Music of the Baroque Board

Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra may be the big guys on the local classical music scene, but in terms of sheer quality of performance…Music of the Baroque inhabits the same stratosphere. —Chicago Sun Times

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

• Founded in 1972, Music of the Baroque (MOB) occupies a special place in the rich cultural life of Chicago and is one of the country’s leading performers of music from the 17th and 18th centuries.
• The ensemble has drawn particular praise throughout its history for its performances of the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Haydn.

• With an annual budget of $3 million, a staff of eight full-time employees, and a board of 23 directors, MOB draws audiences for its concerts from across the Chicago metropolitan area.
• MOB performs regularly at the Harris Theater and Symphony Center in downtown Chicago and at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, as well as at intimate Chicago and suburban churches and community venues such as the Kehrein Center for the Arts in Austin.
• Listeners across the country enjoy the work of MOB through radio broadcasts and recordings on Classical Radio WFMT 98.7FM.
• Through its "Strong Voices" education program, MOB’s singers work in seven Chicago public high schools every week, teaching choral singing and giving voice lessons and performance opportunities to some 1,200 students in some of Chicago’s most underserved communities.

• MOB’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion includes “Project Inclusion,” offering opportunities for young professionals from underrepresented backgrounds to be employed in our orchestra; an annual “learn and perform” partnership with the Merit School of Music; and artistic collaborations with companies such as South Chicago Dance Theatre.
• Music of the Baroque’s music director is the renowned British conductor Dame Jane Glover, one of the preeminent international conductors of works by Mozart and Handel. Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer is internationally recognized for his expertise in Baroque music.

• In September 2021, MOB staged its second open-air concert, Baroque in the Park, at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago for an audience of 6,500 patrons. In 2023, we returned to the Pritzker Pavilion for a large scale free community performance and in October, we invited 230 Strong Voices students to perform with our chorus and orchestra at the Harris Theater.
• In September 2022, MOB staged a triumphant debut at the Ravinia Music Festival Pavilion stage and has returned there every year since.
• The Chicago Water Music is a unique event in downtown Chicago which debuted in September 2024. At no cost to the audience, people from all over the city enjoyed our music as it echoed up and down the river with the MOB Orchestra and Chorus traveling and performing by boat.

• Funding for concerts, community, and education programs is greatly boosted by a very successful gala—A Musical Feast—at the Fairmont Chicago, in October each year.

• Supporters of MOB enjoy a series of additional events during the year, including soirées—social events with well-known artists at prestigious venues around Chicago.

• “Students Go for Free” is part of our audience development program to increase the number of younger attendees at our concerts.

WHY JOIN OUR BOARD?

• Make an immediate impact: Unlike larger performing arts organizations, MOB has a board that is smaller and more intimate; every director has a direct influence on the organization — the results of his/her efforts and initiatives are felt right away.
• Learn new things: Directors gain an insight into the inner workings of a not-for-profit professional music organization, from artistic planning and audience development to sponsorship, special event production, and community engagement.
• Hone your leadership skills: All board members are involved in the strategic planning of the organization and have opportunities to influence specific areas of development such as outreach events, education initiatives, board development, and organizational governance.
• Continue the legacy of great music: The Baroque period (c.1600-c.1750) is the very bedrock of classical music, a period of invention in which forms such as the symphony, concerto, and opera have their roots.
• Unique engagement opportunities: Our concerts provide a distinctive opportunity to invite family, friends, and colleagues to experience something special. Additional social events include donor soirées in some of Chicago’s most beautiful clubs and venues as well as the annual MOB gala benefit, which includes a specially curated concert.
• Meet new people: Excellent contacts, networking opportunities, and lasting friendships are made through a highly motivated and welcoming board that includes people from a wide range of professional fields, including law, investment banking, IT, media, wealth management, education, cyber security, healthcare, and medicine.

TIME AND FINANCIAL COMMITMENT

• Minimum two-year term of service.
• Five board meetings per year between September and June, usually held on Thursdays between 12-1:30 pm at the offices of Kirkland and Ellis in downtown Chicago.
• Eight concerts (with repeats) between September and May (Sundays at the North Shore Center in Skokie; Mondays at the Harris Theater, Millennium Park; Holiday concerts in churches in December; community concerts at neighborhood venues and the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park).
• Attendance at the gala benefit held on a Saturday, usually in the third week of October each year, comprising a short concert, cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, and a raffle with amazing prizes, including music trips to various parts of America, and our musicians performing in winners’ homes.
• Recommended minimum personal contribution of $2,500 (with gift match from employer, where possible) plus additional ‘give or get’ of at least one Gala table (starting at $6,000).

WHY JOIN NOW?

• New energy: The organization is midway through a new strategic plan with increased artistic ambition and community impact goals. Four new directors have joined the board recently and new initiatives such as "Conducting Leadership" (an orchestra/leadership insight program) and “Member Exchanges” with the Economic Club of Chicago are raising the profile of the organization, both on and off the stage.

• Exciting times: The organization is celebrating its 55th anniversary which features extra-ambitious programming, tours to Aspen and New York, and increased community engagement.
• Fresh initiatives: Recent initiatives include a Mexican Baroque concert in Pilsen, a return to the Kehrein Center in Austin, a performance of Handel’s Water Music on the Chicago River, and the international release of Handel's final masterpiece, Jephtha.

WHAT WILL MY ROLE BE? (The 10-Point Plan)

Participatory/Advocacy:

1. Understand: the history and operations of Music of the Baroque (MOB)
2. Attend: all board meetings and concerts
3. Support: subscribe and donate to the season, and sponsor or find a sponsor for a gala table
4. Diversify: support a more diverse MOB (on stage, in the audience, on the board)
5. Attract: friends and colleagues to MOB (patrons, sponsors, potential board directors)

Leadership/Governance:

6. Advise: contribute professional expertise and services to Music of the Baroque
7. Guide: help formulate sound policies and strategies for the organization
8. Plan: ensure short- and long-term goals are achievable and sound succession planning is in place
9. Support: ensure adequate resources are in place to support the ensemble’s mission and vision
10. Assess: help monitor and assess the artistic, financial, operational, and diversity goals of MOB

CURRENT BOARD

*retired
Last updated March 2025