Founded in Berlin in 1982, the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (short: Akamus) is now one of the world's leading historically informed playing chamber orchestras.
For more than four decades, the orchestra has repeatedly demonstrated its versatility with exciting concert projects and musical expeditions. Akamus has made a significant contribution to the rediscovery of the music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann. The ensemble has consistently and deliberately expanded its core repertoire from the Baroque and Classical periods into the 19th century, most recently with its highly acclaimed cycle "Beethoven's Symphonies and their Models".
Whether in New York or Tokyo, London or Buenos Aires, Akamus is a regular and much sought-after guest on the most important European and international concert stages. Akamus is a central pillar of cultural life in its home city of Berlin. For over 35 years, the orchestra has been organising a subscription series at the Konzerthaus Berlin. However, Akamus' musical heart also beats for music theatre: the ensemble has been regularly performing baroque opera at the Berlin State Opera since 1994. Akamus has also been a regular guest at the Prinzregententheater in Munich since 2012, with its own concert series.
Akamus performs under the alternating direction of its two concertmasters Bernhard Forck and Georg Kallweit, as well as selected conductors. The ensemble has a particularly close and long-standing artistic partnership with René Jacobs. In addition, Emmanuelle Haim, Bernard Labadie, Paul Agnew, Diego Fasolis, Fabio Biondi, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Christophe Rousset have recently conducted the orchestra.
Akamus also regularly works with internationally renowned soloists such as Isabelle Faust, Antoine Tamestit, Kit Armstrong, Alexander Melnikov, Anna Prohaska, Michael Volle and Bejun Mehta. Together with the dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests, the ensemble created the successful production of Henry Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", which has been performed many times around the world, from Berlin to Sydney.
The ensemble's hundred or so recordings have been honoured with all the major recording awards, including the Grammy Award, Diapason d'Or, Gramophone Award, Edison Award, MIDEM Classical Award, Choc de l'année and the Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. In 2006, the orchestra received the Telemann Prize from the city of Magdeburg, and in 2014 the Bach Medal from the city of Leipzig.
Recent CD releases include orchestral works by Telemann with violist Antoine Tamestit as soloist, a recording of Beethoven's 4th and 8th symphonies, and Bach's Mass in B minor with the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin under the direction of René Jacobs. A special box set of 10 CDs also brings together the ensemble's best recordings dedicated to the Bach family.