Esprit Orchestra performs works by Chin, Ades, Louie and Rea

Esprit Orchestra offers a rare opportunity to hear works by two Grawemeyer Award’Äìwinning composers in Breathless

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Toronto, ON (January 7, 2009)’ĶOn Friday, February 6, 2009, Esprit Orchestra presents Breathless, a concert highlighting the musical elements of speed, texture, colour and virtuosity. Breathless features works by two recipients of the prestigious Grawemeyer Award in composition, Unsuk Chin’Äôs Double Concerto for piano, percussion and ensemble, and Thomas Ades’Äôs Three Studies from Couperin. The program also includes works by two renowned Canadian composers: Alexina Louie’Äôs Infinite Sky with Birds and John Rea’Äôs Figures hˆ¢tives for violin and orchestra.

Conducted by Alex Pauk, Esprit’Äôs founding music director, the concert features pianist Stephen Clarke, percussionist Ryan Scott and violinist Marie Bˆ©rard, Concertmaster of the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra.

Unsuk Chin is a highly successful Korean-born composer who studied with Ligeti in Hamburg and now resides in Berlin. Her Double Concerto ’Äì a culmination of Chin's exploration of ’Äúprepared’Äù piano and percussion sonorities ’Äì is a free-flowing, agile piece that makes the ear and mind race.

Superstar English composer Thomas Adˆ®s, possesses a distinct and identifiable voice described as "the combination of cutting-edge intellectualism and an emotional connection’Äù. His Three Studies from Couperin is based on and incorporates melodic material from a Couperin harpsichord piece; it blends the melodic strains of the French Baroque with modern musical language, infused with 18th-century style and attitude.

Canada’Äôs Alexina Louie is one of the country’Äôs most frequently performed classical composers and a two-time Juno Award-winner of international renown. Infinite Sky with Birds is a colourful piece inspired by the vision of a free-wheeling, large flock of birds quickly taking flight. Infused with light, brilliant orchestral colours, motion and speed, this piece was originally commissioned by the National Arts Centre.

Award-winning composer John Rea has written music in several genres: chamber music, music-theatre, electroacoustic music, and compositions for large ensembles such as orchestra, ballet, choral, and opera. Encompassing a variety of styles and influences, Rea’Äôs music frequently makes reference to historical European and non-western traditions. A frequent theme in his compositions is the interplay of fantasy and reality. His work Figures hˆ¢tives (Hurried Figures) is about ways in which people listen to and experience music and in particular, the idea of ’Äúfast’Äù or ’Äúhurried’Äù listening.

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Concert and Ticket Details

Breathless takes place on Friday, February 6, 2009 at 8 p.m. at the Jane Mallett Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts (27 Front Street East). A pre-concert talk begins at 7:15 p.m. Tickets to Breathless are $15 for students, $24 for seniors and $32 for adults. Group rates (8+ people) are $25. For tickets contact the St. Lawrence Centre Box Office at 416-366-7723 or www.stlc.com .

About Esprit Orchestra

Esprit Orchestra is Canada’Äôs only orchestra devoted exclusively to performing new orchestral music and developing a legacy of Canadian orchestral music. Founded by composer/conductor Alex Pauk in 1983, Esprit Orchestra is comprised of a core of 45 dedicated musicians with the special skills required to perform contemporary orchestral music. Esprit commissions and premieres new works each season and ensures continued public access to these works through encore performances, radio broadcasts, compact disc and film recordings, and national and international tours. For more information visit www.espritorchestra.com.