Apollo's Fire

What Apollo's Fire does

Apollo's Fire is a 501(c)(3) non-profit baroque orchestra (EIN 34-1696842) founded in 1992 by harpsichordist and conductor Jeannette Sorrell and headquartered in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with a Chicago regional office opened in 2021. The ensemble performs baroque and classical repertoire on period instruments under the historically informed performance (HIP) tradition and the "Affekt" philosophy that aims to evoke distinct emotional states in listeners through rhetoric, gesture, and harmony. Its product surface comprises live concert performances — a 2026-27 Cleveland area season of 22 performances across 7 programs, a 2025-26 Chicago series of 9 concerts, recurring appearances at Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood, Ravinia, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and international touring (7 European tours including BBC Proms and Madrid's Royal Theatre) — alongside a professional choral sub-ensemble, Apollo's Singers. It also distributes 34 commercial CDs (13 Billboard classical chart bestsellers), the PLAYING WITH FIRE documentary streaming on Amazon Prime, and a Worldwide Watch-at-Home streaming series that has accumulated over 24 million YouTube views. The recording brand won a 2019 GRAMMY for Best Classical Album (Songs of Orpheus with Karim Sulayman) and received a 2024 GRAMMY nomination for Best Choral Performance (Handel Israel in Egypt).

Name

Apollo's Fire

Legal name

Apollo's Fire

Website

https://apollosfire.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Apollo's Fire is a Cleveland-based, GRAMMY-winning 501(c)(3) baroque orchestra founded in 1992, performing period-instrument concerts across Northeast Ohio, Chicago, Europe, and worldwide touring. It also produces commercial recordings, the PLAYING WITH FIRE documentary, and education and community access programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Subscription and single ticket sales for concert performances across Ohio and Chicago venues, including group discounts and student pricing
2. CD and Merchandise Sales: Commercial CD recordings (34 released) sold through online shop; merchandise sales at concerts and on tour
3. Individual Donations: Annual fund donations through Ritornello Society with tiered benefits from $100 (Supporter Circle) to $25,000+ (Conductor's Circle); IRA distributions for donors 70 1/2+; corporate matching programs
4. Institutional Support: Foundation, government, and organizational grants; corporate sponsorships; major donor cultivation through named circles

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Apollo's Fire is a GRAMMY-winning baroque period-instrument orchestra that presents live concert subscription series in Northeast Ohio and Chicago, international touring concerts, and commercial CD recordings (34 releases, 13 Billboard best-sellers). The organization also operates the Apollo's Singers choral ensemble, the SIDE BY SIDE string education program, free Family Concerts, the MOSAIC diversity initiative, the Community Access Initiative ($12 Presto Seats), and the Worldwide Watch-at-Home streaming series.

Product overview

Apollo's Fire is a GRAMMY-winning baroque orchestra founded in 1992 by Jeannette Sorrell, performing on period instruments. The organization operates as a unified ensemble offering live concert performances (subscription series in Northeast Ohio and Chicago, plus touring), a professional choral ensemble (Apollo's Singers), commercial CD recordings (34 releases with 13 Billboard bestsellers), a documentary film (Playing with Fire), and educational/outreach programs including the SIDE BY SIDE string program in Chicago schools, family concerts, the MOSAIC diversity initiative, and the Community Access Initiative providing affordable access to performances. The organization also offers worldwide streaming of performances through its Watch-at-Home Series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Apollo's Singers: The professional straight-tone choral ensemble of Apollo's Fire, founded in 1992 by Jeannette Sorrell.

Products and services

• Apollo's Fire Orchestra Performances Live concert performances by the GRAMMY-winning baroque period-instrument orchestra featuring subscription series in Northeast Ohio and Chicago, touring concerts, and special event programs.
• Apollo's Singers Professional choral ensemble performing baroque and classical repertoire alongside Apollo's Fire orchestra.
• CD Recordings Commercial CD recordings of Apollo's Fire performances including 34 releases with 13 Billboard best-sellers (e.g., Bach Brandenburg Concertos, Monteverdi Vespers, Vivaldi Four Seasons).
• PLAYING WITH FIRE Documentary Feature-length documentary film by Allan Miller featuring conductor Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo's Fire, available on Amazon Prime.
• SIDE BY SIDE String Program Beginning strings education program in partnership with Matteson School District 162, Chicago, where Apollo's Fire teaching artists work 4 days per week at 4 elementary schools and conduct Saturday orchestra rehearsals.
• Family Concerts FREE interactive family concerts designed to introduce young audiences to baroque and classical music.
• Young Artist Fellowship Program Training program for emerging young musicians in early music performance offered by Apollo's Fire.
• Worldwide Watch-at-Home Series Streaming video series allowing global audiences to watch Apollo's Fire performances online.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24 million+ YouTube views
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Matteson School District 162coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021SIDE BY SIDE Beginning Strings Program partnership with School District 162 in South-side suburb of Matteson, IL. AF's 7 teaching artists work 4 days per week at 4 elementary schools, serving approximately 75 students. Saturday sessions form combined orchestra with high school string players.
• Ravinia FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Summer performances at Ravinia Festival beginning 2017 with sold-out debut. Continued partnership with multiple return performances and Sistema Ravinia collaboration for youth outreach.
• University of Chicago PresentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Apollo's Fire made Chicago debut in 2016 in partnership with University of Chicago Presents series at Mandel Hall. Concert received critical acclaim including review from Chicago Classical Review stating 'This was as exciting as baroque music gets.'
• Sistema Ravinia / El Sistema Ravinia Lawndale Music SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAF musicians spent time with youth from Sistema Ravinia Lawndale Music School (transformational education program fostering social development through music training for children) in August 2021.
• Northern TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous sponsor of O Jerusalem concert at Northwestern University in March 2020, exploring connections between Europe and the Caribbean colonies in the 18th century.
• Music Institute of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago performance venue partner for concerts in the Windy City Series, providing performance space for Apollo's Fire Chicago programming.
• Arabella ArtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour booking agent for North & South America. Stefana Atlas, Managing Director. Contact: 646.623.5803, [email protected].
• Intermusica Agency (London)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour booking agent for UK/Ireland. Peter Ansell, Head of Tours & Projects. Contact: +44 20 7608 9930.
• KD Schmid Artists (Germany)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour booking agent for Europe. Claude Boischot, Senior Tour Projects Manager. Contact: [email protected].

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boston Baroque: Period-instrument orchestra founded by Martin Pearlman. Similar in repertoire, recording output, and U.S. East Coast/Midwest touring profile to Apollo's Fire.
• Academy of Ancient Music: UK-based period-performance orchestra with extensive international touring and recording catalog. Comparable to Apollo's Fire as a global baroque touring brand.
• Portland Baroque Orchestra: Oregon-based period-instrument orchestra with subscription and touring programming. Similar mid-sized performing arts nonprofit structure and baroque specialization.
• Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra: Los Angeles-based period-instrument ensemble performing baroque repertoire with chorale. Comparable U.S. peer in size and historically informed performance focus.
• Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra: San Francisco-based period-instrument orchestra performing baroque and classical repertoire with a GRAMMY-recognized recording history. Closest U.S. peer in scale and mission.
• Handel and Haydn Society: Boston-based period-instrument orchestra and chorus founded in 1815. Comparable as a touring baroque/classical ensemble with educational programming and a subscription model.
• Trinity Baroque Orchestra (Trinity Wall Street): NYC-based period-instrument ensemble with a choral counterpart. Comparable in combining baroque orchestra performances with choral recordings and community programming.
• Pygmalion: French period-instrument orchestra and choir known for innovative programming and recordings. Comparable to Apollo's Fire in combining historically informed performance with creative, contemporary-aligned programming.
• Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra: Toronto-based period-instrument baroque orchestra with international touring and a strong recording catalog. Directly comparable to Apollo's Fire in size, repertoire focus, and tour-driven GTM.

Broad incumbents

• Les Arts Florissants: Internationally renowned French baroque ensemble with significantly larger scale, broader global tour footprint, and recording catalog. Useful as a higher-tier aspirational benchmark in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Apollos_Fire
• YouTubeapollosfire.org/media/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/apollosfire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/shareArticle?title=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapollosfire.org%2F&mini=true
• Instagramapollosfire.org/mailing-list

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apollo's Fire