Ensemble Amarillis
founded in 1994, has been acclaimed and has won international awards, with first prize in the York Early Music International Young Artists Competition (1995), first prize in the Ensemble Music Competition run by the FNAPEC [Conservatoire parents’ federation] (1997), and first prize plus the audience’s choice award in the Sinfonia Competition where the jury was chaired by Gustav Leonhardt. In France, Amarillis was selected as one of the “Classical Revelations” awarded by Adami (the French collecting society for performing artists). The Ensemble has released 13 recordings which have drawn praise from both national and international critics.

Amarillis gives regular performances in programmes at different festivals and events in France (e.g. Sablésur- Sarthe, Ambronay, Automne musical/Baroque Music Centre in Versailles, Auvers-sur-Oise, Scène nationale in Besançon, Grand Théâtre in Angers and the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris), in the United Kingdom (including the York Early Music Festival, Royal Academy of Music, RTZ and the Brighton Festival), and also in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Latin America, Canada, Senegal, India, Russia and Asia (with contributions from the Institut français to support the tours).

The Ensemble gives performances for radio and television programmes (e.g. France Musique, Radio Classique, the BBC, Mezzo and Arte), including recordings of a number of concerts. Amarillis has official recognition and support from national and local authorities in France (Préfet de la Région Pays de la Loire, DRAC [Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles], Pays de la Loire region, and the city of Angers.