Boston Baroque Unveils New Website for 40th Season

The modern sensibility that is the hallmark of every performance and recording by Boston Baroque, North America's first permanent Baroque orchestra, is now reflected in the ensemble's new website, launched Wednesday, July 17, 2013.

The unique approach - with a new logo, photography and art treatment, including striking color and font choices - aims to be the visual equivalent of Boston Baroque's combination of dedication to the music it plays and the joy it brings to audiences.

"As we turn forty," says Executive Director Miguel Rodriguez, "we think this is a great opportunity to bring a fresher, more contemporary look to our brand, one that matches our high artistic musical standards and appeals to our continually growing young audience."

Collaborating with Mr. Rodriguez on Boston Baroque's website revamp were Dave Belyea, Jessica Gill and Christopher Ariñez of Jackrabbit Design of Milton, Massachusetts. "The biggest challenge we faced," says Jackrabbit partner Dave Belyea, "was avoiding the 'me-too' trap of imitating what other cultural institutions were already doing. Instead, with the support of Martin Pearlman and Miguel Rodriguez, we found a new way to continue to appeal to a relatively conservative audience on the one hand, but also give the site a fresh new life and energy."

The expressive black-and-white photography of Patrick O'Connor graces the new website as well as Boston Baroque's new season brochure, press kits, advertising and collateral materials. Art Director Jessica Gill notes, "We wanted to blend the aesthetic of Boston Baroque's established audience with that of a younger crowd. Using a traditional theme of black-and-white, but blending it with light, vibrant color, smoke and musicians with instruments gave us a way - employing imagery and emotion - to show how dramatic and how exciting the performances are."

Boston Baroque is the first permanent Baroque orchestra established in North America and is widely regarded as being among the world's leading period-instrument ensembles. Founded in 1973 as Banchetto Musicale by Music Director Martin Pearlman, the Boston Baroque orchestra is made up of some of the finest period-instrument players in the U.S.; they are frequently joined by the company's professional chorus and by instrumental and vocal soloists from around the world. The ensemble presents an annual subscription series of five programs that are performed at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall or Harvard University's Sanders Theatre, plus occasional additional concerts at other venues.

Boston Baroque also reaches an audience of millions of listeners around the globe with more than 20 critically-acclaimed recordings, which have been recognized with three Grammy nominations. With its 2012 recording of Haydn's Creation, Boston Baroque began a new recording relationship with the audiophile European label Linn Records, named by Gramophone as Label of the Year in 2010.

Boston Baroque made an acclaimed appearance in 2009 with two programs at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, and performed Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 to a sold-out crowd and standing ovation in New York's Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in March 2010. The ensemble made its European debut in 2003, performing Handel's Messiah to capacity crowds in Krakow and Warsaw, Poland, and toured the Vespers to Los Angeles' Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, and Tanglewood in 2004.

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