'Superb!' - The Times

'The orchestra produced wondrous sounds'
The Independent

'A Beautiful Sound' - BBC Radio 3

Under the dynamic leadership of founder and artistic director, Christopher Monks, Armonico Consort is one of the fastest-growing arts organisations in the country. Since its debut performance with Emma Kirkby in 2001, Armonico Consort has gained a reputation for presenting innovative programmes in an accessible and entertaining manner.

Armonico Consort is at its heart a highly talented vocal ensemble, staging a wide range of programmes in atmospheric settings. From massive 16th century polyphony to the sonorous Rachmaninov Vespers, and from the Bach Passions to Venetian Vespers with the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, Armonico Consort brings each work to life, providing the audience with a new musical experience. These performances are often accompanied by Orchestra of the Baroque, which features some of the finest period instrumentalists in the country. Armonico Consort has regularly worked with other orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philharmonia and The Orchestra of the Swan. 2008 will see Armonico consort perform again at major festivals across the UK, and at venues in Italy, Ireland and Israel with artists including Nichola Benedetti, Jennifer Pike, Evelyn Glennie, Crispian Steele Perkins and Emma Kirkby.

Armonico Consort Education has reached more than 31,000 children in the past five years, allowing them to experience first-hand the joy of performing live music. Its workshops, complete with specially composed music by Armonico member, and Hollywood composer (credits include Shrek III!), David Buckley, have inspired hundreds of young singers and have received acclaim from pupils, teachers and the media. These projects have ranged from 'Musical in a Day' to circus & singing workshops to 'Opera in a Day' and longer-term projects working with professional singers and school choirs. Armonico Consort's Charitable activities extend to its support of young professional singers starting out on their career. In our Young Artists Programme, these musicians are offered real opportunities and training, intended to equip them for the challenging musical journey they have chosen.

In January 2008, a major new project begins with the foundation of AC Academy. With the creation of several children's choirs, Armonico Consort will set out to appoint the finest instrumental and singing teachers. Eventually we plan to offer lessons in most fields, and create further ensembles for children to make music together. Uniquely, we also plan to offer many subsidies, especially to children of parents on limited means. In the climate of continual cuts in government support of the arts in the education system, Armonico Consort sees this project as crucial to the future of music in the country. Quite simply, if children have the talent, we will give them the opportunity, whatever their background

Armonico Consort Opera takes its reputation for producing accessible, fun and exciting music to new heights. Full houses at venues across the country has brought Armonico Consort an unprecedented number of bookings at prestigious venues such as The Barbican (Mostly Mozart), The Brighton Festival, The Warwick Arts Centre, The Cadogan Hall, The Bridgewater Hall, The Salisbury Festival and The Bath Festival. Its first production, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, directed by Thomas Guthrie, was rapturously received by full-house audiences and critics alike, and Mozart’s The Magic Flute with a hilarious new script by Kit Hesketh Harvey, proved just as popular. Armonico Consort Opera’s most recent project was Purcell’s King Arthur, which again proved a hit at theatres across the country. In a daring concept, thr setting of World War I was chosen, and brought a new life to this extraordinary work. The Independent described it as 'wondrous!'. Their new production of Mozart’s Magic Flute was acclaimed by the Independent on Sunday as ‘Enchanting’ and ‘Excellent!’ The success of their opera productions has been overwhelming with repeat invitations from most of the country's major venues and festivals. 2008 sees the introduction of two new operas into our repertoire, Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, premiered at the Warwick Arts Centre in January , and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas with a new adaptation of Lully's Le Bourgious Gentihomme from the summer onwards.

Armonico Consort has recorded six CDs, including Dixit Dominus, a world premiere recording of the music of Francesco Scarlatti with Emma Kirkby, which was acclaimed as one of the top five choral releases of 2004 by Gramophone Magazine, and Purcell’s The Fairy Queen which was awarded four stars by The Times. A new recording of Purcell's Dido & Aeneas is planned for release in early 2008.