O’Dette and Stubbs are the permanent artistic co-directors of the Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF). These theorbo and baroque guitar players are leading figures in both the European and North American early music scenes. Stephen Stubbs has a particularly close connection to Bremen, having been part of the Akademie für Alte Musik (Academy of Early Music) since 1981. He then became a professor at the University of the Arts Bremen in 1994. Following a long career in Europe, he returned to the US in 2006, where he founded Pacific MusicWorks in Seattle. In recent years, he has conducted works by Gluck, Mozart, Handel, Rameau and others in Europe and the US, collaborating with numerous renowned orchestras. His extensive discography as a conductor and lutenist comprises well over 100 recordings, many of which have received international awards. Paul O’Dette also bridges the two continents: After completing his studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, he went on to become one of the leading lutenists and theorbo players of his generation. According to the Toronto Globe and Mail he is »the clearest case of genius ever to touch his instrument«. With more than 155 recordings to his name, two Grammy Awards, eight Grammy nominations and multiple international record awards, he is one of the most influential figures in early music. As a soloist, he has made a significant contribution to the revival of John Dowland’s music, receiving a Diapason d’Or for his complete recording of Dowland’s lute works. O’Dette is Professor of Lute at the Eastman School of Music.