Named Musical America's "Ensemble of the Year" for 2004, San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has been dedicated to historically-informed performance of Baroque, Classical and early Romantic music on original instruments since its inception in 1981. Under the leadership of Nicholas McGegan, its Music Director since 1985, Philharmonia has become "an ensemble for early music as fine as any in the world today," according to Los Angeles Times critic Alan Rich. The Orchestra performs a subscription season in four cities in the San Francisco Bay Area, and is regularly heard on tour in United States and internationally. In addition to Mr. McGegan, the Orchestra has welcomed eminent guest conductors to its podium including William Christie, Andrew Parrott, Jordi Savall, Gustav Leonhart, Monica Huggett and Stanley Ritchie.