Each season the WMCT commissions a new chamber work from a Canadian composer for performance during that season’s Music in the Afternoon concerts series. Scores are available at the Canadian Music Centre.
Anna Pidgorna‘s Lekking Birds was premièred at the first virtual Music in the Afternoon concert, livestreamed from Walter Hall on November 12, 2020. The performers, masked and distanced for pandemic safety, were Kornel Wolak, clarinet, Michael Bridge, accordion, and Amahl Arulanandam, cello.
WMCT commissions:
Kelly-Marie Murphy – Coffee will be Served in the Living Room, for eight cellos, was premièred at “CelloDrama!” on May 3, 2018, and won the 2020 Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music.
Vivian Fung – Bounce, premièred by James Sommerville, horn, Scott St. John, violin, and Peter Longworth, piano, on November 24, 2016.
Zosha di Castri – Near Mute Force, premièred at “Dannthology”, by Steven Dann, viola, and friends and family on April 7, 2016.
Christopher Mayo – Twentieth Century Ikon, premièred by Ensemble Made in Canada, on May 7, 2015
Christos Hatzis – Atonement, premièred by Yegor Dyachkov, cello, and Jean Saulnier, piano, on March 20, 2014
John Estacio – Song cycle Away and Awake in the Night, for baritone, violin, and piano, premièred by James Ehnes, violin, Russell Braun, baritone, & Carolyn Maule, piano, May 2, 2013
Chris Paul Harman – Sonatine, premièred by Robert Aitken, flute, and Simon Fryer, cello, October 27, 2011
Timothy Corlis – Raven and the first Men, for clarinet, strings, and images, premièred by James Campbell, clarinet, and the New Zealand String Quartet, October 14, 2010
Glenn Buhr – String quartet no. 4 (2010), premièred by the Penderecki String Quartet, March 25, 2010
Larysa Kuzmenko – Fantasy for cello, premièred by Kaori Yamagami, November 20, 2008
Stewart Goodyear – Dogged By Hell Hounds (a tribute to bluesman Robert Johnson), premièred by Stewart Goodyear, piano, December 6, 2007
Barbara Croall – Bigiiwe (She is Coming Home), premièred by Marion Newman, mezzo-soprano, and Gregory Oh, piano, April 26, 2007
Alexander Rapoport – Variationen ohne Worte, premièred by Meredith Hall, soprano, and Bernard Farley, guitar, April 20, 2006
Chan Ka Nin – Rhythm of Life, premièred by Sonia Chan, piano, February 3, 2005
Donald Coakley – Fanfare for a Festive Anniversary, commissioned for the WMCT’s gala Centennial Celebration Concert, performed in the lobby of the George Weston Recital Hall by Chris Howells, trumpet and leader, Shawn Moody, trumpet, Toni Carlucci, trumpet, Allistar Gaskin, trombone, and Douglas Gibson, trombone, on May 24, 1998
Jacques Hétu – Fantaisie for piano, Op.59, imposed work for 1997 Career Development Award competition, premièred by Jeanie Chung on November 27, 1997