About the Orchestra Book Club

Founded by conductor Reuben Stern in 2022, the Orchestra Book Club is an innovative volunteer orchestra committed to creating radically inclusive classical orchestral experiences within the Greater Boston area. Our mission is to break down barriers within the orchestral world for players, audiences, and composers alike, through welcoming, fun, and accessible events designed to bring communities together.

Our name comes from our monthly sightreading parties, which draw diverse musicians from all across the region to read through great works of the orchestral repertoire. These readings are open to all who play orchestral instruments—no auditions necessary! Beyond the readings, the “book club” ethos pervades all our other events and programs. In our concerts, we feature engaging discussion and demonstration of the repertoire to provide our audiences perspective with which to hear the music in its entirety, with the goal being that those who are unfamiliar with classical music may feel welcomed and better equipped to experience the performance, and that those who are seasoned classical music listeners may learn something new along the way.

On our horizon are two new projects: a chamber music concert series called OBC Minis, featuring our talented players in more intimate and interesting settings, and a long-term mentorship project for early-career composers in the Greater Boston area, called OBC Sessions. Through both of these projects, we aim to help nurture the health of new music in the region.