Handel and Haydn Society

For 200 years the Handel and Haydn Society has enriched life and stimulated musical and cultural development in America by bringing vocal and instrumental music to the public. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H is considered the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the US and is celebrating its Bicentennial this season with special concerts and initiatives to mark two centuries of music making. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, H+H performs at the highest level of artistic excellence, provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education and training activities in Greater Boston and beyond, and serves as a resource center and community partner.

H+H’s Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus are internationally recognized for historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical music that use instruments and artistic techniques from the time period in which the music was written. H+H presents a nine-program subscription series at Boston’s Symphony Hall, NEC’s Jordan Hall, and at Sanders Theatre, reaching nearly 3,000 subscribers and over 18,000 single-ticket attendees each year. Listeners can also hear H+H on 99.5 WCRB, National Public Radio, and American Public Media broadcasts. The organization maintains an active touring schedule including performances this season in California, Montreal, and Washington, D.C.

In 1985 H+H established the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program and now reaches over 10,000 children each year through public school visits, chorus partnerships, in-school music instruction, and a Vocal Arts Program that includes five youth choruses. H+H also maintains partnerships with higher education institutions including New England Conservatory, MIT, and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, giving college students opportunities to learn about and develop mastery in Baroque and Classical music. The Heartstrings program gives free concert tickets to children and adults who could not otherwise attend performances, and H+H presents free concerts and lectures at local libraries, community centers, and museums.