The Classical Music Consort is the only ensemble of its kind in Toronto. It represents a unique venture: through a historically informed approach, the ensemble is dedicated to raising the awareness of the artistic community in Canada of the richness and variety of the repertoire and aesthetic of the Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Centuries.

At the same time, the CMC is committed to fostering the growth of new music in Canada. In its first season it commissioned a new work for each of its three concerts, two of which were by Canadian composers Adam Sherkin and Ian McAndrew.

Through its performances, the CMC hopes that the societal, political, and moral issues that were important during the Enlightenment can be more fully explored. The relevance of this music for the current state of our world is undeniable, a world which is filled with intransigence and intolerance. Important thinkers during the period of the Enlightenment espoused ideas that were much different including promoting the importance of morality in reconciling two opposing forces, arriving at a principal of tolerance, and promoting beauty. This concept is ubiquitously endorsed by composers of the Eighteenth Century, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

As these composers became more familiar with the philosophies of the Enlightenment, it was inevitable that these issues would imbue their compositional process. This enabled composers of the period to advocate the concept of co-existence promoted by intellectuals of the period, which could certainly serve as an important lesson as relevant for our contemporaries as it was for theirs.

Another central feature of Enlightenment philosophy was the exchange and exploration of new ideas and concepts, and creating forums for the pursuit of intellectual curiosity. This is why the CMC believes that fostering the growth and development of new compositions by Canadian composers is a central aspect of its mandate – adding to the development of a new canon of music by Canadians, furthering its impact on the international artistic community.

While being committed to exploring these issues through the performance of this music, our aim is to develop a touring, world-class ensemble. We would like to instill performances by the CMC with a progressive outlook, promoting its freshness and vitality for contemporary audiences, and by promoting the ideas outlined above, uphold as Canadians our values of tolerance, bridge-building, and problem-solving by means of intellectual discourse.