The European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) is a major training initiative allowing young talents to gain orchestral experience as part of their transition towards full professional maturity.
EUBO is Cultural Ambassador for the European Union and was established in 1985 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of three great Baroque composers: Bach, Scarlatti and Handel. To date, more than 600 musicians have played over 900 concerts in 54 countries worldwide with EUBO. The training scheme includes further education and performing opportunities on international concert tours and in recording projects.
The orchestra operates an artistic model of meeting several times a year for residencies guided by leading Baroque specialists such as Alfredo Bernardini, Amandine Beyer, Francesco Corti, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Enrico Onofri, Rachel Podger, Gottfried von der Goltz.
EUBO has performed at many of Europe’s main concert halls and at specialist early music festivals in most European countries. Outside Europe, EUBO performed in Japan, the USA, South Africa, and has played in Ramallah, the Gaza Strip, Botswana and Soweto.
Since November 2022 and after a period of inactivity following Brexit, EUBO has moved its home to Italy and is currently managed and financially supported by Fondazione ICONS, in continuity with the established orchestra’s educational and artistic scope.
EUBO is a founding member of the Early Music Network (REMA).
Find out more about the European Union Baroque Orchestra and its activities in the 2024 Yearbook, listing full event details, current members and collaborators, our governance and an insightful double interview between our founder Paul James and Mario Martinoli, Founder and Co-Chair of Fondazione ICONS and current Artistic Director of EUBO.
The activities of the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) came to a standstill in 2018/2019 following Brexit. In full agreement with its historic founders and previous managers, Fondazione ICONS resumed the orchestra’s activities, relocating EUBO to Italy in November 2022. The artistic direction was entrusted to Mario Martinoli, founder and Co-chair of ICONS.
ICONS also manages and supports Theresia Orchestra, EUBO’s artistic twin. While EUBO specializes in the Baroque repertoire, Theresia focuses on the Classical era, offering a training programme for emerging period instrumentalists to develop their skills and transition into life as a professional freelance musicians. Both development schemes, operationally run by Fondazione ICONS, comprehensively support early-career musicians in historically informed performance practice.
