Growing Up Baroque
FREE Musical storytelling programs that spark curiosity in learners of all ages!
Growing Up Baroque
Each year, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra curates a unique musical storytelling program for children and their families. For the 24-25 season, IBO violinist Sarah Cranor has teamed up with award winning Peruvian children’s author Mariana Llanos to present a bilingual telling of “Run, Little Chaski!” We invite the young and young-at-heart to take an exciting musical storytelling journey to 18th century Latin America with us. Come hear the tale of Little Chaski running the Inca Trail, accompanied by descriptive language, bold illustrations, and 18th century musical selections, all while experiencing first hand a diverse and vibrant musical cultural tradition through a lively 45-minute program. No tickets or advanced registration is required for any of these free, family performances!
During the program, the book will be read-out-loud, both in English and Spanish, by Mariana Llanos; images from the book will be projected on a large screen for all to see; and musical interludes, played on instruments built between 1600 and 1750, or replicas thereof, performed by IBO musicians, will offer a fun way to experience a new book, new (old) instruments, and a different cultural tradition. Experience musical depictions of the story as we go, including music from across the Americans and most especially the lands where the little Chaski ran to deliver his messages. This music was preserved in the Codex Trujillo del Peru, an amazing encyclopedia of life in Peru in the 1780s, Mission archives transcribed by Jesuit priests and played by local musicians, and in Cathedral archives across the Americas, which protected these fragile pieces of paper for hundreds of years. Some of this music will be heard for the first time again since the 1700s! The program concludes with everyone singing and dancing to the theme song to “Run, Little Chaski” written by Mariana and transcribed for our unique ensemble of instruments. Our Instrumental Petting Zoo follows the concert!
Run, Little Chaski!
Children’s Author:
Mariana Llanos is a children’s books writer, poet, and translator. Born in Lima, Peru, she’s the author of several books including the 2024 Pura Belpre Honor Book Benita y las criaturas nocturnas/Benita and the Night Creatures, and the 2022 Oklahoma Book Award winner Run Little Chaski/Corre Pequeño Chaski (Barefoot Books 2021). Other titles include Luca’s Bridge/El puente de Luca (2021 ALSC Notable Book Awards), Eunice and Kate (Paterson Prize Books for Young Readers) Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess (Campoy-Ada Awards), the audio story Qoritika and the Three Alpacas, featured on Tiny Tales by Pampers Podcast produced by Sony Music Entertainment, among others. In 2017, Mariana received the Oklahoma Human Rights Award for her work visiting schools in different countries around the world through virtual technology. That same year she was selected as the Best Latino Artist by the Hispanic Arts Council of Oklahoma. Her upcoming books include two chapter book series, Vampirita (2024) and Martina and her Bright Star (2025) with Reycraft Books. She’s a co-founder of LatinxPitch, a virtual event that boosts the representation of Latino creatives in the children’s publishing industry and co-chair of the Latino Committee for the Firehouse Arts Center in Norman Oklahoma.
Growing Up Baroque!
Past Events
St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning
The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra held three performances for a special telling of St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning in 2024. Children and their families to attended our annual musical storytelling program, Growing Up Baroque! at three local libraries. IBO musician and multi-instrument specialist Keith Collins curated a short program of Irish Baroque and folk music to accompany the beloved children’s book “St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning” by Eve Bunting. In addition to presenting music, the quintet of musicians introduced their instruments and their special features to the audience.
Don Quixote and the Windmills – Spanish/English
In October 2023, we presented our first bilingual program to fourth grade students at Indianapolis Public Schools #105 Fairbanks, an elementary school with a significant Spanish-speaking student population. Our program included instrumental introductions, selections of Telemann’s Don Quixote Suite played by members of the IBO, as well as a reading of the Don Quixote and the Windmills by award-winning children’s book author Eric Kimmel in a bilingual English-Spanish format.
Don Quixote and the Windmills
In February 2023 IBO partnered with the Indianapolis and Johnson County Public Libraries to present Growing Up Baroque to more than 230 kids and grownups! The event included instrumental introductions, selections of Telemann’s Don Quixote Suite played by members of the IBO, as well as a reading of the children’s book “Don Quixote and the Windmills” by Eric Kimmel.
Listen to My Trumpet!
In May 2022 members of the IBO presented Growing Up Baroque at the Central Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library. Selections of music featuring the Baroque trumpet were played as well as a reading of Mo Willems “Listen to My Trumpet!”
Getting a Handel on Messiah
In connection with our Messiah performances, we designed an interactive, family-friendly introduction to Handel’s Messiah! You’ve heard the famous Hallelujah Chorus – now learn about the rest of Handel’s masterpiece and the compositional tricks he used to make Messiah such a feast for the ears. Hear the music played on historical instruments and look forward to a special appearance by Handel himself! Chat with orchestra musicians after the performance and take home a themed gift bag including color-by-number pages of Baroque composers and instruments, a noise-maker or instrument to played during the program, and a Bibliocommons reading list to continue learning at home!
IndyBaroque Music, Inc. • (317) 762-8812 • PO Box 47985 • Indianapolis, IN 46247