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of the
Baroque Concertmaster, Elliott Golub, and Principal 2nd violin Everett Zlatoff-Mirsky to help him manage the orchestra. When Co-Principal trumpets Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer were initially hired in 1975, they began to manage the brass ensemble for Wikman. Emulating European ensembles, Wikman eschewed concert halls in favor of Chicago-area churches selected for their beauty and acoustics. Wikman's idea was to distinguish his musical group from other major musical institutions in Chicago such as the Symphony and Lyric Opera through a focus on a different repertoire, different acoustics, and different concert experiences. In addition, musicians were not employees of the group, but instead were freelance artists, many of whom earned a good portion of their income from commercial jingles. This gave Music of the Baroque a greater degree of flexibility than the larger arts organizations in town so the group could pursue quality musicianship as well as continuity of personnel. In 1975 Lucille Ollendorff was elected President of the Board of Music of the Baroque and the group became incorporated as a nonprofit organization; three years later she became General Manager of the group, a salaried position initially funded by The
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516:, China, and Russia. A total of 39 two-hour programs featuring Music of the Baroque concerts with commentary by Thomas Wikman were included in these three syndicated series. Several other performances of Music of the Baroque were broadcast by WFMT individually in addition to the three syndicated series. In a 1989 WFMT survey of radio station managers, the Music of the Baroque radio series received the highest scores of any other WFMT program; syndicated programs were rated based on overall merit, musical quality, technical quality, production values, program host and audience appeal.
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rehearsals and performances by Music of the
Baroque. Music of the Baroque continues this tradition through its "Strong Voices" program where it conducts arts education to support and enhance music education programs at Chicago public high schools. Combining individual and group vocal instruction by Music of the Baroque chorus members with exposure to professional musical performances, the program currently includes Brooks High School, Hubbard High School, Lane Technical High School, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Senn High School, Simeon High School, and Solorio High School.
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concerts. As these concerts became more and more popular, Wikman expanded his vocalists by bartering voice lessons in exchange for singer participation in his concerts. Wikman sought to locate, train, and feature the best singers in the
Chicago area, an endeavor he continued to pursue his entire Music of the Baroque career. He strove for
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was the largest, fully professional music organization devoted solely to the performance of 16th, 17th, and 18th-century choral and instrumental music. The group performed in four locations around the
Chicago area including Hyde Park, River Forest, Evanston, and Lincoln Park. The group also appeared
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During Wikman's tenure as music director, Music of the
Baroque produced seven commercial recordings on its own label. Only two used live performance recordings of concerts; the remaining five were produced using audiotapes made during recording sessions in Chicago area churches. The recordings were
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Music of the
Baroque was organized in 1971 when the first instrumentalists were hired, and rehearsals for a Bach cantata concert began. The first concert was in early 1972. Wikman's primary focus continued to be on the vocal, choral, and liturgical aspects of the music; he recruited long-term Music
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The ensemble was founded by Thomas Wikman (1942-2023) in 1971. At the time, Wikman was a voice teacher and choirmaster at The Church of St. Paul and the
Redeemer in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Using church choir members as his base, Wikman had begun organizing Sunday afternoon a cappella
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After the death of
Lucille Ollendorff in 1988, Kathleen Butera was named president and executive director. The Music of the Baroque operating budget grew from $ 700,000 in 1984 to $ 1.25 million in 1990. The organization had more than 3,000 subscribers for the 27 concerts it presented in 1990.
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Beginning in the 1984–85 season, Music of the
Baroque undertook an educational outreach program for 200+ Chicago area high school students in collaboration with Urban Gateways. Students studied the score of the music selected by Wikman for performance in their classes; students also attended
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producer, Kerry
Frumkin could be heard by radio listeners almost anywhere in the world through WFMT's Fine Arts Network. This Network included most public radio stations in the United States as well as many radio stations around the world including those syndicated by the
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sold using both CD and vinyl record formats. Many Music of the Baroque performances led by Wikman and broadcast by WFMT are contained in The Richard and Judith Mintel Archive of Recordings. This Archive is housed at the Library of Congress
392:. Under Ollendorff's financial management and Wikman's artistic leadership, the 70-member group developed a national reputation as the premier exponent of Baroque music performance according to the Wall Street Journal in December 1984.
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Beginning in the early 1980s, Wikman developed a brass and choral concert experience based on his knowledge of historical performances in Renaissance Italian cathedrals such as St Mark's Basilica in Venice. Wikman reproduced the
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Music of the Baroque's available recordings include "Glover Conducts Mozart," featuring Symphonies 40 and 41; "Mother & Child," recorded live during the ensemble's 2013 holiday concerts and conducted by
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is the ensemble's Principal Guest Conductor. William Jon Gray was named chorus director in 2010. Declan McGovern has been the organization's executive director since 2017. Works performed have included
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in Chicago area churches which involved spatially separated vocal and brass choirs in alternation. The format of this concert was immensely popular and became a Christmas tradition in the Chicago area.
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During this time, Music of the Baroque presented a score of pieces that were new to the Chicago area. Often creating his own performance editions, Wikman produced the Chicago premiers of such works as
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in Evanston, Illinois. Wikman's performances of Handel oratorios, the Bach Passions, Italian Baroque operas, liturgical music, and Mozart and Haydn's symphonies are included in the Mintel Archive.
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for “making an incomparable contribution to the musical life of Chicago.” This honorary degree award was bestowed primarily for Wikman's work with Music of the Baroque.
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and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Chorus members have active operatic, teaching and recital careers and several perform regularly as soloists with Music of the Baroque.
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499:, Chicago's fine arts radio station in an annual thirteen-week series. Each week a two-hour broadcast featuring Music of the Baroque performances and hosted by
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using the Neue Mozart Ausgabe edition. In December 1987, Wikman led Music of the Baroque in its New York debut, where he presented a sold-out performance of
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at the Ravinia Festival and in performances at the White House. In 1985, a chamber/cantata series was added to the main subscription series.
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singing the role of the Evangelist. The performances will also serve as the second installment of the group's four-recording Bach project.
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The cornerstone of the 50th-anniversary celebration will be the ensemble's first performances in over a decade of Bach's monumental
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in Culpeper, Virginia; the recordings will be preserved for posterity. Another copy of the entire Mintel Archive is located at the
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The ensemble announced the details of its 50th anniversary season in February 2020. Opening in September, programs will include
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Chorale, will lead the Holiday Brass & Choral Concerts in December, the ensemble's longest-running tradition.
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Several of his voice studio protégés and Music of the Baroque soloists went on to make their debuts with the
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The group will also present its second Baroque in the Park, an open-air performance on the stage of the
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Joining Music of the Baroque as guest conductor for the first time is renowned early music specialist
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For three years, beginning in October 1986, Music of the Baroque performances were
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It may require cleanup to comply with Knowledge's content policies, particularly
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in the same evening, the group's first performances in a decade of Handel's
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Most members of the orchestra also perform with other groups, including the
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Thomas Wikman, Conductor/Organist: A conversation with Bruce Duffie
732:. Butt will lead the orchestra in a program featuring concertos by
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featuring highlights of the 50th season plus other Baroque works.
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970:"Thomas Wikman discusses Baroque music and its rise in history"
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The Music of the Baroque Chorus and Orchestra with Jane Glover
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778:• 1983: Monteverdi's Vespers of The Blessed Virgin (1610)
713:'s Piano Concerto No. 21. Andrew Megill, conductor of the
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is an American professional chorus and orchestra based in
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947:"Music mecca of the '70s fostered many classical careers"
330:“….the highest standards of authentic bel canto singing.”
1052:"Music of the Baroque Develops Superb Holiday Tradition"
341:
807:. The ensemble plans to release a recording of Bach's
790:• 1997: Music for Baroque Trumpet: With Clarion Voice
176:
A major contributor to this article appears to have a
864:"Elliott Golub, owner of the 'Spagnoletti' 'Del GesĂą"
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nomination for their DVD, "A Renaissance Christmas".
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operas and oratorios, and the major choral works of
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90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1315:"Thomas Wikman in Conversation with Bruce Duffie"
949:. No. February 2, 2021. The Hyde Park Herald
772:• 1982: Brass and Choral Music for Christmastide
695:, the group's first-ever performance of all six
1200:"1989 Music of the Baroque Station Evaluations"
743:, featuring critically acclaimed British tenor
344:as well as the major European Houses including
472:. Wikman also presented the world premiere of
8:
1297:The Richard and Judith Archive of Recordings
632:was named music director in September 2002.
603:Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation
1219:"Music of the Baroque Exults in Rare Opera"
709:'s debut with the group in performances of
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
1140:"A Joyful Noise from Music of the Baroque"
614:Doctor of Fine Arts Degree (Honoris Causa)
253:
236:
885:Zlatoff-Mirsky, Everett (10 April 2019).
225:Learn how and when to remove this message
207:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
1074:"Music of the Baroque Enriches all Ages"
705:at Thanksgiving, and Venezuelan pianist
559:(The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland)
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784:• 1990: Mozart's Great Mass in C Major
1024:Klein, Frederick (December 12, 1984).
945:Holliday, Andrea (February 2, 2021).
932:"Charles Geyer, Co=Principal Trumpet"
911:Butler, Barbara (September 3, 2020).
837:Chicago Tribune (February 13, 1983).
728:, founder and director of Scotland's
607:Northwestern University Music Library
519:In 1993 Wikman began performances of
7:
1283:April 22, 1976, Studs Terkel Archive
417:Vespers of The Blessed Virgin (1610)
88:adding citations to reliable sources
1288:June 30, 1982, Studs Terkel Archive
1050:Marsh, Robert (December 20, 1982).
839:"First Person: A Choirmaster sings"
787:• 1995 Telemann's Day of Judgement
323:History 1971-2001: The Wikman years
1334:Musical groups established in 1972
612:In May 2002, Wikman was awarded a
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1278:Northwestern University Libraries
618:University of Illinois at Chicago
510:Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
34:This article has multiple issues.
741:Passion According to St. Matthew
506:British Broadcasting Corporation
187:. Please discuss further on the
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887:"MARQUIS WHO'S WHO TOP ARTISTS"
769:• 1981: Brass and Choral Music
521:five Baroque-era Italian operas
99:"Music of the Baroque, Chicago"
75:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
16:Chorus and orchestra in Chicago
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1072:Wiedrich, Bob (May 2, 1984).
775:• 1982: Terpsichore Danserye
556:Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria
240:Music of the Baroque, Chicago
1349:Orchestras based in Illinois
641:’s operas and 1610 Vespers,
405:By 1985 Music of the Baroque
1339:Musical groups from Chicago
545:(The Coronation of Poppaea)
1370:
1313:Duffie, Bruce (May 2022).
1026:"Music: Going for Baroque"
974:Studs Terkel Radio Archive
317:Chicago Symphony Orchestra
1031:. The Wall Street Journal
543:L'incoronazione di Poppea
398:Venetian polychoral style
360:. These singers included
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1293:Thomas Wikman recordings
1116:von Rhein, John (1990).
1094:von Rhein, John (1990).
781:• 1985: Von Himmel Hoch
514:European Broadcast Union
934:. Music of the Baroque.
480:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
390:Chicago Community Trust
913:"Co-Principal trumpet"
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643:Georg Philipp Telemann
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561:by Claudio Monteverdi,
547:by Claudio Monteverdi,
431:Georg Philipp Telemann
380:, William Wahman, and
1170:"Baroque in New York"
1118:"Early Music Masters"
1096:"Early Music Masters"
994:Ollendorff, Lucille.
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697:Brandenburg Concertos
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484:Johann Sebastian Bach
338:Chicago's Lyric Opera
185:neutral point of view
1083:. Chicago Sun Times.
1061:. Chicago Sun-Times.
917:Music of the Baroque
815:Educational outreach
719:Carmel Bach Festival
624:History 2001-Present
443:, and the oratorios
306:Music of the Baroque
84:improve this article
426:The Day of Judgment
342:San Francisco Opera
1354:Choirs in Illinois
1344:Early music groups
1228:. Chicago Tribune.
1127:. Chicago Tribune.
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758:Wikman Discography
639:Claudio Monteverdi
598:
535:Claudio Monteverdi
497:syndicated by WFMT
489:Christmas Oratorio
421:Claudio Monteverdi
334:Metropolitan Opera
1217:von Rhein, John.
1179:. Chicago Tribune
1149:. Chicago Tribune
1005:. Chicago Tribune
794:Recent Recordings
752:Pritzker Pavilion
715:Montreal Symphony
678:They received an
574:Francesco Cavalli
310:Chicago, Illinois
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866:. The Strad
659:, numerous
630:Jane Glover
436:King Arthur
374:Linda Mabbs
366:Isola Jones
245:Chorus and
1328:Categories
1226:mintel.org
1204:mintel.org
1177:mintel.org
1147:mintel.org
1125:Mintel.org
1103:mintel.org
1081:mintel.org
1059:mintel.org
1003:mintel.org
996:"Obituary"
824:References
801:Paul Agnew
680:Emmy Award
665:J. S. Bach
628:Conductor
340:, and the
110:newspapers
39:improve it
1138:Upfront.
726:John Butt
616:from the
247:orchestra
197:June 2019
189:talk page
45:talk page
692:Creation
673:cantatas
669:Telemann
656:Idomeneo
475:Idomeneo
465:Theodora
350:Bayreuth
346:La Scala
280:Location
1250:June 3,
1245:Discogs
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579:1998 -
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565:1997 -
540:1995 -
530:L’Orfeo
527:1993 -
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501:WFMT
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103:news
1295:at
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