Arcadian Academy

The Arcadian Academy is a chamber music ensemble founded and directed by conductor and harpsichordist <a href="spotify:artist:6tW7J49UTzVDW9ns4E37D1">Nicholas McGegan</a>. It takes its name and inspiration from the original association founded in Rome in 1690, which was a group of artists, musicians, and writers dedicated to the reform of Italian culture. The modern-day Arcadian Academy is a period instrument ensemble made up of members from San Francisco's <a href="spotify:artist:01qUOft2n8sCRfZZ4ha52o">Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra</a>. The group regularly tours the United States and Europe and has won several awards for its recordings. Its debut recording for Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Scarlatti Cantatas with soprano <a href="spotify:artist:2PP7AU1gg9b9sXEfsEvjRT">Christine Brandes</a>, was named Recording of the Month by Gramophone magazine. The group subsequently released three more volumes of <a href="spotify:artist:5HGksnSVY91s4g1SOHHACw">Scarlatti</a> cantatas with countertenors <a href="spotify:artist:6uELdghdD8aUe94aDyyMCK">David Daniels</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7z8DIWT6r2HCEZnZNSU1wv">Brian Asawa</a>, as well as a recording of duets with sopranos <a href="spotify:artist:2PP7AU1gg9b9sXEfsEvjRT">Brandes</a> and Dominique Labelle. The group has received two Diapasons d'Or for its recordings of <a href="spotify:artist:5ah5GuK0yznxbmOoVx4Ui4">Nicola Matteis</a>' Ayres for the Violin, Vols. I and II. The Arcadian Academy presented the premiere performance of the newly reconstructed Vespers of St. Cecilia by <a href="spotify:artist:5HGksnSVY91s4g1SOHHACw">Alessandro Scarlatti</a> at the 2001 Göttingen Festival.