Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra: Shakespeare & Love

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra is back at Shelton Auditorium on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with a program called Shakespeare & Love featuring pianist Adam Golka. It's part of Glow, the orchestra's strings series, and that's where the night gets a bit different from a standard concert: an ICO string quartet plays surrounded by thousands of flickering candles, turning familiar pop songs into an intimate, candlelit, and immersive musical experience.

For those who aren't already familiar, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra is led by Music Director Matthew Kraemer. They're dedicated to music written for small orchestras, and they do it through professional performances, education programs, and community engagement, with a mission to serve and reflect all segments of the Indianapolis community. They've also named composer-in-residence Miguel del Aguila and have welcomed guest artists like Ben Folds in the past.

This particular show falls under the Glow banner, which is the orchestra's strings series. Instead of the full ensemble, it's an ICO string quartet taking the lead, and the candles are the whole point—they surround the musicians and the audience, and the setlist pulls from pop songs you probably already know. The idea is to take those familiar tunes and strip them down into something more intimate and immersive.

It's happening at Shelton Auditorium on the Butler University campus. The concert starts at 8 PM on Saturday, October 17, 2026.