I Fagiolini gave its first concert at Oxford University in 1986. Initially specialising in secular Renaissance repertoire, it now enjoys a reputation for tackling all kinds of western vocal music. The ensemble is involved in a broad range of education and collaborative projects which include running the vocal chamber music class at Dartington International Summer School.

Daryl Runswick's LOBY (Look Out Behind You) was written for I Fagiolini's 1999-2000 UK tour for the National Federation of Music Societies. An all-vocal piece of music theatre, it involved 30 to 70 nine- to ten year-olds with no previous musical training. The preparation involved someone at the school teaching the children the melody and words. On the concert day itself, the children spent 45 minutes rehearsing with I Fagiolini. The concert exposed children to music they would not otherwise have heard and brought new audience (both children and their parents) to the music.

I Fagiolini also runs a commedia dell'arte workshop as an introduction to its Renaissance music theatre work, L'Amfiparnaso by Orazio Vecchi. Two singers work for one day in a school introducing the children to commedia principles and improvising a sketch for five character types. These sketches can then be performed at the performance of L'Amfiparnaso as a sort of prologue.