Esprit Orchestra 2023/2024 Season

2023/2024

Alex Pauk Founder, Music Director, Conductor

BIG SEASON BIG ORCHESTRA BIG REPERTOIRE ATKOERNERHALL

As a highlight of Esprit’s season we’ll perform the North American premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Operascope as a co-commissioner of the work with the Bayerische Staatsorchester, Orchestre de Paris, Sao Paulo State Symphony and the Tongyeong Festival in South Korea. The piece appears on our January concert with Chin, Mochizuki and Ueda forming an impressive trio of composers offering diverse perspectives. Shaking the earth, opening the heavens, sounding the ocean depths, exploring the psyche – this season we’ll engage you physically, emotionally and spiritually, immersing you in a flow of sonorities for contemplation, pleasure, challenge, dreaming, enlightenment, surprise and discovery.

I’ve programmed bold, visionary works for large orchestra reflecting a unity of 20th and 21st Century music at its best. Heading our line-up is Xenakis, who, by merging math and architectural concepts with sound in revolutionary ways, influenced change in music that followed more than any other late-20th century composer. Three other outstanding composers who left us in their senior years are honoured including Ligeti, currently celebrated world-wide in the 100th anniversary of his birth, R. Murray Schafer in the 90th anniversary of his birth and Kaija Saariaho who passed away this past June.

Two composers pay tribute to Robert Schumann in extremely different ways –Mochizuki with a deep exploration of the psyche and Schafer in a monodrama setting excerpts from Clara Schumann’s diaries concerning Robert’s last days with her.

A work of great beauty and emotional power by Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov belies Putin’s denial of Ukraine’s existence culturally, socially and geographically.

Finally, two giants of music, R. Murray Schafer and John Adams, in a magnificent finale to our season, prove that new music follows many pathways to provide transformative experiences for listeners.

I welcome you to join us as we launch Esprit’s 41st season of musical adventures.

Alex Pauk, C.M.

2023/2024 SEASON AT A GLANCE

8:00 pm Concert

7:15 pm Pre-Concert Chat

Koerner Hall

ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5TH espritorchestra.com

Koerner Hall Box Office 416 408 0208

Season Sponsor

Sunday, October 15, 2023

X MARKS THE SPOT

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Anna Meredith (Scotland)

Iannis Xenakis (Greece)

György Ligeti (Hungary)

R. Murray Schafer (Canada)

Thursday, November 30, 2023

CIRCLE MAPS

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Erica Goodman, Harp

Kevin Ahfat, Piano

Vito Žuraj (Slovenia)

Žibuokle Martinaityte (Lithuania)

Alex Pauk (Canada)

Valentin Silvestrov (Ukraine)

Kaija Saariaho (Finland)

Anna Meredith Žibuokle . Martinaityte .

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

(THREE)

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Naomi Sato, Sho

Zhongxi Wu, Sheng/Suona

Misato Mochizuki (Japan)

Unsuk Chin (South Korea)

Rita Ueda (Canada)

Thursday, March 28, 2024

VIOLINISSIMO II

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Aaron Schwebel, Violin

Wesley Shen, Harpsichord

Mark Fewer, Violin

Max Richter (United Kingdom)

György Ligeti (Hungary)

Thursday, April 25, 2024

SONIC UNIVERSE

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Krisztina Szabo, Mezzo Soprano

R. Murray Schafer (Canada)

John Adams (United States)

John Adams

Max Richter

Misato Mochizuki

MATCHING FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

Michael and Sonja Koerner, through The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation, have generously offered to match Esprit fundraising.

Double the impact of your contribution by joining the Koerners in their support as benefactors of Esprit.

Your contribution can be made through one of the following: Online through canadahelps.org

Cheque mailed to Esprit Orchestra

511-174 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 2C2

By credit card over the phone 416-815-7887

Charitable Number: 12258 4782 RR0001

PRE-CONCERT CHATS ENHANCE YOUR CONCERT EXPERIENCE

Looking for an opportunity to engage with the composers and soloists featured in our concerts?

Esprit hosts FREE Pre Concert Chats in Koerner Hall immediately before every concert. Each discussion is hosted by Juno Award winning Canadian composer Alexina Louie.

All Pre Concert Chats are free with your ticket purchase and start at 7:15pm — 45 minutes before showtime.

Left to right: Cameron Crozman, James O’Callaghan, Alexina Louie

Esprit Orchestra following a performance of John Corigliano’s “Symphony No. 1” in April 2023

Iannis Xenakis

8:00 pm Concert

7:15 pm Pre-Concert Chat

Koerner Hall

Koerner Hall Box Office 416 408 0208

X MARKS THE SPOT

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Anna Meredith (Scotland) Nautilus* (2011/21) arranged for orchestra by Jack Ross

Iannis Xenakis (Greece) Pour les Baleines (1986) (For the Whales) for large string orchestra

György Ligeti (Hungary) Atmosphères (1961) for large orchestra

R. Murray Schafer (Canada) Dream Rainbow Dream Thunder (1986)

Iannis Xenakis (Greece) Jonchaies (1977) for a large orchestra of 109 musicians

Exploring varied musical, physical and psychological environments, any one of which could be marked with an X as a destination worth visiting, this program moves from Meredith’s bold, highly energized Nautilus, derived from a stomp along a beach in Scotland, to Schafer’s depiction of the rain and mist shrouded Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig’s castle in the Bavarian mountains. As in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ligeti’s Atmosphères will transfix listeners in the timelessness and outer limits of cosmic sound and silence. Using advanced mathematical calculations to generate forms and textures in music, Xenakis changed the direction of composition in the 20th century forever as can be experienced in the poetic expressions in two of his astounding works on this program.

Kaija Saariaho

Thursday November 30 2023

CIRCLE MAPS

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Erica Goodman, Harp

Kevin Ahfat, Piano

Vito Žuraj (Slovenia)

8:00 pm Concert

7:15 pm Pre-Concert Chat Koerner Hall

Koerner Hall Box Office 416 408 0208

Api-danza macabra* (2021) (Macabre Bee Dance)

Žibuokle . Martinaityte . (Lithuania) Millefleur** (2018)

Alex Pauk (Canada)

Concerto for Harp & Orchestra (2005)

I. Floating World

II. Riffs

III. Embrace

IV. Cadenza

V. Salsalito

Valentin Silvestrov (Ukraine) Postludium (1984)

Symphonic Poem for Piano and Orchestra

Kaija Saariaho (Finland)

Circle Map** (2012) for orchestra and electronics

I. Morning Wind

II. Walls Closing

III. Circles

IV. Days are Sieves

V. Dialogue

VI. Day and Night, Music

Traversing rich and varied musical landscapes, this concert laments the dramatic ecological loss of bees and the associated acoustic loss (referencing its musical predecessor Rimsky Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee), presents a tapestry of a thousand flowers in the constantly shimmering gestures of Martinaityte ’s sonic garden, and delivers harp virtuosity in our Music Director’s harp concerto, especially written for Erica Goodman. Silvestrov’s Postludium, rippling with nostalgia and swirling memories, belies Vladimir Putin’s contention that Ukraine doesn’t exist as a country with its own cultural identity. In memoriam, we honour the late Kaija Saariaho performing her fabulous musical voyage through evocative sound worlds guided by texts of the great Persian poet Rumi.

Unsuk Chin

Wednesday January 24 2024

8:00 pm Concert

7:15 pm Pre-Concert Chat Koerner Hall

(THREE)

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Naomi Sato, Sho

Zhongxi Wu, Sheng/Suona

Misato Mochizuki (Japan) Nigredo* (2009/rev.2018) Hommage à Robert Schumann

Unsuk Chin (South Korea) Operascope ** (2023)

Rita Ueda (Canada)

ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5TH espritorchestra.com

Koerner Hall Box Office 416 408 0208

Birds Calling…From the Canada in You*** (2022) for sho, sheng/suona & orchestra

I. Phoenix Flies Over the Ocean of Dreams

II. Birds Canada

III. Danger!

IV. From the Canada in You

Collaborating with some of the world’s great orchestras, Esprit has co commissioned Operascope for orchestra by Unsuk Chin and will give the work’s North American Premiere on this program. Operascope traces the history of operatic music – with references to Verdi, Puccini, Messiaen, Berg and Shostakovich. Azrieli Music Prize winner Rita Ueda’s double concerto, with musicians positioned throughout Koerner Hall, blends Japanese, Chinese and Western influences with the Canadian landscape (especially bird calls) and pursues a new transcultural musical identity by asking what it means to migrate and settle on land already rich in history. Mochizuki’s musical collage intimates deep psychological transformations as described by Carl G. Jung and almost subliminally incorporates an hommage to Robert Schumann.

* North American Premiere

** North American Premiere, co commissioned by the Bayerische Staatsorchester (DE), Esprit Orchestra (CA), Orchestre de Paris (FR), Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (BR) & Tongyeong Festival (KR)

*** Toronto Premiere, originally commissioned by the Azrieli Foundation recognizing Rita Ueda as the recipient of the 2022 Azrieli Music Prize for New Canadian Music

György Ligeti

8:00 pm Concert

7:15 pm Pre-Concert Chat

Koerner Hall

VIOLINISSIMO II

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Aaron Schwebel, Violin

Wesley Shen, Harpsichord

Mark Fewer, Violin

Koerner Hall Box Office 416 408 0208

Max Richter (United Kingdom) The Four Seasons Recomposed (2012)

I. Spring

II. Summer

III. Autumn

IV. Winter

György Ligeti (Hungary) Continuum (1968) for solo harpsichord

György Ligeti (Hungary) Concerto for Violin & Orchestra (1990 92)

I. Vivace luminoso

II. Aria, Hoquetus, Chorale, Andante

III. Intermezzo. Presto

IV. Passacaglia. Lento intenso

V. Appassionato. Agitato molto

Aaron Schwebel returns to our stage to perform the entire The Four Seasons Recomposed by Richter whose re writing of Vivaldi’s work moves it away from being the omnipresent piece of muzak that it has become. In contrast, Ligeti’s violin concerto, creating unexpected new sounds combined in novel ways, even uses mistuned string instruments, ocarinas and slide whistles to suggest Hungarian folksong. Shimmering harmonies, slow moving, soaring melodies and rhythmic complexities and the “mad virtuousity” of the soloist’s role all contribute to the high level of excitement in this piece. Forming a bridge between the “baroque” harpsichord material in the Richter and the modern nature of Ligeti’s work, a solo harpsichord piece by Ligeti appears as a musical amuse bouche.

R. Murray Schafer

8:00 pm Concert

SONIC UNIVERSE

Alex Pauk, Conductor

Krisztina Szabo, Mezzo Soprano

R. Murray Schafer (Canada)

Adieu Robert Schumann (1976) for mezzo soprano & orchestra

John Adams (United States) Harmonielehre (1985)

I. First Movement

II. The Anfortas Wound

III. Meister Eckhardt and Quackie

Two master composers provide inspiration for this concert. Schafer’s work is concerned with the last days of Robert Schumann, from the time of his first hallucinations until his death in the Endenich asylum in 1856. Adapted selections from Clara Schumann’s diaries form the monodrama in Schafer’s work. The piece incorporates fragments of Schumann’s own vocal and piano compositions including the melody he wrote down the night of his first hallucination which he claimed was dictated to him by the angels. Harmonielehre is a musical tour de force. In Adams’ words, his piece, “postmodern in spirit”, is “a large, three movement work for orchestra that marries the developmental techniques of Minimalism with the harmonic and expressive world of fin de siècle late Romanticism”.

SOLOISTS

Erica Goodman (CA) Harp

Kevin Ahfat (CA) Piano

Naomi Sato (NL) Sho

Zhongxi Wu (CA) Sheng / Suona

Aaron Schwebel (CA) Violin

Mark Fewer (CA) Violin

Wesley Shen (CA) Harpsichord

Krisztina Szabo (CA) Mezzo Soprano

ESPRIT ORCHESTRA IS CANADA’S ONLY FULL-SIZED, PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA DEVOTED TO PERFORMING AND PROMOTING NEW ORCHESTRAL MUSIC.

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Esprit Orchestra gratefully acknowledges the following for their generous support

SEASON SPONSOR

The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation

The Mary-Margaret Webb Foundation

The Max Clarkson Family Foundation

Tim & Frances Price

Anonymous

511-174 Spadina Ave. Toronto, ON M5T 2C2 416 815 7887

info@espritorchestra.com

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