Founded in an area with little tradition of historically oriented performance, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra began to gain national and even international prominence when flutist Barthold Kuijken became its conductor, and especially after signing with the Naxos label.

The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra was founded in 1997. Two years later, the group became ensemble-in-residence at the University of Indianapolis, where it has continued to perform and serve in that capacity; concerts are also held at the Indiana History Museum and, since 2019, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and Eskenazi Health. The orchestra performs on historical instruments, mostly built during the Baroque era (1600-1750), and includes unusual instruments such as a violone, a sackbut, and one-keyed wooden flutes. In 2002, Kuijken, who had recently added conducting to his activities, accepted an invitation from University of Indiana faculty member Barbara Kallaur to conduct the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra; the concert developed into an ongoing collaboration, and in 2008, Kuijken was named the orchestra's artistic director. In 2016, the orchestra established the Indianapolis International Baroque Competition, to be held once every four years. Kuijken has led the orchestra in historically accurate performances, but the orchestra also pursues audience-friendly programming such as, in 2019, "When Indiana Was Young" and "Ticket to Ride: A Musical Journey Through Baroque Europe." The orchestra collaborates with other area groups, including the Beecher Singers of Second Presbyterian Church (who offer an annual performance of Handel's Messiah, HWV 56), the Indianapolis Suzuki Academy, and the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.

The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra began a recording program in the late 2010s, releasing The Lully Effect, featuring music by Lully, Telemann, and Rameau, in 2018. The group followed that up with The Versailles Revolution later in 2018, and The Grand Mogul: Virtuosic Baroque Flute Concertos in 2019, which featured Kuijken leading the orchestra from his Baroque flute. ~ James Manheim, Rovi