Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra

The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra (also known simply as Tafelmusik) is a Canadian orchestra specializing in historically-informed performance and based in Toronto. The orchestra plays period instruments appropriate to the era of music, including baroque, classical and romantic eras.

The orchestra was founded in 1979 by oboist Kenneth Solway and bassoonist Susan Graves. Violinist Jeanne Lamon led the organization artistically from 1981 to 2014, and Elisa Citterio from 2017 to 2021. Artistic Co-Directors Cristina Zacharias, Dominic Teresi and Brandon Chui began artistic leadership in 2022, leading the organization through a pandemic recovery and renewal.^[1]

Violinist Rachel Podger joined the artistic team in Fall 2024 as Principal Guest Director.

The orchestra has sixteen full-time members who specialize in historical performance and technique, with additional musicians joining the ensemble when required.

The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, under the direction of Ivars Taurins, was formed in 1981 to complement the orchestra.

Tafelmusik performs over 50 concerts for its subscription season at Jeanne Lamon Hall in Trinity-St. Paul's United Church, a historic church in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, and at Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for the Performing Arts, Royal Conservatory of Music. They also collaborate with Opera Atelier each season at the Elgin Theatre in downtown Toronto. Tafelmusik's annual Sing Along Messiah is traditionally held at Massey Hall.

The orchestra has toured in 350 cities in 32 countries,touring regularly across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.^[1] From 1993 to 2011, Tafelmusik was orchestra in residence at the German Klang und Raum Festival in the small village of Irsee in Bavaria.

In 2002 the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute was created to provide pre-professional and professional musicians with a unique training programme in instrumental and vocal baroque performance practice. The institute is a two-week program consisting of masterclasses, private lessons, orchestral and choral rehearsals, chamber ensemble work, lectures and seminars, and baroque dance classes.

The orchestra also performs at times without sheet music and has offered insightful multimedia shows shining a light on various historical topics and making interesting connections. Notable projects include The Galileo Project, House of Dreams, Circle of Creation and Tales of Two Cities.^[2][3][1]

• 10 JUNO Awards, most recently for Classical Album of the Year for Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6, and Children's Album Of The Year for Baroque Adventure: The Quest for Arundo Donax
• The Echo Klassik Award for Best Orchestra of the Year (Germany's highest recording accolade)

The orchestra's recordings have also received the following awards:

• Editor's Choice in Gramophone Magazine
• Recording of the Month in BBC Music Magazine
• Diapason D'Or awards
• Record of the Year in Absolute Sound Magazine
• Disc of the Month in CD Review

The orchestra has made over 80 recordings, DVDs and CDs. Some are to be found in Sony Classical's Vivarte series, Analekta and CBC Records. Tafelmusik launched the independent label Tafelmusik Media in January 2012.

The recordings include:

• Haydn Symphonies 43 & 49 with Rachel Podger (2024)
• The complete symphonies of Beethoven (conducted by Bruno Weil)
• Music of Joseph Bologne
• Bach, Handel, Vivaldi concertos, most recently Vivaldi con amore (2019)
• Works by Salamone Rossi
• Haydn, Mozart and Mendelssohn symphonies (conducted by Bruno Weil)

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• Colbert Artists Management Inc.
• Interview with Jeanne Lamon, November 11, 1993