Continuo Foundation reaches £1 million grant milestone

The UK’s Early Music scene is receiving new investment as Continuo Foundation announces the results of its 10th round of project grants. A total of £120,000 has been awarded to 28 period-instrument ensembles, supporting a wide range of initiatives including concert tours, recordings, and community-focused events across the country.

Since its creation, Continuo Foundation has awarded more than £1 million in grants, supporting projects involving repertoire spanning eight centuries, performed on period instruments. In response to the strong demand and quality in this round, the amount was increased by £20,000 thanks to a generous private donor.

The latest grants will enable more than 400 musicians to take part in 86 concerts, reaching audiences in 45 locations from Purbeck and Norfolk to Doncaster, Belfast, Swansea, and Inverness. Performances will range from staged Baroque opera and major choral works to pub gigs and community events, showcasing the remarkable variety of repertoires and performance formats within the UK’s Early Music landscape.

Emerging ensemble Londinium Consort, formed in 2022, will take the programme from their debut album, Crossing Paths, also funded by Continuo, to twelve locations across Scotland and Wales in Spring 2026. 'Thanks to this award, we can bring our music to communities where concerts are harder to come by,' said director Emanuele Addis. 'Continuo’s support has made this dream of a tour a reality'.

Other ensembles are finding creative ways to engage new audiences. Ensemble Augelletti is reviving the 17th- and 18th-century tradition of tavern music in their project, A Tune among Friends, performing works by Purcell, Corelli, and Handel in pubs and cafes to break down traditional concert barriers.

Baroque opera will also receive a boost from Continuo funding. Cambridge Handel Opera Company will stage Handel’s rarely performed Imeneo as part of a project that includes workshops for young people from underserved communities. Students will work alongside professionals, as well as participating in workshops and mentoring sessions, breaking down barriers to cultural participation. 

This grant round also supports a number of new recordings. Spinacino Consort will join forces with vocal ensemble Siglo de Oro for a Christmas tour and to make their debut recording, conjuring a 1620s festive household with carols, ballads, and music by composers including William Byrd. 'Awards like this are vital for bringing ambitious projects to life,' said director Eric Thomas.

Other ensembles whose recordings are being supported by this latest round of Continuo grant awards include Chelys Consort of Viols (recording the music of Orlando Gibbons with The Gesualdo Six), London Early Opera (Farinelli and Senesino arias), Newe Vialles (exploring Restoration repertoire for two viols and continuo), Passamezzo (newly-discovered repertoire from ‘The Greensleeves Project’), The H Ensemble (an album exploring neurological conditions through baroque and folk music), and The Vauxhall Band (debut album of 18th-century basset horn trio repertoire).

In Northern Ireland, Sestina Music has received a grant to mark its 15th anniversary with a performance of Bach’s Easter Oratorio in Belfast, bringing together professional musicians, alumni, and emerging artists. 'Continuo’s support makes it possible for us to bring world-class music-making to Belfast,' commented General Manager Charlotte O’Hare. 'It’s a transformative opportunity for our young musicians and audiences alike.'

▶

^{Continuo Patron Mary Bevan MBE announces Continuo Foundation’s 10th round of project grants.}

The full list of new Grantee Ensembles is below. Head to Continuo Connect's Our Story page for their Artist Profiles and to learn more about Continuo Foundation and its mission to help Early Music flourish.

Cambridge Handel Opera Company
Chelys Consort
Consone Quartet
English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble
Ensemble Augelletti
Ex Cathedra
Fiori Musicali
Fretwork
The H Ensemble
HGOAntiqua Orchestra
His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts
Londinium Consort
London Early Opera
Manchester Baroque
Musica Antica Rotherhithe
Musica d’Outrora
Newe Vialles
Old Street Band
Oxford Bach Soloists
Parnassus
Passacaglia Trio
Passamezzo
SABI Ensemble
Sestina Music
Spinacino Consort
Spiritato
The Telling
The Vauxhall Band