Founded in 1998 by harpsichordist and conductor Matthew Dirst and incorporated in 2003 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Ars Lyrica produces world-class performances of early music for a general audience.

Though not yet ten years old, the ensemble has already acquired a national reputation for excellence under Dirst’s direction and has introduced Houston audiences to a number of important early Baroque composers, such as Alessandro Scarlatti and Marc-Antoine Charpentier.

Ars Lyrica Houston uses period instruments because they produce a sweeter, more intimate sound than their modern equivalents and are a better vehicle for the performance of Baroque music.