The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (Akamus) was founded in 1982. Since its start, it has become one of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. From New York to Tokyo, London to Buenos Aires, Akamus has appeared at the world's most important venues.

Akamus has established itself as one of the pillars of Berlin's cultural scene, having had its own concert series at the Konzerthaus Berlin for more than 30 years and having collaborated with the Staatsoper Berlin on Baroque repertoire since 1994. In addition, the ensemble has had its own concert series at Munich's Prinzregententheater since 2012.

The ensemble has an especially close and enduring partnership with René Jacobs. Their mutual passion to explore new paths has led to the rediscovery and reinterpretation of many operas and oratorios to great international critical acclaim. Conductors such as Marcus Creed, Daniel Reuss, and Hans-Christoph Rademann have an especially close relationship with the orchestra. In the coming season, Akamus will be directed by conductors such as Emmanuelle Haïm, Bernard Labadie, Paul Agnew, Diego Fasolis, and Rinaldo Alessandrini. Along with working with guest conductors, the orchestra is directed often from the leader's chair by one of its three concert masters: Bernhard Forck, Georg Kallweit, or Stephan Mai.

To date, Akamus has sold more than one million CDs. Since 1994, its recordings have been produced exclusively for Harmonia Mundi and have won many awards, including the Grammy, Diapason d'Or, Cannes Classical, Gramophone, Edison, MIDEM Classical, Choc de l'année, as well as the Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. In 2006, Akamus received the Telemann Prize of Magdeburg, and in 2014, both the Bach Medal and ECHO Klassik.

Akamus's most recent CD releases include Handel's Water Music, Mendelssohn's Elijah (conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann), and Bach's St. John Passion (conducted by René Jacobs).