Born in London, Adrian Butterfield is a violinist, director and conductor who specialises in performing music from 1600-1900 on period instruments. A former chorister of St. Paul's Cathedral and a graduate of Trinity College Cambridge, he is Musical Director of the Tilford Bach Society and Associate Musical Director of the London Handel Festival. He regularly directs the London Handel Orchestra and Players and is increasingly invited as a guest director and soloist in Europe and North America.

He has appeared on numerous recordings and with most of the period-instrument orchestras in London. His solo recordings include CPE Bach sonatas (ATMA), Bach's Concerto for oboe and violin with John Abberger (Analekta) and Handel's Violin Sonatas (Somm). His recording of Leclair's 1st Book of sonatas (Naxos), issued on 3 separate CDs, was released in 2009 to great acclaim.

He leads two chamber ensembles in London. The London Handel Players perform regularly at the Wigmore Hall and at festivals throughout Europe and have made several appearances in Canada. Their recent Handel recordings, of his Op.2 and Op.5 trio sonatas, "Handel at Home" as well as the Violin Sonatas, all for Somm, have received glowing reviews and a new recording of Geminiani sonatas is due for release this autumn.  The Revolutionary Drawing Room specializes in classical and romantic music on period instruments, has recorded quartets by Boccherini and Donizetti for CPO and has performed in North America and across Europe. Their recent recording of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet with Colin Lawson is due for release on the Clarinet Classics label in the autumn.

Repertoire Adrian has conducted includes Bach's B minor Mass, Handel's La Resurrezione and Alcina, Purcell's Fairy Queen, Cavalieri's Rappresentatione di Anima e Corpo and Rameau's Pigmalion and concerto appearances include numerous baroque works, Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with the LHO and rare performances on period instruments of the Beethoven Concerto with the Hanover Band.

He directs a baroque project annually with the Southbank Sinfonia, is Professor of Baroque Violin at the Royal College of Music in London, gives masterclasses in Europe and North America and teaches on the Aestas Musica Baroque Course in Croatia.

Highlights of the 2011-12 season have included celebrating Tilford Bach Society's 60th Festival in May with Bach's St. John Passion with the LHO and a concert of Bach and Mendelssohn with the London Mozart Players. LHP were broadcast on Radio 3 from Tilford and made their first US tour in January. The RDR performed the Brahms Clarinet Quintet at the Royal College of Music with Colin Lawson and appeared also in Germany and Ireland. He was also invited to perform with Les Boréades and Les Idées Heureuses in Montreal. Future plans include conducting Handel's La Resurrezione at the Wigmore Hall on Easter Monday.

Adrian is married to the period-instrument flautist and recorder player Rachel Brown and they have one daughter.