It was founded by the Greek-born harpsichordist and singer Lina Lalandi (1920–2012) and the English musicologist Jack Westrup who were co-directors during the festival's early years in Oxford.
Lalandi wrote in 1963 that the festival would also include "20th-century composers whose way of thinking is nearer to [Bach's] than to that of the Romantic age.
"[2] The first festival focused on Bach's early cantatas, including two of his secular cantatas staged in costume, but also presented the world premiere of Nikos Skalkottas's Unaccompanied Violin Sonata.
[3] By the late 1970s, the EBF had primarily become an international opera company focusing on rarely performed operas of the baroque era which were performed with period instruments, authentic costumes and sets, and singers using historically informed movement and gesture.
From 1977 the EBF presented an annual guest night at the Royal Opera House.