Under the leadership of Artistic Advisor Sir Roger Norrington, Principal Conductor Grant Llewellyn, and Conductor Laureate Christopher Hogwood, the Society is a leader in Historically Informed Performance, in which music is played using the instruments and performance techniques available to the composers in their day. The Orchestra is made up of a core group of musicians from this country and abroad who are specially trained to play period instruments. The fully professional Chorus stands alone as a virtuoso ensemble, featuring the voices of New England's most talented singers.

The Society's recordings have garnered international acclaim. The world premiere CD of Sir John Tavener's Lamentations and Praises with the vocal ensemble Chanticleer won a Grammy Award in 2003. The 2004 recording of PEACE (Barber, Elgar, Thompson, Rachmaninov) has received rave reviews worldwide and debuted at #5 on Billboard Magazine's Classical Chart. Last year, the Society reissued a disc of Haydn Cantatas and Arias with soprano Arleen Auger, conducted by Christopher Hogwood. Also in 2005, a new CD of beloved carols and contemporary works for the Christmas season, All is Bright, was released and debuted at #8 on the Billboard Classical Chart.

While the Handel and Haydn Society's music is rooted in the past, its place in the musical present is vital and dynamic. The Massachusetts Cultural Council has praised the Society for its "vitality" and willingness to "take risks and explore new musical horizons." Through its Educational Outreach Program, the Society provides music workshops, concerts and pre-professional vocal instruction to more than 10,000 children annually in public schools throughout Greater Boston. The Handel and Haydn Youth Chorus, noted for its artistry and diverse membership, sang for the opening of the Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in 2003 and at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004. Following a rigorous selection process and in recognition of its talents and achievements the Youth Chorus has been asked to sing for the annual convention of the American Choral Directors Association in February 2006 in New York City.

Handel and Haydn performs a subscription series in Boston's Symphony and Jordan Halls and at selected venues in Boston, reaching an annual audience of some 30,000. Handel and Haydn's performances have reached a worldwide audience through tours and award winning recordings. The Society may also be heard nationally on National Public Radio's SymphonyCast and on local public radio stations.