Our Start

The Henry Purcell Society of Boston incorporated in 2013, and was granted full 501(C)(3) non- profit status in 2014. In its first critical review, the Boston Musical Intelligencer hailed the Henry Purcell Society of Boston as having “presented a smash-bang debut” of “Welcome to all the Pleasures” to a "packed house." Since then, the HPSOB has successfully collaborated with local performing arts organizations, fulfilling its mission of performing the full breadth of Purcell's compositions. With top musicians, new supporters and audiences invigorated by the music of Britain's "greatest composer," the Henry Purcell Society of Boston looks ahead to a vibrant future full of music celebrating the English Baroque!

Backstory: When Jessica Cooper gave the famous air, "When I am laid in earth..."  the haunting lament from Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas to a young soprano, the student lit up with excitement.  Joking that her uncle Bill loved the composer so much that he preferred to display a painted portrait of the composer in his foyer rather than photos of his own family (see above), she offered to introduce the two to see about producing a single concert. A lively conversation ensued over the next several weeks between Jessica, Emily and William Chapman.  A few months later, they united to produce a concert dedicated solely to the music of Henry Purcell. Thus the mission of the Henry Purcell Society of Boston took wing, and was made into an LLC.