About CMOP
The Chicago Modern Orchestra Project ©® is an offshoot of the highly successful Mantra Blue FreeOrchestra ©®,both groups directed by Renèe Baker.
While MBFO plays only original compositions by Ms. Baker, involving her own highly developed“conduction-like” style of directing, the CMOP is dedicated to commissioning, performing and recording contemporary creative and classical music of many new composers.
The mission of the orchestra is to excite and encourage new audiences with their own brand of “out-of-the-box” programming. We gratefully acknowledge the individuals, corporations, and foundations whose generous support makes our concerts and recordings possible.
Contact Renèe Baker at: reneebaker@chicagomodernorchestraproject.org for information regarding concert bookings.
MBFO©® and CMOP©® are exclusively represented by RCB Arts Management.
Our Mission and Committment
Scores of the unusual and completely innovative and unexpected programming is at the heart of CMOP’s mission.
Original scores are sought from every genre of music, with special emphasis on living composers.
It is one of CMOP’s highest aspirations to present compositions of new emerging composers that perhaps would not appeal to most symphonies.
So, with that in mind, concerts are usually a mixture of large ensemble pieces along with small ensemble delicacies sprinkled in. We honor the free and not so free thinking composers as we peruse the world for scores to delight our audiences. Collaborations with composers, soloists and other performance media are what make CMOP performances exciting!
Worldwide appearances
Renee’ Baker instrumentalist. composer, conductor
Black Prism- Center for Black Music Research
Harris Theatre 2/2011
MIYUMI Project w/ Tatsu Aoki6/2011
Millenium Park, Chicago
Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra Glasgow, Scotland GIO Festival 2011
Musicians: Una McGlone, Raymond MacDonald, Satoko Fujii
London Improvisers Orchestra Festival Of the CityLondon, UK 2012
Musicians: Steve Beresford, Eddie Prevost, Veryan Weston, Alison Blunt, Benedict Taylor, Maggie Nichols, Sylvia Hallett
Una Macglone Project/GIOrecording Scotland 6/2012
Tri-Centric Opera Orchestra- Trillium J Anthony Braxton 9/2011 Roulette NY
Echo Echo Music HouseAnthony Braxton9/2011Roulette NY
Falling River Music Anthony Braxton9/2011Roulette NY
Burning Wood Contemporary Strings 2011-present
Musicians:Alison Blunt, Hannah Marshall, Ivor Kallin, David Leahy, Benedict Taylor, Nouria Santain
Locations: Shoreditch Church/Lumen/ University of Cheltenham- Exposed Series/Colorscape Festival/Café Oto/ Vortex Jazz Club
Goldsmith’s College/Servant Jazz Quarters
Berlin Improvisers OrchestraBerlin2012 /2013 Galerie Bb
Musicians: Anna Kaluza, Horst Honnamacher, Alison Blunt, Richard Tejero
David Boykin Expanse/Chicago Modern orchestra Project-
Summer Solstice9/2012
63rd Street Beach, Chicago
Renee’ Baker Movement Project: Glassflame Galerie Zeitzone Berlin 2013
Musicians: Nina Rohlfs, movement Alison Blunt, Renee’ Baker, Horst Honnemacher
Renee’ Baker’s bleueblue walkers7/2013recording Berlin, Germany
Baker/Harnik kollektief 12/2013 recording Graz, Austria
Commissions and Premieres
Renee’ Baker, composer
2008
Circle of Life Suite
Shedd Aquarium, Chicago
Chamber Music Series- Chicago Sinfonieta
Original Score –Talofice
for Widow’s Oil (indie film) 7/2008
Naperville Film Festival
2009
A different Alone
Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia
AACM GBMEnsemble 7/2009
2010
Secret of the Golden Flower
(Chamber Orchestra) 9/2010
(Blushing Poppy Productions)
Epiphany Episcopal Church, Chicago
Roja
for Chamber Orchestra 12/2010
Chicago Modern Orchestra Project/SSCC
Warning : Brass Epiphany
(orchestra)
AACM 45th Anniversary
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Sundown’s Promise
for Taiko Ensemble and Orchestra
Commissioned by Chicago Sinfonietta
Symphony Center /Dominican University 10/2010
2011
Cicada Summer/Dreams of Timelessness
9/2011
Blushing Poppy Productions
DeFibrillator Theatre
Pigeons,Ostriches and Butterflies
5/2011
Brookfield Zoo Discovery Centre Chamber Series
Commission Chicago Sinfonietta
Original Score:Making of the Equitable Trust Building
Jack Behrends 1960 timelapse film
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Weep Dark Blue
(film/music project)
Accepted by ISIM for conference Ann Arbor Michigan
White October
for 2 marimbas and orchestra
Stepback
for jazz orchestra
Joffrey Ballet /Chicago Sinfonietta premiere 2011
Divertimento Notte blu
for orchestra and 6 jazz soloists
Commissioned by Chicago Sinfonietta
Symphony Center /Dominican University 5/2011
2012
Disrupture/Enrapture
Blushing Poppy Productions
Links Hall (chamber orchestra)Beauty
(Ballet) DanceWright Project/ San Francisco
9/2012
A different Alone
(revised ) for cello and orchestra
William Porter, soloist
Chicago Modern Orchestra Project
SSCC, Chicago
Subtle Hues of Blackbirds
Commissioned by
Southeast Symphony, Los Angeles, CA 2/2012
El Camino College, Ca
Blue Sapphire Sonapoem
for orchestra
Pepper Tribe for orchestra
South Shore Jazz Festival 8/2012 SSCC
Red Sandals Octet
South Florida Symphony
Date of performane TBD
A Different Kind of Oneness
for creative jazz trio
Hannover, Germany
Inge Rose Lippok Gallery 8/2012
2013
Pratigraha
for Solo flute
Nicole Mitchell 2013
Glassflame
for dancer and 2 violins
Galerie Zeitone, Berlin 1/2013
Second threnody
for lone viola and orchestra
Robert Fisher, violist
ChicagoModern Orchestra Project 3/2013
SSCC, Chicago
Portrait of a composer: Matters of the Spirit/Renee Baker
Works inspired by Mark Rothko and Joan Miro 5/2013
Rothko Variations/ Paragraph 2013/Dark Paintings solicit for a sign/Miro London bluSpace
Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago
SunRa Spirit
(jazz combo)
Southside Community Arts Center 6/2013
The Moon in Brown
for creative septet 6/2013
Jazz on a summer’s day Series
Lakeside Michigan
SIMPLE CONSCIOUSNESS: Painted Score Exploratorium
Out of Line Art Gallery, Chicago 9/2013
(Exhibit /performance) 30 48×48 painted scores
And We March:
for full symphony
Premiere Bellflower Symphony
Bellflower, Ca 8/2013
Portrait of a Soul:Quiet Darkness and Storms
Premiere Southland Symphony
Ontario, Ca 10/2013
2014
Commissions and premieres in progress
BluSamsara Chamber Opera
Destijlik Museum, Zwolle, Netherlands May 2014
Commission for Gaudete Brass Quintet (TBD)
2015
Current commissions/premieres in progress
SUNYATA
Chamber Opera
May 2015 Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
