The ensemble was founded in Basel in 2016. It has a broad "Early Music" repertoire, with a particular emphasis on the Italian Renaissance and Baroque period. As a fairly new ensemble, strategic development must start from scratch. The ensemble's aspiration is to be an internationally recognized top-league Early Music ensemble, also committed to musicological research by renowned musicologists and performance such rediscovered Early Music scores. The aim of the research project was to develop recommendations in the context of marketing, fundraising and branding.

In order to get a complete and accurate insight on the main success factors in marketing, the project team first conducted a broad literature review amongst primary and secondary sources. Information was obtained from specific literature about cultural marketing and fundraising as well as branding with a focus on non-profit organisations. In addition, several statistics were analysed. A set of interviews was conducted in a snowball sampling approach to develop a deeper understanding of the core research topics and answer to the research questions.

The project work resulted in thirteen specific recommendations that were condensed in an action plan. It involves recommendations for developing a mission and vision statement, defining a transparent brand, developing clear brand messages and elaborating persuasive messages, creating a professional website, publishing a modern program booklet, setting clear fundraising targets, developing social media channels and content, empowering a brand ambassador, professionalising fundraising efforts, focussing on propspective individual donors and establishing close relationships with donors and expanding the contact network. Addressing these recommendations, the client will build the basis for a more strategic positioning and have a greater chance to excel in a higly competitive environment, where the outstanding performance of Early Music works alone is no longer the sole decisive success factor.