About Esprit

                     Alex Pauk, Music Director & Conductor

                     

"It's time to put aside ancient prejudices about 'new' music and taste the delicious range of musical art being produced today. And there's no better place to do so than with the Esprit Orchestra, Canada's only orchestra devoted to contemporary and new music. Expand your horizons. You won't regret it." - Robert Harris, Globe and Mail

                     Esprit Orchestra was formed in 1983 by Music Director and Conductor Alex Pauk to bring new music to Canadians and to champion new music by Canadian Composers. Now in its 21st year, Esprit remains Canada's only full-sized orchestra devoted exclusively to new music.

                     Each season, this innovative Toronto-based orchestra commissions, performs and promotes Canadian composers through a 5-concert Subscription Series. The series also features Canadian premieres of music by leading International composers, including Adams, Andriessen, Kurtág, Ligeti, Penderecki, Schnittke, Takemitsu, van der Aa, among many others. All Esprit concerts are recorded for broadcast by CBC Radio Two New Hours (94.1 FM), making the orchestra's distinctive music available to musical patrons worldwide.

                     Check out Esprit's exciting 2005/05 Concert Lineup

                     Esprit proudly presents the music of Canada's brightest rising star composers - Bolton, Harman, Ledroit, Plamondon, Ristic and Steenhuisen. A regular feature of our season is the New Wave Composers Festival, a multi-day event that brings together Canada's finest emerging composers for symposiums, adventurous concerts and much more. Esprit's New Wave Composers Festival represents a rare chance for Canada to discover, experience the music of, and meet, the country's finest emerging composers under one roof!

                     Every season, Alex Pauk and his 45-member orchestra collaborate with outstanding soloists and ensembles to give audiences spine-tingling performances of contemporary classical music.

                     Esprit's involvement with the film world runs deep. Under the experienced baton of Alex Pauk, Esprit regularly records soundtracks for performing art films by Rhombus Media. Award-winning Canadian film directors Larry Weinstein, Don McKellar, Jeremy Podeswa, Don McBrearty and Deepa Mehta have used Esprit in film soundtrack recording.

                     With CBC Records, Esprit has produced a selection of quality recordings of leading Canadian composers, giving those unable to attend concerts the chance to enjoy Esprit's finely-skilled, musicians in performance of Canada's most accomplished composers.

                     Over the years, audiences have grown steadily with more and more young people attending concerts to inspire their passions and spark their imaginations. Each season, Esprit presents concerts and events as part of its education program, Toward A Living Art.

                     Discover how you can participate in Esprit's Education program.

                     Support Esprit this season.

                     Click here to purchase your season's subscription.