF)

21 – 31 January 2027
RAVEL/MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
Festival Strings Lucerne / Midori, violin / Daniel Dodds, musical leader and violin

The chamber-music-like transparency of the Festival Strings Lucerne, led by their equally outstanding concertmaster Daniel Dodds, forms the ideal sonic tapestry for the intense inward expressiveness of Midori.

M. Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin
F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Violin concerto in E-minor op. 64
ALTERNATIVELY: P. I. Tchaikovsky: Violin concerto in D-major op. 35

Midori  ©  Nigel Parry

DOWNLOADS

FSL_Pressefoto_2_c_Fabrice_UmigliaFestival Strings Lucerne Pressefoto 1
FSL_Pressefoto_3_c_Fabrice_UmigliaFestival Strings Lucerne Pressefoto 2
Daniel_Dodds_Pressefoto_c_Fabrice_UmigliaDaniel Dodds Pressefoto
–Biography (PDF)
–Projects 2026/27 (PDF)

With ARCC to Italy

In co-operation with Baldrighi Bertoni Music Productions, we offer orchestras and ensembles in Italy. In the past years we have organised, among others

25 July 2025, Ravello Festival
RING WITHOUT WORDS
SWR Symphony Orchestra / Robert Treviño, conductor
R. Wagner, L. Maazel: Der Ring ohne Worte

20 August 2023, Ravello Festival
DRESDEN “RING” PROJECT IN HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCE PRACTICE
Simon Bailey, Wotan / Mauro Peter, Loge / Dominik Köninger, Donner / Tansel Akzeybek, Froh / Gerhild Romberger, Erda / Annika Schlicht, Fricka / Nadja Mchantaf, Freia / Daniel Schmutzhard, Alberich / Jürgen Sacher, Mime / Ania Vegry, Woglinde / Ida Aldrian, Wellgunde / Christian Immler, Fasolt / Eva Vogel, Flosshilde / Tilmann Rönnebeck, Fafner / Dresdner Festspielorchester & Concerto Köln / Kent Nagano, conductor
R. Wagner: Das Rheingold

2 July 2023 Ravello Festival
ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien / Andrej Boreyko, conductor
R. Wagner: Ouverture to “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” / Ouverture to the opera “Rienzi” / Prelude to the opera “Lohengrin” / Prelude to Act 3 Lohengrin / Ouverture to “Der fliegende Holländer” / Symphonic pieces from “Parsifal”

1 July 2021, Ravello Festival 2021 (opening concert)
Mari Kodama, piano / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Kent Nagano, conductor
R. Wagner: “Siegfried Idyll” / L. v. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major / F. Schubert: Symphony No. 3 in D major

25 August 2018, Ravello Festival
Allison Oakes, sorpan / Annika Schlicht, mezzo-soprano / Attilio Glaser, tenor / Thomas Lehman, baritone / Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin / Donald Runnicles, conductor
R. Wagner: Tannhäuser (Overture, O du mein holder Abendstern, Hallenarie) / Lohengrin (Overture, Gralserzählung) / Wesendonck Lieder / Tristan und Isolde (Preludio, Liebestod)

9 July 2017, Ravello Festival
Arabella Steinbacher, violin / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester / Kent Nagano, conductor
R. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No. 3 in A minor op. 56 / J. Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major op. 77

11 July 2016, Ravenna Festival
Martin Helmchen, piano / Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg / Kent Nagano, conductor
L. v. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major / A. Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 in A major

12 September 2014, Sagra Musicale Malatestiana, Rimini
Anna Vinnitskaya, piano / Rundfunksinfonieorchester Berlin / Marek Janowski, conductor
G. Verdi’s overture to “La forza del destino” / L. v. Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E flat major op. 55 “Eroica” / S. Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a theme by Niccolò Paganini for piano and orchestra op. 43

VIDEO

PRESS


“One has rarely experienced such a varied and exciting Wagner evening. Not at all in front of such a harmonious backdrop.”

Musik in Dresden, 21 August 2023

“In Ravello, there is stormy, thunderous enthusiasm at the end.”

Berliner Morgenpost, 1 September 2018

PROJECTS IN ITALY – A SELECTION

20 August 2023, Belvedere di Villa Rufolo, Ravello Festival
DRESDEN “RING” PROJECT IN HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCE PRACTICE
with Simon Bailey, Wotan / Mauro Peter, Loge / Dominik Köninger, Donner / Tansel Akzeybek, Froh / Gerhild Romberger, Erda / Annika Schlicht, Fricka / Nadja Mchantaf, Freia / Daniel Schmutzhard, Alberich / Jürgen Sacher, Mime / Ania Vegry, Woglinde / Ida Aldrian, Wellgunde / Christian Immler, Fasolt / Eva Vogel, Flosshilde / Tilmann Rönnebeck, Fafner / Dresdner Festspielorchester & Concerto Köln / Kent Nagano, conductor

Under the overall artistic direction of Kent Nagano and Jan Vogler, the “Ring” theatre trilogy will be reworked from 2023 to 2026 in the context of its time of origin and on the basis of the latest findings of Wagner and performance practice research. With Kent Nagano conducting, Concerto Köln, the Dresden Festival Orchestra and renowned soloists presented the first part on the fantastically beautiful stage of the Villa Rufolo. A project of the Dresden Music Festival under the artistic direction of Kent Nagano and Jan Vogler.

Kent Nagano©Sergio Veranes Studio
Concerto Köln © Sonja Werner
Dresdner Festspielorchester © Sonja Werner

1 July 2021, Ravello Festival 2021
OPENING CONCERT
Mari Kodama, piano / Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Kent Nagano, conductor

R. Wagner: “Siegfried Idyll” / L. v. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major / F. Schubert: Symphony No. 3 in D major

Eröffnungskonzert Ravello 2021©DSO
Mari Kodama©Sergio Veranes
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester©Lea Hopp
Kent Nagano©Sergio Veranes Studio

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a radical experiment in musical democracy, proving for fifty years what happens when exceptional artists gather with total trust in each other and faith in the creative process. In that age of co-ops and communes, the idealistic Orpheans snubbed the “corporate” path of symphony orchestras and learned how to play, plan and promote concerts as a true collective, with leadership roles rotating from the very first performance.

The sound of Orpheus is defined by its relationships, and guest artists have always been crucial partners in the process. Orpheus brings the best out of its collaborators, and those bonds deepen over time, as heard in the long arc of music-making with soloists such as Richard Goode and Branford Marsalis, and in the commitment to welcoming next-generation artists including Nobuyuki Tsujii and Tine Thing Helseth. Breaking down the barriers of classical repertoire, partnerships with Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Ravi Shankar, and many others from the sphere of jazz and beyond have redefined what a chamber orchestra can do.

At home in New York and in the many concert halls it visits in the U.S. and beyond, Orpheus begins its next fifty years with a renewed commitment to enriching and reflecting the surrounding community. It will continue its groundbreaking work with those living with Alzheimer’s Disease through Orpheus Reflections, and the Orpheus Academy as well as the Orpheus Leadership Institute spread the positive lessons of trust and democracy to young musicians and those in positions of power.

“This fully collaborative, almost chamber music approach to music was great.” (Jan Lisiecki)

VIDEO

PRESS


“These are performances that deserve to be remembered.”

Gramophone, 2021

“It whirls, glistens, purrs and sparkles so much it’s a joy.”

concerti, 22 March 2019

“… and once again confirmed the artistry of an excellent orchestra
in big, thick letters.”

bachtrack, 21 April 2015

A SELECTION OF PROJECTS 2026/27

Programmes and projects on request.

Dates upon request
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra / Branford Marsalis, Saxophone & trumpet

Since their first groundbreaking collaboration Creation in 2001, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and saxophonist Branford Marsalis have spent decades building a partnership that transcends stylistic boundaries. In their new program, Orpheus and Marsalis bring the American melting pot to life.

M. Ravel: Très rythmé from String Quartet in F-Dur (arr. Michi Wiancko)
J. Beal: Saxophone Concerto 
E. Lecuona: Andalucia, Suite Espagnol (orch. Janina Norpoth)
G. Gershwin: An American in Paris (arr. Javier Diaz)

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra & Branford Marsalis © Chris Lee

DOWNLOADS

–Orpheus Chamber Orchestra press picture 1
–Orpheus Chamber Orchestra press picture 2
–Biography (PDF)
–Projects 2026-27 (PDF)

Collegium Vocale Gent

Collegium Vocale Gent, founded in 1970 by Philippe Herreweghe, revolutionized baroque vocal music by embracing new performance practices. Their emphasis on authenticity and textual clarity propelled them to international acclaim, gracing stages from Europe to Asia. Since 2017, the ensemble has hosted its own summer festival, Collegium Vocale Crete Senesi, in the picturesque setting of Tuscany, Italy.

With a diverse repertoire spanning centuries, Collegium Vocale Gent has evolved into a versatile ensemble, tailoring its forces to suit each project. From intimate renditions of Renaissance music to grand symphonic performances of Romantic and contemporary works, the ensemble’s adaptability knows no bounds. Their mastery of German Baroque, particularly J.S. Bach’s vocal compositions, remains unparalleled.

Collaborating with leading historical and symphony orchestras, Collegium Vocale Gent has established itself as a dynamic force in the classical music world. Under Herreweghe’s guidance, the ensemble has amassed a prolific discography, showcasing their artistry and innovation. Supported by the Flemish Community, the city of Ghent, and Belgium’s National Lottery, Collegium Vocale Gent continues to inspire audiences worldwide with its timeless interpretations and unwavering commitment to musical excellence.

VIDEO

PRESS

“Those marvellous voices.”

Tagesspiegel Berlin, 28 September 2024

“Rarely has virtuoso colouratura been heard with such naturalness and expressiveness as with the Collegium vocale from Ghent.”

Tagesspiegel Berlin, 16 September 2022

„There are ensembles and conductors who are indispensable to the performance history of a composer. In the case of the Collegium Vocale Gent conceived by Philippe Herreweghe, this is Johann Sebastian Bach, who has been elevated to the musical shield in a very small ensemble.“

bachtrack, 08 April 2022

SELECTION OF PROJECTS 2027/28

–Overview big projects 2027/28 (PDF)
–Overview Renaissance projects 2027/28 (PDF)

December 2027
MESSIAH
Carolyn Sampson, soprano // Helen Charlston, mezzo soprano // Guy Cuttingh, tenor // Florian Störtz, bass // Finnish Baroque Orchestra // Benjamin Bayl, conductor

The premiere of Messiah brought Handel a triumph in Dublin during a difficult period, while audiences in London initially reacted with restraint — and proved remarkably mistaken in their judgment. Benjamin Bayl conducts the Finnish Baroque Orchestra (FiBO) and Collegium Vocale Gent in their first joint project.

G. F. Handel: The Messiah HWV 56

Finnish Baroque Orchestra (Credits: Juuso Westerlund)
Benjamin Bayl (Credits: Bart Barczyk)
Carolyn Sampson (Credits: Marco Borggreve)
Collegium Vocale Gent (Credits: Eric de Mildt)

DOWNLOADS

–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 1
–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 3
–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 4
–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 5
–Biography (PDF)
–Overview big projects 2027/28 (PDF)
–Overview Renaissance projects 2027/28 (PDF)

Scharoun Ensemble

Founded in 1983 by members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Scharoun Ensemble is one of Germany’s leading chamber-music organizations. With its wide repertoire, ranging from composers of the Baroque period by way of Classical and Romantic chamber music to contemporary works, the Scharoun Ensemble has been inspiring audiences in Europe and overseas for more than a quarter of a century. Innovative programming, a refined tonal culture and spirited interpretations are hallmarks of the ensemble, which performs in a variety of instrumental combinations.

The permanent core of the Scharoun Ensemble is a classical octet (clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola, cello and double bass), made up of members of the Berlin Philharmonic except from Wolfram Brandl, who is first concertmaster of the Staatskapelle Berlin and Claudio Bohorquez, internationally performing solo- and chamber music-cellist.

VIDEO

PRESS

“Unabashedly youthful: in the spirit of their namesake, these musicians combine tradition and modernity.”

Tagesspiegel Berlin, 2023

„… Thus the composer bows to the last two founding members of the Scharoun Ensemble.“

nmz, 2023

“For over thirty years, the name Scharoun-Ensemble Berlin has stood for chamber music precision – and curiosity.”

rbbkultur, 2015

A SELECTION OF PROJECTS 2027/28

–Overview Projects 2027/28 (PDF)

Dates upon request
L’HISTOIRE DU SOLDAT / THE CARNIVAL OF ANIMALS
Nina Hoss, speaker // Lucas and Arthur Jussen, piano tbc.

Igor Strawinsky: “L’Histoire du Soldat”
Camille Saint-Saëns: “The Carnival of Animals”

Nina Hoss © Franziska Sinn

Dates upon request
VOCAL PROGRAMM
Christiane Karg, soprano

Alban Berg: “Seven Early Songs” for soprano and small orchestra (arrang. by R. de Leeuw)
Brett Dean: “Ich lausche und ich höre” for soprano and octet
Sofia Gubaidulina: Hommage à T.S. Elliot for soprano and octet
Gustav Mahler: “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” for chamber orchestra (arrang. by A. Schoenberg)

Christiane Karg © Gisela Schenker

DOWNLOADS

_Scharoun Ensemble Press photo 1
_Scharoun Ensemble press photo 2
_Biography (PDF)
–Overview projects 2027/28 (PDF)

Concerto Copenhagen

Concerto Copenhagen (CoCo) combines artistic authenticity and innovation through original and uncompromising interpretations that breathe new life into music, making it relevant for a modern audience. Since 1999, the collaboration between CoCo and Lars Ulrik Mortensen has led to an exciting artistic and musical journey, highly praised by audiences and critics worldwide. With a unique repertoire that blends well-known European music with lesser-known works of Scandinavian origin, as well as new compositions, CoCo celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2021.

VIDEO

PRESS

„As conductor of his ensemble Concerto Copenhagen, which he has led to the forefront of the international scene, he (Lars Ulrik Mortensen) also delivers exemplary work in the theologically grounded articulateness of sound.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 9 November 2025

“During the Adagio, I even had the feeling that the composer was perched on the conductor’s shoulder to congratulate him!”

bachtrack, 23 july 2022

„Festive music in the best sense.”

concerti, 18 April 2023

PROJECTS 27/28 – A SELECTION

–Projects 2027/28 (PDF)

Dates upon request
QUEEN KRISTINA
Concerto Copenhagen / Lars Ulrik Mortensen, conductor

The project traces the extraordinary life of Queen Kristina of Sweden (1626–1689), a brilliant and unconventional monarch who abdicated her throne at just 28 to pursue intellectual and spiritual freedom. Her journey led her from Stockholm through Innsbruck to Rome, where she converted to Catholicism and became a celebrated patron of the arts.

Works by A. Düben, W. Young, A. Stradella, B. Pasquini, A. Corelli, A. Scarlatti, C. Gesualdo, J. H. Kapsberger, A. Stradella

Dates upon request
SIX NEW BRANDENBURG COCNERTOS
Concerto Copenhagen / Antoine Torunczyk, oboe / Lars Ulrik Mortensen, conductor

Concerto Copenhagen presents J. S. Bach’s six organ trio sonatas in a newly imagined orchestral version inspired by the Brandenburg Concertos. In close collaboration with CoCo’s musicians and artistic director Lars Ulrik Mortensen, oboist Antoine Torunczyk has re-orchestrated the works for an ensemble featuring instruments such as flute, recorder, oboe d’amore, oboe da caccia, viola d’amore, natural horn, violoncello da spalla, and bassoon. The result is a captivating sound world in which Bach’s music feels both familiar and refreshingly new. This program celebrates the composer’s creative spirit, revealing his genius through a vibrant and colorful lens.

J. S. Bach: Concerto VII (after trio-sonata no. 1, BWV 525)
J. S. Bach: Concerto IX (after trio-sonata no. 3, BWV 527)
J. S. Bach: Concerto XII (after trio-sonata no. 6, BWV 530)
J. S. Bach: Concerto X (after trio-sonata no. 4, BWV 528)
J. S. Bach: Concerto VIII (after trio-sonata no. 2, BWV 526)
J. S. Bach: Concerto XI (after trio-sonata no. 5, BWV 529)

Dates upon request
PÄRT AND HÄNDEL
Concerto Copenhagen / Tõnu Kaljuste, musical direction / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

To mark Arvo Pärt’s 90th birthday, Concerto Copenhagen and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, conducted by Grammy Award-winner Tõnu Kaljuste, come together to combine works by the celebrated composer with pieces by one of his great inspirations, George Frideric Handel. Performing Pärt’s music on period instruments promises a unique sonic experience – especially in combination with the voices of a choir renowned for its outstanding interpretations of this repertoire.

A. Pärt: Silouan’s Song / Festina Lente für Orchester Trisagion / Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten für Orchester Stabat Mater / Berliner Messe für Chor und Orchester
G. F. Händel: Concerto grosso op. 6 no. 5 for orchestra / Dixit Dominus for soloists, choir and orchestra

iframe>

DOWNLOADS

–Lars Ulrik Mortensen press picture 1
–Concerto Copenhagen press picture 2
–Concerto Copenhagen press picture 3
–Biography Concerto Copenhagen (PDF)
–Projects 2026/27 (PDf)
–Projects 2027/28 (PDf)

Phantasm

Phantasm, an award-winning consort of viols, was founded in 1994 by Laurence Dreyfus. The ensemble quickly set a new standard for consort playing internationally both in the depth of its interpretations and its commitment to flawless string technique.

The winner of three Gramophone Awards among other prominent citations, the consort has travelled the world over, performing on concert series and in festivals throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia. Phantasm’s performances and over 20 recordings have garnered steady praise with critics singling out their ‘intensity and homogeneity of tone and their acuity to the music’s ever-active emotional flux’. Their most recent honours are the 2017 Gramophone Award for Early Music and the 2017 Diapason d’or de l’année bestowed for their recording of Dowland’s Lachrimae.

The members of Phantasm (from the UK, Finland and Germany) were Consort-in-Residence at the University of Oxford and Magdalen College from 2005 to 2015. In 2015, the group’s art activity shifted to Berlin.

In March 2025, Phantasm launched its own concert series, POLYPHONISCHE BEGEGNUNGEN – POLYPHONIC ENCOUNTERS, at St. Elisabeth Church in Berlin. Each concert is dedicated to a composer exceptionally skilled in polyphonic composition, with a particular focus on the English repertoire: Johann Sebastian Bach, Orlando Gibbons, Henry Purcell, and William Lawes.

VIDEO

PRESS

„Phantasm’s playing brims with imaginative fantasy and dance-like momentum“

Gramophone

„Rigorous intellect with sensitive musicianship.“

BBC Music Magazine

SELECTION OF PROJECTS 2027/28

–Overview projects 2027/28 (PDF)

Available upon request
BYRD AND ENGLISH SONGS
Phantasm Viol Consort / Anna Prohaska, soprano

This programme explores the distinctive art of the consort song in William Byrd, where a solo voice intertwines with a viol consort in a finely balanced dialogue. Alongside him, Thomas Tallis, John Dowland and Carlo Gesualdo shape a richly contrasted musical landscape, moving between spiritual devotion, melancholy and more sensual impulses. From intimate elegy to pastoral or politically tinged reflections, these works reveal a striking expressive range, in which each instrumental line seems to extend and illuminate the text without ever overshadowing it.

Works by W. Byrd, T. Tallis, J. Dowland

Anna Prohaska © Marco Borggreve

Availability upon request
DANCING WITHOUT DANCERS
Phantasm Viol Consort / Elizabeth Kenny, theorbo & lute

Music historians have labelled 16th and 17th-century art music written in dance forms, as ‘stylised dance music’ or even as ‘abstract’ dance music. This nomenclature, however, misses something important. For composers in this period were all well aware of the choreographed movement of dancer’s bodies and set out to incorporate the styles and gestures of feet, hands and facial expression into the facture of the music itself. With its multiple players each assigned an independent voice, the viol consort offers an especially complex field for a choreography that evokes the dance genres in fascinating ways. In this programme devoted to dance music of Anthony Holborne, John Dowland, John Jenkins and William Lawes we encounter such a rich panoply of expression precisely because the music never serves as mere background or accompaniment.

Works by A. Holborne, J. Downland, J. Jenkins & W. Lawes

Phantasm Viol Consort © Marco Borggreve

Availability upon request
The Art of Being Human
Phantasm Viol Consort / Laurence Dreyfus, treble viol and musical direction / Alexander Polzin, visual concept / Sommer Ulrickson, choreography / Dance: Saeed Hani Moeller, Sami Similae, Yamila Khodr, Camille Jackson, Rodolfo Piazza

The Art of Being Human is an exploration of how it feels to be alive and to exist among others, in relationships that are perfectly expressed through the polyphony of Early Music – its dissonances and harmonies – and reflected in the movement of dancers’ bodies, in a performance that offers profound insights into the very meaning of life. The Art of Being Human was commissioned by Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, where it was premieredn successfully in March 2023.

With works by W. Byrd, J. Dowland, W. Lawes, H. Purcell and others

“Dreyfus therefore calls the evening ‘challenging’, but the ensemble succeeds in this challenge brilliantly.”

rbbkultur, 24 March 2023

DOWNLOADS

–Phantasm press picture 1
–Phantasm press picture 2
–Phantasm press picture 3
–Phantasm press picture 4
–Phantasm Pressefoto 5
–Biography (PDF)
–Projects 2027/28 (PDF)

PAST CONCERTS – A SELECTION

14 March 2025 / 12 October 2025 / 11 January 2026 / 8 March 2026, St. Elisabeth-Kirche, Berlin
POLYPHONISCHE BEGEGNUNGEN – POLYPHONIC ENCOUNTERS
Four composer portraits in the spirit of polyphony
Phantasm Viol Consort / Laurence Dreyfus, treble viol and artistic leader
Guests: Ulrich Wolff, Bassgambe / Lea Rahel Bader, Bassgambe (11 January 2026) / Jean-Claude Kuner, Buchvorstellung (11 January 2026) / Martin Jantzen, Altgambe (12 October 2025 & 8 March 2026)

The Phantasm Viol Consort launched its own concert series in March 2025 at St Elisabeth Church in Berlin-Mitte. A total of four concerts are devoted entirely to polyphony, each focusing on a composer who was particularly distinguished in this compositional technique.

Concert I – The Well-Tempered Consort: Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Concert II – Orlando Gibbons, Peerless Polyphonist
Concert III – Henry Purcell, Prophetic Pathfinder
Concert IV – William Lawes, Exceptional Eccentric

 
Phantasm Viol Consort © Eckard Schneider
Phantasm Viol Consort © Eckard Schneider

10 January 2024, Wigmore Hall / 24 Sepember 2024, Musikverein Wien
BYRD COMPARED: BYRD AND ENGLISH SONG
Phantasm Viol Consort / Laurence Dreyfus, treble viol and musical direction / Anna Prohaska, soprano

On the occasion of the 400th anniversary of William Byrd’s death, Phantasm developed a Byrd Triptych series that places his works in relation to those of later masters. At Wigmore Hall, the ensemble combined Byrd’s music with English songs performed by Anna Prohaska.

Works by W. Byrd, J. Dowland, T. Tallis, C. Gesualdo

“At the Wigmore Hall, her way with music from the English and Italian Renaissance was characterised by impeccable assurance and deep sincerity, her tone a mixture of silk and silver, the words etched with admirable restraint.”

The Guardian, 11 January 2024

„Together with the marvellously well-attuned viol consort Phantasm, this gave rise to an intimate evening that appealed not only to fans of early music.”

Die Presse, 24 September 2024

23, 24, 25 March 2023, Pierre Boulez Saal / 18 June 2023, Aldeburgh Festival /12 March 2025, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
THE ART OF BEING HUMAN
Phantasm Viol Consort / Laurence Dreyfus, treble viol and musical direction / Alexander Polzin, visual concept / Sommer Ulrickson, choreography / Dance: Saeed Hani Moeller, Sami Similae, Yamila Khodr, Camille Jackson, Rodolfo Piazza

Works by W. Byrd, J. Dowland, W. Lawes, H. Purcell and other composers

“Dreyfus describes the evening as “demanding,” but the ensemble rises to the challenge with great aplomb.”

rbbkultur, 24. März 2023

„This mesmeric show was physically daring, liberating all ideas of gender and inviting acceptance of difference… The impact was provocative and ethereal.”

The Guardian, 24. Juni 2023