About
Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra
Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra (OBO) works with local musicians and community members to present concert experiences that educate and enrich audiences through the transformative experience of historically informed performance.
What We Do
Bringing History to Life in Our Modern World
Music Education
The Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra not only seeks to provide quality historically informed performances, but also share the knowledge of historically informed performance and what that means in practicum. Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra is committed to continued education for not only our audiences, but also Oklahoma City schools and young musicians through performance.
Community Collaboration
The Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra is committed to collaboration with community partners. This is not only a seasonal commitment, but a core value of the organization. In our second season, Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra will collaborate with two separate organizations.
Creative Placemaking
Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra’s investment in local artists provides valuable experience and compensation for their artistry in Oklahoma City. This not only supports the professional growth of emerging talents but also contributes to the cultural enrichment of the community by showcasing fresh and innovative artistic perspectives. 90% of Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra’s annual budget is dedicated to musician pay and professional development.
Our Origin
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Initially founded in 2019 as Vitam Musica Foundation and reorganizing as Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra (OBO) in 2022, OBO serves approximately fifty local musicians throughout the season. With an annual budget of $15,000 per season, two current staff, a working board of eight, and the assistance of community partners and volunteers, Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra plans to expand the consumption and reach of historically informed performance to multi-generational audiences across Oklahoma by bringing the past to life through modern and reimagined performance and education. While their specialization lies in the rich tapestries of Baroque and Classical compositions, OBO fearlessly ventures beyond temporal confines. They bring to life the very essence of the music's inception by embracing period instruments or their expertly crafted replicas. These enchanting concerts showcase familiar instruments with subtle visual and auditory nuances, such as violins adorned with resonant gut strings or flutes meticulously shaped from wood and bone. Additionally, the orchestra unearths captivating instruments that have faded from the modern orchestral landscape, like the enchanting theorbo. Flourishing with spontaneity, a spirited sense of play, and extraordinary artistry, OBO occupies a remarkable position in Oklahoma's arts milieu, serving as both collaborator and catalyst within the vibrant arts community.
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What is Early Music and how can I get HIP?
“Historically informed performance” (HIP) is a scholarly, philosophical, and artistic pursuit that aims to recover and readopt methods of musical interpretation and performance contexts that have been “lost to time.” With HIP, simple notes on a page are transformed into meaningful, relevant, and engaging experiences for contemporary listeners and performers. More broadly, by reexamining long-held assumptions about performance, OBO seeks to inspire audiences and students to persistently question their own interests and cultural presumptions and to offer compelling reasons to preserve our musical culture.
