Apollo's Fire
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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).
Apollo's Fire firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Where Apollo's Fire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Apollo's Fire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Subscription and single ticket sales for concert performances across Ohio and Chicago venues, including group discounts and student pricing
- CD and Merchandise Sales: Commercial CD recordings (34 released) sold through online shop; merchandise sales at concerts and on tour
- 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
- Institutional Support: Foundation, government, and organizational grants; corporate sponsorships; major donor cultivation through named circles
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Tickets - Ohio |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Tickets - Chicago |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group Discounts |
| Subscription | Annual | Ritornello Society Annual Fund Tiers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Apollo's Fire product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Apollo's Fire
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Apollo's Fire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Apollo's Fire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Matteson School District 162coreSIDE 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 FestivalcoreSummer 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 PresentscoreApollo'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 SchoolminorAF 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 TrustminorGenerous 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 ChicagocoreChicago performance venue partner for concerts in the Windy City Series, providing performance space for Apollo's Fire Chicago programming.
- Arabella ArtscoreTour booking agent for North & South America. Stefana Atlas, Managing Director. Contact: 646.623.5803, [email protected].
- Intermusica Agency (London)coreTour booking agent for UK/Ireland. Peter Ansell, Head of Tours & Projects. Contact: +44 20 7608 9930.
- KD Schmid Artists (Germany)coreTour booking agent for Europe. Claude Boischot, Senior Tour Projects Manager. Contact: [email protected].
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Apollo's Fire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Apollo's Fire social profiles
Digital presenceApollo's Fire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Apollo's Fire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Apollo's Fire subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Apollo's Fire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Apollo's Fire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Apollo's Fire
What does Apollo's Fire do?
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.
Is Apollo's Fire a public or private company?
Apollo's Fire is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Apollo's Fire founded?
Apollo's Fire was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Apollo's Fire based?
Apollo's Fire is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Apollo's Fire make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are CD and Merchandise Sales, individual Donations and institutional Support.
Who are Apollo's Fire's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boston Baroque, Academy of Ancient Music, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society, Trinity Baroque Orchestra (Trinity Wall Street), Pygmalion and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. Les Arts Florissants is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Apollo's Fire have an API?
No public API is recorded for Apollo's Fire.