Ars Lyrica Houston (ALH) creates world-class performances of early music for a general audience. ALH uses period instruments because they produce a sweeter, more intimate sound than their modern equivalents and are a better vehicle for the performance of Baroque music especially. Founded in 1998 by harpsichordist and conductor Matthew Dirst,  ALH produces a yearly series of concerts that range from intimate chamber programs to staged dramatic works. Reviewers have acclaimed the ensemble for its superlative performances of everything from Monteverdi to Mozart. According to the Houston Chronicle, Ars Lyrica “sets the agenda for imaginative period-instrument programming in Houston.”