+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "News"
date = "2018-10-22T20:54:00-04:00"
lastmod = "2018-10-23T20:59:00-04:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1540256042536/sqbirthday-gift-bow-box-190930.jpg.jpg"
publishDate = "2018-10-23T20:50:00-04:00"
related_articles = ["articles/cool-concerts-esprit-orchestras-201617-season.md","articles/an-operatic-horror-story-proving-up.md"]
related_companies = ["scene/companies/esprit-orchestra.md"]
short_description = "The four mainstage concerts of Esprit Orchestra&#039;s 2018/19 season happen at Toronto&#039;s Koerner Hall at 8pm. Pre-concert chats happen at 7:15pm, moderated by Alexina Louie. and New Wave Reprise goes up at Trinity St. Paul&#039;s Centre, with John Rea as keynote speaker."
slug = "new-season-offerings-from-esprit-orchestra"
title = "New season offerings from Esprit Orchestra"
+++

[Esprit Orchestra](/scene/companies/esprit-orchestra/), a Canadian leader in new orchestra music, launches its new season this week with the first of five concerts, all packed with new and brand new works.

On **October 24, 8pm**, Esprit's cosmos-themed season opener is titled [*For Orbiting Spheres*](https://www.espritorchestra.com/concert-tickets/concert/for-orbiting-spheres/), named after the first piece on the programme by American composer Missy Mazzoli (*Proving Up*, *Breaking the Waves*). Mazzoli's work gets its Canadian premiere along with Unsuk Chin's *Chorós Chordón*, and Tristan Keuris' *Sinfonia*.

**November 28, 8pm** is [*North/White*](https://www.espritorchestra.com/concert-tickets/concert/north-white/), a programme that includes work by Canadian favourite Alexina Louie, Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir's *Dreaming*. The concert gets its name from the work by R. Murray Schafer, who in a depiction of the dichotomy between Arctic beauty and environmental destruction, places a snowmobile in the percussion section. Yes, a snowmobile. "I decided to place a snowmobile in the percussion section as a symbol of noise and pollution generated by technology," Schafer clarifies.

<figure data-type="image">{{% md %}}![](https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1540255763311/EspritOrchestra.jpg.jpg)
<figcaption>Esprit Orchestra. Photo: Bo Huang.</figcaption>
</figure>

On **January 20, 8pm**, Esprit's [*Constellations*](https://www.espritorchestra.com/concert-tickets/concert/constellations/) concert will mark the opening of the University of Toronto New Music Festival. On the programme are works by Toshio Hosokawa and Alison Yun-Fei Jiang, Claude Vivier's *Orion*, and the world premiere of Christopher Goddard's *Les tringles des sistres tintaient* (a re-imagining of the Act II opening of Bizet's *Carmen*).

Esprit's 2018/19 season closes on **March 24, 8pm**, with [*Grand Slam!*](https://www.espritorchestra.com/concert-tickets/concert/grand-slam/) Joseph Johnson, principal cellist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, plays Unsuk Chin's *Cello Concerto*, and Esprit's principal percussionist Ryan Scott performs Maki Ishii's *Afro Concerto*. The concert also features the world premiere of Canadian composer Christopher Thornborrow's *Trompe l'oeil*.

Esprit Orchestra is also relaunching its New Wave Festival, originally established in 2002. On **April 5, 7:30pm**, *New Wave Reprise* features six world premieres by emerging Canadian composers.

The four mainstage concerts of Esprit Orchestra's 2018/19 season happen at Toronto's Koerner Hall at 8pm. Pre-concert chats happen at 7:15pm, moderated by Alexina Louie. *New Wave Reprise* goes up at Trinity St. Paul's Centre, with John Rea as keynote speaker.

<figure data-type="image">{{% md %}}![](https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1540255769783/Banner1819.jpg.jpg)
</figure>

>For full details and ticket information, [click here](https://www.espritorchestra.com/) or call (416) 815-7887.
