Sir John Eliot Gardiner is revered as one of the world’s most innovative and dynamic musicians, constantly in the vanguard of enlightened interpretation and standing as a leader in contemporary musical life. As the founder of the Monteverdi Choir (MC), English Baroque Soloists (EBS), and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique (ORR), Gardiner has been a key figure in the early music revival and a pioneer of historically informed performances.

Gardiner is a regular guest of the world’s leading symphony orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, conducting repertoire from the 17th to the 20th centuries. His extensive catalogue of award-winning recordings includes works with his own ensembles and leading orchestras, spanning composers from Mozart to Kurt Weill. Gardiner has received numerous accolades, including two GRAMMY awards and more Gramophone Awards than any other living artist.

Gardiner has also conducted opera productions at prestigious venues like the Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera, and Teatro alla Scala. He was the artistic director of Opéra de Lyon from 1983 to 1988, where he founded its new orchestra. His recent achievements include the Monteverdi 450 project, a five-year exploration of Berlioz’s works, and notable performances of Verdi’s Requiem and Bach’s St John Passion. An authority on J.S. Bach, Gardiner's book Music in the Castle of Heaven was published in 2013, earning the Prix des Muses award. He holds several honorary doctorates and was knighted in 1998 for his services to music.

This session will be chaired by philosopher Professor Anthony O’Hear OBE.