Hailed as “one of the world’s top baroque orchestras” by Gramophone Magazine, Tafelmusik is a group of remarkably talented, enthusiastic, and dynamic permanent members, each of whom is a specialist in historical performance practice.

Delighting audiences worldwide for nearly four decades, Toronto-based Tafelmusik reaches millions of people through its touring, critically acclaimed recordings, broadcasts, new media, and artistic/community partnerships. The vitality of Tafelmusik’s vision clearly resonates with its audiences in Toronto, where the orchestra performs some 80 concerts every year for a passionate and dedicated following of all ages. For over 35 years Tafelmusik has maintained a strong presence on the world stage, performing in some 350 cities in 32 countries, making it Canada’s most toured orchestra.

In January 2017 the orchestra announced the appointment of violinist Elisa Citterio, only the second Music Director in its history, who seeks to uphold Tafelmusik’s reputation for innovative and creative programming, blending familiar masterworks with rare gems, with her unique approach to period performance. Under the direction of Ivars Taurins, the Chamber Choir performs some 80 concerts every year, a focal point of Toronto’s lively early music scene.

Endeavoring to make connections between their traditional repertoire and modern audiences and issues, Tafelmusik’s musicians have developed new programs such as cross-cultural collaborations, Opera Atelier, the Sing-Along Messiah with Herr Handel at the podium, and the new Haus Musik series held at local bars, making theatricality and outreach a trademark of the organization’s work. Multimedia programs such as The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres and J.S. Bach: The Circle of Creation, conceived by bassist Alison Mackay, fuse narration, projected images, and music, and have received huge acclaim worldwide.

Tafelmusik has invested much energy and many resources into supporting the next generation of period performers through its artist training programmes, most notably through the renowned annual Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute and Tafelmusik Winter Institute. Musicians from around the globe gather to study period performance in intensive and varied programmes.

An integral part of Tafelmusik’s worldwide success has been its highly esteemed discography of over 85 baroque and classical albums on the Sony, CBC Records, Analekta, and since 2012, Tafelmusik Media labels, which have garnered many national and international awards, including nine JUNO Awards. Among recent releases is a recording of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, released this past fall, completing Tafelmusik’s cycle of Beethoven Symphonies with conductor Bruno Weil, live-performance CDs of Beethoven Eroica Symphony and Handel Messiah, and DVDs of three of Tafelmusik’s most popular performance events: Sing-Along Messiah, and Alison Mackay’s The Galileo Project, House of Dreams, and Tales of Two Cities DVD.