Christopher Hogwood is one of the greatest proponents of the early music movement, as well as a renowned conductor of twentieth-century works. This season he becomes Emeritus Director of the Academy of Ancient Music, the orchestra he founded in 1973, and begins a series of Handel operas in concert. In addition, he is Conductor Laureate of Boston’s Handel & Haydn Society and continues his close association with the Kammerorchester Basel Hogwood began his career as a keyboard player over forty years ago and has been a major force in the revolution that has forever changed the way music is performed, recorded and heard. Based on the principle of discovering and, as far as possible, recreating the composer’s intentions, both in notation and performance, his approach begins with musicology – going back to the original sources, correcting published errors, tracking changes in subsequent editions. Only then does he apply his deep knowledge of performance practice to the rehearsal room, concert hall and recording studio. He s a celebrated catalogue of more than 200 recordings with the Academy of Ancient Music (including those for Decca, Sony/BMG’s Arte Nova, Chandos, Metronome). An important contributor to numerous publishers and particularly Baerenreiter, Hogwood’s current editorial projects range from sixteenth century Italian music to the last orchestral work by Stravinsky. Of particular note is the publication of the many alternative versions of the great overtures and symphonies by Mendelssohn, revealing new insight into his working methods; major keyboard collections such as the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book and complete keyboard works of Purcell; plus special arrangements by contemporaries of composers such as Mozart and Haydn. He has just completed a new edition of Elgar’s Enigma variations. In addition, he chairs the board of the Complete Works Edition of C.P.E. Bach and Martinu. Hogwood is Honorary Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge; he holds Fellowships at Jesus and Pembroke Colleges, Cambridge; and is Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music.