BOSTON BAROQUE

Founded in 1973 by Music Director Martin Pearlman, Boston Baroque is one of the world’s leading period-instrument orchestras, internationally celebrated for performances that are lively, emotionally charged, and boldly imaginative. From historic premieres to global digital audiences, Boston Baroque continues to redefine how Baroque and Classical music are experienced today. To learn more about period instruments and period orchestra, visit our Concert Guide.

A GLOBAL LEADER IN PERIOD PERFORMANCE

Boston Baroque performs Baroque and Classical music on period instruments, illuminating the expressive power and immediacy of the music as it was originally conceived. At the heart of the ensemble is an orchestra composed of some of today’s finest period instrumentalists, frequently joined by the organization’s professional chorus and a distinguished roster of soloists who appear on the world’s most renowned stages.

The ensemble has performed at major international events, including the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico and the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw, Poland, and has toured extensively across the United States, including Walt Disney Hall, New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Ravinia, and Tanglewood. The ensemble also held a residency and performed at the Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, as part of the 2023‑24 season.

A Pioneering Vision

Boston Baroque saw its first concert series in 1973 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Martin Pearlman’s ensemble, originally named Banchetto Musicale (meaning “musical banquet”), was inspired by a seminal 17th-century collection of suites and quickly became a cornerstone of the early music movement in the United States. What began as a small group of eight musicians performing Baroque pieces on period instruments grew into a fully staged orchestra and, later, a professional chorus. In 1992, the ensemble formally adopted the name Boston Baroque as its reputation expanded internationally through recordings and tours.

Trailblazing Performances

Under Martin Pearlman’s charismatic leadership, Boston Baroque has achieved numerous historic firsts:

• First period-instrument ensemble to appear at Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, and the Casals Festival

• Gave American period-instrument premieres of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni, Rameau’s Zoroastre, and Boston premieres of Beethoven’s Fidelio

• Presented Boston’s first complete cycle of Monteverdi’s three surviving operas, using editions prepared by Pearlman

• Performed the modern premiere of The Philosopher’s Stone, a singspiel co-composed by Mozart

• Recorded the soundtrack for the major motion picture Face/Off
  These milestones helped define the ensemble’s reputation as a bold innovator in early music.

Recordings and Acclaim

Boston Baroque’s 26 commercial recordings reach global audiences and are widely broadcast on classical radio. The ensemble has received six GRAMMY® Award nominations for its recordings of landmark works such as Handel’s Messiah, Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, and Biber’s Mystery Sonatas. In 2012, Boston Baroque became the first American orchestra to record with the prestigious UK audiophile label Linn Records.

Since 2020, Boston Baroque has dramatically broadened its reach through a partnership with IDAGIO, the world’s leading classical music streaming service, bringing its performances to listeners in 55 countries across six continents. The 2021–2022 Season marked the first full season by a Baroque orchestra to stream, significantly expanding access to period-instrument performance around the globe. Archival streams of Boston Baroque concerts are available at Boston Baroque On Demand, allowing audiences to experience the ensemble’s performances anytime, anywhere.

A Living Tradition

For more than five decades, Boston Baroque has upheld a tradition of scholarship, excitement, and artistic excellence. With compelling performances, historic recordings, and an ever-growing global audience, Boston Baroque remains a vital force in the world of early music, demonstrating that Baroque and Classical masterpieces are music for all times.

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