ICO to welcomes amateur musicians to join community orchestra

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is inviting amateur musicians to join them for a community orchestra event.

Indy Encore Players is the organization’s first-ever community event, where amateur musicians aged 18 and up are encouraged to make music with the ICO. Participants will experience a full day of rehearsals under the direction of Maestro Matthew Kramer, followed by a complimentary concert alongside ICO musicians on Jan. 30, 2026.

The idea for a  “community orchestra” featuring amateur Hoosier musicians alongside the ICO came from a patron, Executive Director Dana Stone, told the Recorder. It’s not something the ICO has ever done before, but after a few months of thinking on it, she said the idea “grew legs.”

“We did think about it for a few months and decided this would be a great way to connect with our audiences and provide a new opportunity for people to connect with the orchestra,” Stone said. “We did some surveys to see if there was enough interest to pursue it further, and here we are, so excited to have this opportunity to make music with our audiences.”

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The event aims to help adult musicians reconnect with their instruments and love of music, while also building connections within the community and with ICO members, Stone said. 

Auditions are not required; however, participants must be 18+ and will need to review the music selections and confirm their instruments before rehearsal to ensure they are comfortable participating.

“We’re thinking to ourselves about the many people we know that are audience members, or just people in the community that loved music when they were younger — maybe they took some classes as far as college, and still have their instrument at home and occasionally pick it up,” Stone said. “It’s really to inspire them to do that … just to provide something really unique for friends of the ICO.”

However, Stone said they understand some amateur musicians might be “a bit rustier than others.” Still, participants shouldn’t feel discouraged if some of the pieces or certain passages within the program are a bit challenging.

“We kind of have envisioned this as kind of play-what-you-can, so if there’s one piece that we have in the program that is maybe outside of your skill set, you don’t have to play it,” Stone added. “You can step off the stage, or you can stay seated and just listen to your friends around you. That’s why we have ICO members playing with you, to kind of support those sections that might be a little bit more difficult or might be outside someone’s skill set.”

Once registered, participants will receive a link to the full scans of the music; however, previews are available to view at https://bit.ly/44z2pZA.

Indy Encore Players is set for Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at the Schrott Center for the Arts, 610 W. 46th St. Doors open at 5 p.m. with rehearsal beginning at 5:30 p.m. with one 30-minute break. The performance begins at 8 p.m.

Registration for Indy Encore Players is open at https://bit.ly/3Y2EyxL now through Dec. 15. Tickets are $65 and include the cost of music, t-shirt, snacks and two complimentary tickets to the ICO’s “Shore of the Sea” concert with guest violinist Tim Fain on Jan. 31, 2026.

The ICO’s 2025-26 Season continues with “Gardens of Spain” featuring guest pianist Gabriela Martinez on March 21, 2026, “American Sound: with Dance Kaleidoscope,” April 17-19 and “The Chevalier: A Musical Play” on May 16 at the Walker Theatre.

For more information, visit icomusic.org. 

Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.