Toronto Alternative Chamber Orchestra
Welcome to the online home for all things TACO! More information is being added to this site on an ongoing basis so please bookmark and check back often.
Welcome to the online home for all things TACO! More information is being added to this site on an ongoing basis so please bookmark and check back often.
TACO is an orchestra for the 21st century dedicated to building a modern concert going experience while still retaining the high artistic standard of a professional classical ensemble. We want to bring the joy and community of western art music - without the intimidation factor - to the next generation of enthusiasts, especially those who may be newcomers to the art form.
We are a group of musicians and music enthusiasts who want to change the status quo and challenge the perceptions of our industry by welcoming audiences of longtime music lovers and orchestra newcomers alike.
We are a group of professionally trained musicians from around the GTA, led by artistic director Lauren Yeomans. Our musicians bring high-quality musicianship, enthusiasm for their art, and belief that a better and kinder world is possible.
Artistic Director Lauren Yeomans is a Toronto-born conductor and flautist known for providing bold and robust interpretations to the worlds of solo, chamber and orchestral music. She founded the Toronto Alternative Chamber Orchestra to provide her hometown with an inclusive way to connect to the world of classical music as well as provide a stage for voices that may have been traditionally excluded from the concert hall.
In addition to the TACO, Lauren has guest conducted the Milton Philharmonic as a candidate for Music Director, served two years as Assistant Conductor of Summerhill Orchestra and completed a Conducting Apprenticeship at Orchestra Toronto under the guidance of Michael Newnham. She recently participated in an International Conductor's Guild workshop with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra under the guidance of John Farrer, Julius Williams and Geoff Robson; participated in Maestro Masterclasses with Don Schleicher; and Cascade Conducting with Sarah Ioannides and Ayis Ioannides. She has also participated in the Conductor's Retreat at Medomak with Ken Kiesler; LA Conducting Workshop with Neil Thomson and Scott Weiss; the Pacific Northwest Conducting Institute with Diane Wittry and Anna Edwards; and participated in the Girls Who Conduct Early Career Program with Chaowen Ting.
She is Principal Flute of the Etobicoke Philharmonic (an ensemble which offered her a conducting debut) and performed several concerti with the Lavinia Ensemble. She has performed with numerous orchestras throughout Ontario including the Windsor Symphony, Niagara Symphony, Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, North Bay Symphony, Sudbury Symphony and Orchestra Toronto (amongst others). She is the co-founder and flautist of Quintagious!, a wind quintet specializing in thoughtfully-curated concert programming, where she has arranged a number of works for the ensemble including Ravel's Ma Mere L'Oye, Raymond Scott's Powerhouse and Steinman's Total Eclipse of the Heart. Lauren earned her Master of Music in Flute Performance from Rutgers University studying with Bart Feller, and her Performance Diploma from the Glenn Gould School with Kathleen Rudolph.
Executive Director Christopher Dunham has captivated audiences with his "vocally powerful and dramatic" baritone voice (Opera Canada) across North America and Europe.
A graduate from L'Atelier Lyrique de L'Opéra de Montréal and Atlanta Opera's Young Artist Residency, Christopher is the winner of the Desmarais Development Bursary three years in a row and the Jeunesses Musicals Canada's Young Mentorship position. Christopher is equally comfortable in concert, opera, recital, circus, and burlesque.
Christopher is equally accomplished in the world of business entertainment where he works for entertainment giants MGM and Disney as a Clearance Coordinator, Assistant Producer and Contract Negotiator. He is thrilled to take on the Executive Directorship of the TACO and is excited to bring more music to you.
Board of Directors: Carl Jackson, Christopher Dunham, Kevin Harris, Marc Blouin, Megan Morris, Sarah Sheffe
Winter blues got you down? Join us for Spirited Serenades, an evening of the hottest summer sarabandes to warm your winter woes. Located in an intimate comedy club (that was formally a blues bar), grab a beverage and soothe your soul with the works of some of the best: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ruth Gipps and Antonín Dvořák!
The Social Capital is located just east of Broadview and Danforth right across from Danforth Music Hall. The Main Stage is located on the second floor so does require walking up a flight of stairs to access. This fun and informal concert will run around 90 minutes with one intermission.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $30 for 30 and under* available at the door or for purchase in advance here!
*N.B. Every dollar of ticket sales goes directly towards our operating costs including venue and musician fees. That said, TACO strongly believes that finances should not be a barrier to accessing the arts. If you would like to come to this concert but are unable to pay the full ticket price, or if you are interested in paying for someone to attend this concert who may otherwise not be able to do so, please email us at info@tacorchestra.ca.
Summer Fling - A casual evening of classical splendour featuring works by Aaron Copland, Felix Mendelssohn and Jessie Montgomery (July 2024)
Winter Warm Up - A cozy afternoon at Dark Horse Pub featuring works by Richard Wagner, Louise Farrenc, Igor Stravinsky and Gustav Mahler (December 2023)
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