Robert Howarth read music at the University of York. With a growing reputation as director and director of early repertoire he holds the posts of Artistic Advisor and Guest Director of The Avison Ensemble, Assistant Artistic Director of English Voices and Co-Principal Keyboard Player of The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. His valuable contribution to the 02/03 season at the Bayerische Staatsoper was rewarded with the Munich Opera Festival Prize.

Howarth’s opera engagements have included Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria for Welsh National Opera; Alcina for the Hamburg State Opera, Monteverdi Ballo del Ingrate and Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda followed by Ulysses comes home for the Birmingham Opera Company, Alcina, L’Orfeo and Tolomeo for English Touring Opera and Almeida’s La Spinalba for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He conducted The Battle of Quiberon Bay: A Handel extravaganza, a great hit of the 2009 Bath Festival. Robert Howarth has been assistant conductor for productions at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Salzburg Festival, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Opéra de Paris and Glyndebourne and includes amongst his repertoire L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Ariodante, Orlando, Rodelinda, Tamerlano, Don Giovanni and Iphigenie en Tauride.