Artists biographies
Sir John Eliot Gardiner

John Eliot Gardiner, one of the most versatile conductors of our time, is acknowledged as a key figure in the early music revival. Founder and artistic director of the Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardiner also appears regularly with the most important European symphony orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw and Czech Philharmonic.

The extent of John Eliot Gardiner’s repertoire is illustrated in over 250 recordings made for major European record companies (including Deutsche Grammophon and Philips Classics), which have received numerous international awards. Over the years Gardiner has won more Gramophone awards than any other artist.

December 2007 saw the start of an exciting collaboration between the Monteverdi Choir and ORR with Opéra Comique, Paris with Chabrier's "L' Étoile", which is continued with Weber's "Le Freyschuetz" in Spring 2011.

As guest conductor, John Eliot Gardiner continues his close relationship with the London Symphony Orchestra. In Spring 2010 they completed a three-year Beethoven cycle taking in performances in the UK, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich and Madrid. During the 10/11 season he tours with the LSO and returns to the Czech Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, Orchestre National de France and Chicago Symphony.

In 1987 John Eliot Gardiner received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Lyon, and in 1996 he was nominated Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 1992 he became an Honorary Fellow of both King's College, London, and the Royal Academy of Music. He received a knighthood in the 1998 Queen's Birthday Honours List and in April 2008 he was awarded the Royal Academy of Music / Kohn Foundation's prestigious Bach Prize.