Since its foundation in 1993, Cambridge Early Music has played a leading role in the national and international promotion of historic music through education and performance. Founded by Selene Mills, initially with the ambition of providing high-level courses in historically-informed performance, Cambridge Early Music now also curates a series of around ten concerts each year, with a commitment to artistic excellence and scholarly integrity in the performance of a wide repertoire of established and lesser-known works.

Central to the calendar are two prestigious Summer Schools, devoted to Renaissance and Baroque music and led by practitioners of international standing. The Summer Schools are designed for amateur, semi-professional and professional musicians, and offer a high standard of tuition in a friendly and supportive environment. 

Cambridge Early Music also works closely with local universities to offer opportunities to students, and supports young musicians through Cambridgeshire Music Hub and Cambridgeshire Music. We are particularly supportive of young, emerging ensembles and those starting out on their careers, offering the Cambridge Early Music Prize in the York Early Music Festival International Young Artists Competition and collaborating with the Brighton Early Music Live scheme.

Mission Statement

Cambridge Early Music strives:

– To create a musical community that is rich with cultural, social and intellectual diversity;

– To educate the public and enrich the Cambridge music scene by providing world-class concerts by performers from across the UK and abroad, principally of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music, on period instruments;

– To support emerging young artists starting out on a professional career in music, through the provision of performance and educational opportunities;

– To give amateur and semi-professional musicians, and young people, an intensive educational insight into historically-informed performance in their own musical disciplines;

– And, through its community and continuing education programmes, to offer the highest-quality music instruction for students of all ages.