Baroque Orchestra

The Baroque Orchestra is the Music department's main early-music ensemble.

It provides students with exciting opportunities for learning to play period instruments in appropriate, authentic styles informed by historical awareness.

We are very lucky to have our own set of student-friendly Baroque instruments, which include Mahr violins, violas, and cellos with suitable bows, as well as Baroque flutes and oboes (which are very different from their modern counterparts), a two-manual harpsichord, and a chamber organ.

The orchestra puts on regular concerts covering a wide range of Baroque music. As well as including popular figures such as Bach, Handel and Vivaldi, the orchestra performs outstandingly beautiful and little-known music by such composers as Telemann, Lully and Geminiani.

There are also occasional workshops run by notable visiting performers, with specialised coaching in Baroque techniques and interpretation.