In the year of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, Alison Balsom celebrates the heroic era of the Baroque trumpet in works by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) and Henry Purcell (1658 or 1659-1695), whose anthems, odes, simonies and operas have provided the music for numerous royal celebrations from their own day to the present. Joining forces with Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert orchestra that he founded, Balsom demonstrates the versatility and expressive power of her valve-less instrument in original works and new arrangements. These include Purcell's Sound the trumpet and Handel's Eternal Source of light divine in duet with countertenor Iestyn Davies and Purcell's the Plaint from the Fairy Queen in duet with soprano Lucy Crowe. Recently crowned Female Artist of the Year for the second time at the Classic BRITs, Alison Balsom has cemented an international reputation as one of classical music's great ambassadors and is ranked among the most distinctive and ground-breaking musicians on the international circuit today. Balsom has also been honored with numerous awards by Gramophone, Classic FM and ECHO Klassik.