ICO's 43rd season opens with fairy tales and magic

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra is about to open its 43rd season, and the theme is right up the alley of anyone who grew up on fairy tales and a bit of magic. The season opener, 'Story Lines: A Soundtrack to the Past & Present,' sets the tone by leaning into that imaginative territory, and it's being billed as a cultural highlight for the city's music lovers this autumn.

If you're not familiar with the ensemble, it's a 34-piece orchestra led by music director and conductor Matthew Kraemer. They've made their home at the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts, which sits on the Butler University campus at 610 W. 46th St. The venue opened in 2013 and runs a 450-seat proscenium theatre, so it's intimate enough that you're never far from the stage. The lobby doubles as a gallery showing work by local Indianapolis artists and students, which is a nice touch if you arrive early.

One of the best parts of the ICO's approach is how much they build in around the music. Before the concerts, they hold free educational talks called 'Chamber Chats' right in the theater, so you can get some context before the first note. And if you're on a budget, the orchestra is genuinely accessible: tickets are free for students and children 18 and younger at most concerts this season, and you can buy them online, by phone at 317-940-9607, or at the box office on the day of the show if it hasn't sold out. There's also a 15% discount on tickets from August 11 to 18, available as Duet Packs or single tickets through Ticketmaster.

Looking past the opener, the 43rd season keeps the variety going. 'Pulse' lands on Saturday, November 21, at 7:30 PM; 'Nature & Soul' follows on Saturday, January 16, 2027, at 7:30 PM; 'Spectrum' is set for Saturday, March 13, 2027, at 7:30 PM; and 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' arrives on Saturday, April 17, 2027, at 7:30 PM. The season closes with a bit of a detour: 'Ben Folds: Live with the ICO' on Friday, May 7, 2027, at 8:00 PM, held over at the Payne & Mencias Palladium at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The guest list across the season is long, with names like Olga Perez Flora, James Flora, James Lee III, Melissa White, Adam Golka, Tucker Fuller, baritone Daniel Rich, mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon, Sirena Huang, Reinaldo Moya, Michael Feinstein, pianist Aaron Diehl, oboist Nancy Ambrose King, clarinetist Ryan King, composer Victoria Bond, violinist Julian Rhee, and narrator Sadie Cohen among them.

It's worth noting that the ICO isn't just about the ticketed hall shows. They also put on two free concerts in the park each year, and they're welcoming to everyone — if you need any accommodations, you can reach them at info@icomusic.org or 317-940-9607. Between the fairy-tale opener, the free talks, and the student-friendly pricing, it's a low-barrier way to catch some live classical music in Indianapolis this autumn.