I FAGIOLINI was founded in 1986 while the singers were students at Oxford University. In 1988 the group won the UK Early Music Network's Young Artists' Competition and has since released twelve CDs and a DVD. It gives about 50 concerts a year from the BBC Proms and major European festivals to further afield such as the Far East and both ends of Africa. Its unusual name has been misspelt, mispronounced and (fortunately) misunderstood throughout the world.

'Like their concerts the disc is lively, imaginative, even anarchic...
and a lot of fun.' BBC Music Magazine

I Fagiolini's core repertoire is Renaissance and contemporary solo-voice ensemble repertoire. In recent years it has pioneered innovative staged presentations with a project called The Theatre of Music, which bring classics of Renaissance secular music to life. This project has been a huge success with promoters and audiences, and examples can be seen on the promotional CD-ROM/video (2001) and also the Chandos DVD (2004).

'pure cabaret ...the sort of entertainment that could bring
entirely new audiences to early music' Early Music Review (UK)

As well as its regular work within the major European festivals, I Fagiolini has toured worldwide, often as ambassadors for the British Council. Countries visited include Hong Kong, China, Israel, USA, Morocco, Egypt and South Africa oon several occasions since 1995, working with the SDASA Chorale of Soweto on a partly improvised album, Simunye, released by Warner's crossover label Detour. This experience had a great effect on the singers in both groups and Simunye has since been toured to Europe, Bermuda and back to South Africa.

'These young singers are so at home in their own skins that the musical
crossovers they create are as natural as ocean tide flowing in and out.' Business Day (South Africa)

Other collaborations include solo-voice performances of Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers with His Majesty's Sagbutts and Cornetts and The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, CDs of Byrd with viol consorts Fretwork and Concordia, Purcell with Florilegium, Schubert operas with the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Handel and Purcell with the Brook Street Band and, most recently, 'Ancient & Modern' with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley.

'wonderfully authentic period feel of I Fagiolini and the Brook Street Band under Robert Hollingworth...a fascinating and compulsively watchable theatrical experience.' The Stage (UK)

I Fagiolini records with Chandos, focussing on Italian and English Renaissance repertoire, its most recent projects revolving around Renaissance Venice (see Recordings). It is a regular contributor to BBC programmes and made its Proms debut in August 2000. It also has a rising education profile taking in all ages, from adult masterclasses at the Dartington International Summer School to workshops funded by the National Foundation of Youth Music.

'an irrepressible force in the early music world, bringing bags of style, energy and dramatic excitement to everything they touch.' International Record Review

I Fagiolini's performances of pre-classical music are historically informed but at the same time aim to bring the spirit of the music to life for today's audience. For example, Spanish ensaladas may or may not have been performed as mini-theatre pieces in the 16th century but they work very well that way and give us a much clearer feel for the spirit behind them than singing them from behind a music stand.

'[I Fagiolini] has carved out a niche for itself exploring some more 'off-the-wall' corners of early music in a style that is at once true to the period but communicative to today's listener.' Daily Telegraph (UK)

I Fagiolini's concerts are presented by director, Robert Hollingworth, who also writes and presents programmes for BBC Radio 3 (CD Review, Music Restored, Spirit of the Age). Robert's style is informative and has become a feature of I Fagiolini's work. He enjoys tackling foreign languages, including Hebrew, Zulu, Swedish and Arabic but draws the line at impenetrable Danish.

'a nice line in witty introductions' The Independent (UK)

'achingly funny... Eddie Izzard-like' The Scotsman (UK)