Adrian Chandler OSI
Director / Violin

Born on Merseyside in 1974, Adrian Chandler is recognised internationally as a leading interpreter of Italian baroque music with an ‘avant-garde approach that would have awed Hendrix’ (The Guardian). His ‘electrifying playing’ and ‘real richness of sound’ (Classical Music) have captivated listeners for over 25 years.

Adrian founded La Serenissima in 1994, whilst a student of Rodney Friend at the Royal College of Music, channelling his love affair with Vivaldi into a lifetime’s mission. With La Serenissima, he has performed a host of recitals, concertos and operas for major festivals including Bruges, Buxton, Cheltenham, Lake District Summer Music, Lichfield, Spitalfields and York, as well as for concerts in Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malta, Mexico and Spain. His performances have been broadcast by BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, Scala Radio and by radio stations throughout the world.

Adrian has driven La Serenissima’s highly acclaimed recording work, creating an extensive catalogue encompassing music by neglected Italian baroque composers from Ariosti to Zavateri. These recordings have been widely praised through repeated award nominations, regular focus from specialist and broadsheet press and radio, and frequent rave reviews. He has accepted two Gramophone Awards for La Serenissima albums The French Connection and The Italian Job.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council awarded Adrian a fellowship at Southampton University to research the development of the North Italian violin concerto 1690 – 1740; he subsequently held a two-year post at Southampton as Turner Sims Professor. During the 2020 UK lockdown, Adrian edited a Vivaldi violin concerto daily: the campaign reached fans, musicians, scholars and Vivaldi enthusiasts across the globe via social media.

Adrian regularly guest-directs concerts abroad, including recent projects for Concerto Copenhagen (Denmark) and Deutsche Philharmonie Merck (Germany).

A lifelong Everton fan, Adrian devised the concept for the album cover of Extra Time which showcased an array of Italian composers’ names emblazoned on his club’s football shirts. He was awarded the honour of ‘Cavaliere’ of the Order of the Star of Italy for his services to Italian baroque music in 2022.