Noteworthy

Picture this: An early-career composer, clutching their score, hears their work performed by an orchestra for the very first time. They’re in awe, witnessing their ideas materialize into sound from inside Roy Thomson Hall. Explore the Score annually offers this extraordinary opportunity for emerging Canadian composers to bring their musical visions to life by collaborating directly with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and leading voices in the world of composition. This year’s session, held on November 9, was made even more thrilling by the participation of John Adams, one of today’s most influential composers, who joined as a mentor and guest advisor.

For composers in the initial stages of their careers, hearing their music played by a full orchestra is both a formative and transformative experience. As Emilie LeBel, TSO Composer Advisor, aptly put it: You don’t learn how to write for orchestra until you hear your pieces played by an orchestra. Explore the Score provides that rare, invaluable chance to not only hear your music but also receive professional feedback from conductors, musicians, and renowned composers.”

The Composers & Their Works

This year’s Explore the Score featured works by four outstanding emerging composers:

• Michael Maevskiy: Things That Are Bigger than Us
  Inspired by the vastness of the night sky, Maevskiy’s composition evokes feelings of insignificance and wonder. Long drone-like lines obscure a distant melody, culminating in a romantic outburst before fading into the mystery of the night.
  
  
• Michelle Lorimer: “Anger & Depression” from Suite for Grief
  Lorimer’s work reflects the turbulent stages of grief, from the boiling intensity of anger to the immobilizing weight of depression. Drawing from personal experiences and literary influences, her piece captures the raw emotional journey of mourning and healing.
  
  
• Paul Kawabe: I Went to Visit Yesterday’s Ruins
  Inspired by the history of forgotten urban spaces, Kawabe’s piece takes listeners on an imaginative exploration of a defunct broom factory in Toronto. The music delves into the intrigue and unease of rediscovering history in a rapidly evolving cityscape.
  
  
• Sky Yang: Hourglass
  Yang’s innovative composition imagines a human trapped inside a colossal hourglass. Experimenting with air sounds and glissando motifs, the piece conveys a harrowing and cyclical struggle against time, reflecting themes of mortality and repetition.

A Collaborative Atmosphere

The score-reading session, led by RBC Resident Conductor Trevor Wilson, brought together a diverse array of guests, including RBC Affiliate Composer Liam Ritz; representatives from the Canadian League of Composers, the Canadian Music Centre, and the American Composers Orchestra; and other members of TSO’s Artistic team. Donors were also in attendance, underscoring the community's support for cultivating new talent.

Following the reading, the composers received valuable feedback from a panel comprising Adams, LeBel, and three representatives from the orchestra—TSO Bassoon/Contrabassoon Fraser Jackson, TSO Cello Song Hee Lee, and TSO Horn Nicholas Hartman. Adams, reflecting on his extensive work with emerging composers, shared: I’ve worked with younger composers for over 50 years, conducting their premières and witnessing their growth. It’s inspiring to be part of this journey and see how new ideas take shape.”

Explore the Score reflects the TSO’s ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of Canadian composers. This year’s event built on the momentum of other new-music initiatives, such as the NextGen Composers program. These opportunities serve as launching pads for creators, enabling them to refine their craft and contribute to the evolving contemporary orchestral repertoire. Orchestral music isn’t confined to the past; it remains a vital art form today.