Our Organization
Founded in 1977 as Early Music Guild, Early Music Seattle is now the Pacific Northwest’s largest presenter of early music. For nearly five decades, the organization has brought world-class performances to Seattle audiences and as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027, it is deepening its commitment to a bold and expansive vision of early music.
Early Music Seattle understands early music not as a fixed repertoire, but as a living conversation across cultures and time. Music travels. It crosses borders, absorbs new influences, and carries within it the stories of the communities that have shaped it. EMS seeks to surface those connections; between traditions, between peoples, and between the past and the present.
Mission
EMS presents early music performances and educational experiences to bring people together, amplifying intercultural and generational dialogue.
Values
- Stewardship: We approach Early Music in all its complexity, nuance, and varied origins with respect and curiosity, to ensure it is thoughtfully honored through performances, education and community experiences.
- A Broad Perspective: We explore the breadth and depth of Early Music by interweaving traditional styles and instruments with contemporary sensibility and relevance.
- Exceptional Artistry: By highlighting captivating and imaginative artists and culture bearers, we catalyze shared experiences which expand deep-rooted traditions of creativity and expression.
- Integrity: We foster relationships with communities, artists, and each other through a deep commitment to integrity; honoring the unique and personal experiences of others with humility, respect and deference.
- Courageousness: We aim to be audacious in our programming.
Purpose
Early Music Seattle exists to create the Pacific Northwest’s finest early music festivals and performances and to use those festivals as a gathering place where the universal human experience of music becomes a means of knowing ourselves and one another more fully.
As Artistic Director Gus Denhard has written, intercultural dialogue in music is both an outward act, seeing ourselves through another’s eyes, and an inward one: learning to know our own ancestors, histories, and stories through sound.
That purpose animates everything Early Music Seattle does, and it is the foundation on which our strategic plan is built.
Strategic Pillars
- OLD MUSIC, NEW MOVES Artistic Programming & Resilience
- Objective: Establish Early Music Seattle as the definitive home for boundary-pushing early music in the region.
- NEW EARS, NEW ENERGY: Audience Development & Revenue Growth
- Objective: Build the breadth and depth of the EMS audience for long-term resilience and growth, developing a loyal and expanding fan base
- MUSIC THAT BELONGS TO EVERYONE: Community Engagement & Education
- Objective: Broaden EMS’ reach in the community and deepen engagement with young, emerging, and established artists seeking mentorship.
- 50 YEARS AND JUST GETTING STARTED: Organizational Development & Fundraising
- Objective: Strengthen EMS’ organizational foundation through resilient philanthropic support and a governance model built for the future.
Early Music Seattle has begun a process of research and consultation to develop an acknowledgement of the organization’s use of regional Indigenous land and resources. While we undertake this journey, we recognize our performances and events take place on unceded Native land, as well as the enduring impact of Indigenous genocide and the continued oppression of Native peoples, voices, and cultures. We understand that land acknowledgement is only a small step in honoring the contributions of Indigenous peoples, and continue to strive towards policies and practices that foster justice and reconciliation.
