Originally formed in 1998 by the harpsichordist Nicoleta Paraschivescu and the current artistic director, flautist Claire Genewein, the ensemble L’Arcadia rapidly became known for its energetic and virtuosic performances evoking the spirit of the age and sound culture of Europe between the seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries.

The ensemble derives its name from the Accademia degli Arcadi, the musical and literary society established in Rome in 1690 in memory of the great patron of the arts Queen Christina of Sweden, to whom such great composers as Alessandro Scarlatti and Arcangelo Corelli dedicated works.

With a core of four musicians, the ensemble appears in various formations from duo through to chamber orchestra. L’Arcadia pays close attention to historical sources and in addition to performing works by the great pillars of European baroque and classical music, seeks out forgotten compositions in libraries and archives in order to bring them back to audiences of today.