Thilo Hirsch is a graduate of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where he studied viola da gamba with Christophe Coin (diploma 1995, dissertation: The "cantar alla viola" in the 16. century) and singing with R. Levitt and Kurt Widmer. He has been engaged by numerous international ensembles for concerts, CD and radio recordings. His concert tours have already taken him across all of Europe to North Africa, North and South America and Japan. Since 1991 he has been the artistic director of the ensemble arcimboldo, with which he has given numerous concerts and made radio and CD recordings. In 1996, Thilo Hirsch founded the theatre ensemble TEATRO ARCIMBOLDO, whose invitations to many festivals and whose enthusiastic reviews are a testament to its success. ‘A sensual treat, delightful music theatre’ (Basler Zeitung), ‘fascinating dance theatre’ (Schwetzinger Zeitung), ‘A spectacle for all the senses of a thrilling quality’ (Fränkischer Tag), ‘An evening that set new standards’ (Thüringer Allgemeine) and ‘a choice jewel that was acknowledged by the audience with long, stormy applause’ (Schwetzinger Woche). Thilo Hirsch’s interest in rare string instruments led him to research the playing of the trumpet marine. He is now one of the few experts on this extraordinary instrument that was much played during the Baroque period. From 2007 to 2013 he was the co-director of a project of the Swiss National Science Foundation run at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, with the topic: ‘The Grande Écurie – research and reconstruction of its instruments and its repertoire at the court of Louis XIV and Louis XV’ and a BBT/SNF project (2011–2015) with the topic: ‘‘Transformations of Instrumental Sonority exemplified by the Italian Viol’. (Further information is to be found in the internet research database of the Schola Cantorum Basilienis: www.rimab.ch) The "audible" results of these research projects were documented in concerts as well as on CDs recorded by ensemble arcimboldo. Between 2015 and 2018 he worked on the evidence-based reconstruction of a Spanish Renaissance vihuela de arco. A research that also included ethnomusicological studies of the andalusi repertoire and the rabab playing technique in Morocco (funded by ProHelvetia). From 2018 to 2019 Thilo Hirsch studied ethnomusicology at the University of Berne. Since October 2019 he is the project leader of an SNSF research project at the University of the Arts in Berne on the topic "Rabab & Rebec - Research on skin-covered bowed string instruments of the late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance and their reconstruction”, on which he is also writing his dissertation at the University of Bern.

Agnieszka Kowalczyk, born in Poland, began her vocal career as a soloist of the youth choir "Alla Pollaca," with which she also participated in many opera productions at the Warsaw National Theater. At the same time, she took private singing lessons. In 1993 she graduated with honors from the Warsaw Music School with a diploma in music education. Subsequently, she went to Basel to specialize in the area of Early Music. She studied in the vocal studios of Richard Levitt and René Jacobs, and participated in master classes given by Emma Kirkby, Jessica Cash, Evelyn Tubb, Nigel Rogers, and Anthony Rooley. Even while still a student she took part in numerous concerts and radio productions in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, and Poland. Agnieszka Kowalczyk is a member of the vocal ensemble "Voce Poetica," with which she won the "7th International Young Artist's" Competition in York (GB) in 1997.

Barbara Leitherer was born in Bamberg, Germany. She received her first musical instruction at the age of three. While attending high school her principal instrument was the organ, but additionally received viola da gamba lessons from Gregor Anthony and Harwig Groth. From 1990 she studied gamba with Jordi Savall and Paolo Pandolfo at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, graduating in 1996. Besides music, Barbara Leitherer has dedicated herself to research and performance of historical dance, and in 1996 began a course of study in dance with Jürgen Schrape at the College of the Arts in Bremen. There she graduated in 2000. Besides her concert activities, she will be baroque dancing teacher at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in 2004.

Lieven Baert is an authority on historical dance. He started his career in 1981 in Ghent (Belgium) and studied with prominent teachers such as Elizabeth Aldrich, Ingrid Brainard, Angene Feves, Andrea Francalanci, Francine Lancelot, Prof. Taubert, Barbara Sparti, Jane Gingell, Francine Lancelot, Béatrice Massin and Marie Geneviève Massé. His Institute of historical dance is founded in 1992 to create a field for research and performance practice of historical dance and to continue work with the existing dancing groups Chierlycke Danseryen and The Art of Dancing. New projects on French baroque dance, Historical dances in the Flanders and 19th century social dancing are started. With the companies Timedance (London), Folia (Utrecht) and the Amsterdam Baroque Theatre, he performs in baroque spectacles in Europe. He is asked as an advisor for baroque dance in modern dance productions of Les Ballets Contemporaines de Belgique and the Antwerp Chamber Opera. In 1995 he is appointed choreographer for the dance performances of the prestigious Landshuter Hochzeitsfest 1475 in July 1997 and July 2001/2005. He was guest professor at the dance-University of Stockholm and teaches every year Historical dance at the Alicia Alonso Institute University Carlos III in Madrid. Lieven Baert is one of the most asked professors for Historical dance in Europe. He teaches from Stockholm to Madrid and from Saint-Petersburg to London.

Bernd Niedecken studied classical and modern dance in Freiburg and Strasbourg. He worked as a dancer at the Freiburg Municipal Theater and in various independent companies. Since 1988 he has occupied himself with historical dance; his most influential teachers included Andrea Francalanci and Béatrice Massin. In 1993 he founded together with his wife, the musician Antje Niedecken, the Erato Ensemble, which has made guest appearances with his productions at numerous Baroque festivals. In addition, Bernd Niedecken has collaborated with various companies for historical dance, such as L’Eventail and Fêtes Galantes (France), Passo Continuo (Italy), and RenaiDance (Switzerland).

Bernhard Gertsch, born in Kerzers, Switzerland, studied acting, dance, and voice in Bern and Zurich, followed by further studies of Early Music and historical dance in Basel and Paris. Since 1990, freelance artist specializing in roles with overlapping spoken-word, music, and dance requirements. Moreover, he is active as choreographer, dance and theater pedagogue. Bernhard Gertsch works with the following ensembles on a regular basis: Mobile Musicale (Solothurn), Corelli Ensemble (Frankfurt), Fontainbleau (Gent), and Time- Dance (London). He is also director of the Baroque dance ensemble LaCaDance.

Agileu Motta was born in Brazil. After he completed his guitar studies at the Sao Paolo College of Music, he went to Holland. There, at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, he dedicated himself to the study of early plucked instruments such as the vihuela da mano, the Renaissance and Baroque lutes, and the theorbe and archlute, with Toyohiko Satoh, earning both a performer's certificate in lute chamber music as well as the soloist's diploma "Uitvoerendend Musikus." From 1989 to 1994 he did graduate work at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with Hopkinson Smith. Besides his activities as soloist, Agileu Motta regularly participates in radio and CD productions, and plays with various orchestras and Early Music ensembles, including "Les Musiciens du Louvre" (France), "Currende" (Belgium), "Akademia" (France), "Retrover" (Finland).

Philip Tarr studied baroque timpani with Dieter Dyk (Solo timpanist of the Tonhalle Orchester, Zürich). Since the age of 9 years, he has been regular timpanist with the Brass Ensemble of his father Edward Tarr. He specializes in the performance of ornamentations ("Schlagmanieren") used by virtuoso baroque timpanists in order to hold their listeners’ attention. He performs regularly with leading trumpeters (Jean-François Madeuf, Marc Ullrich, Igino Conforzi, Guillaume Jehl, Guy Ferber, among others) and baroque ensembles. He teaches baroque timpani at the renowned Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Basel) and has given master classes at the Conservatories of Basel and Lausanne. Tarr can be heard on 10 CD recordings. He is also active in research on performance practice and the construction of historical timpani and other percussion instruments, for which he collaborates with Thilo Hirsch and the coppersmith Walter Hauser (Glarus). Critics have been impressed by his “outstanding” (Berliner Morgenpost), "excellent" (Brass Bulletin), "splendid" (NZZ), “musically exquisite” (Basler Zeitung), and "most spectacular" (International Trumpet Guild News) performance in concert. Tarr also holds an M.D. and specialist degree in infectious diseases. He currently lives in Lausanne (Switzerland) with his wife and 2 young daughters.