Indy Baroque Orchestra

I had the chance to experience Indy Baroque Orchestra this past weekend as they offered a couple of performances at Second Presbyterian Church as part of the holiday season offerings. First, they offered a delightful introduction to Handel's Messiah aimed at children and families called "Getting a Handel on Messiah." This was followed up the next day by a performance of Handel's Messiah with the Beecher Singers and under Dr. Michelle Louer, Second Presbyterian's Director of Music and Fine Arts. Indy Baroque, officially known as Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, performs and promotes music of the 17th and 18th centuries using period instruments and historically informed performance practices. Indy Baroque was founded in 1997 and is an ensemble-in-residence at University of Indianapolis. They typically alternate performances between University of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Historical Society, though they also have arrangements with Second Presbyterian, Eskenazi Health, Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis Public Library, and Indianapolis Suzuki Academy. Barthold Kuijken serves as the orchestra's artistic director. They offer concerts and educational performances. The orchestra is in the midst of a 4-CD recording project with Naxos Records. The music was inspired and pristine. The orchestra members were enthusiastic and delightful and just wonderful with the children. It was such an incredibly educational, engaging, and entertaining experience for everyone. It was such a wonderful way to experience Handel's Messiah and to also learn more about it. The orchestra has announced its 2021-2022 season. They do have COVID-19 protocols in place. They do have a Youtube channel where you can check out some of their selections. Indy Baroque has also been named a Top 25 Ensemble by Early Music America. I honestly enjoyed this considerably and will definitely be considering future attendance during their season. I'm not sure why it took me so long to discover Indy Baroque - but now I'm definitely hooked.