Sound Break featuring Austin Baroque Orchestra

The Austin Baroque Orchestra is playing at the Blanton Museum of Art on Thursday, December 17, as part of the museum's Sound Break series. The performance takes place in the Michener Gallery Building, so you'll be hearing them right in the middle of the museum's galleries rather than on a traditional stage. It's a live set by the full orchestra, and since it's a Sound Break, it's designed as a midday break in the museum's usual flow.

If you're not familiar with them, the Austin Baroque Orchestra specializes in music from the Baroque era—think Vivaldi, Handel, and Bach—performed on period instruments or in a style that stays true to how that music sounded when it was first written. It's a distinct sound from a modern symphony, with a lighter, more transparent texture that works well in a gallery setting. The program for this particular date hasn't been confirmed yet, so the exact pieces they'll play are still under wraps.

Logistically, it's a weekday afternoon show, which makes it an easy one to fit in if you're already downtown or working nearby. The performance starts at 2 PM at the Blanton, located at 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Admission is included with your museum ticket, and it's free for Blanton members, UT-Austin ID holders, K–12 teachers with ID, and children ages five and under. If you're already planning a trip to the museum that day, this is a good reason to time your visit around the music.