Esprit Orchestra Postpones NEW WAVE FESTIVAL

Esprit Orchestra has released the following statement regarding the New Wave Festival:

We have continued to monitor the conditions surrounding COVID-19, and have come to the difficult decision to postpone all three concerts in our New Wave Festival, which was set to take place at Trinity St. Paul's Centre from April 17-18th. Our decision was made following the declaration of a State of Emergency by the Ontario Provincial Government, and in accordance with the mandate to cancel all events involving 50 or more people in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus. The safety of Esprit composers, musicians, guest artists, staff, volunteers, and patrons is of paramount importance.

This festival is intended to highlight the talent of emerging composers and performers, and is a unique opportunity to launch professional music careers and connect a new generation of audiences to contemporary classical music. Our intention is to reschedule the full festival program to a later date, during Esprit's 2020-2021 season. We are committed to promoting and supporting contemporary classical composers and performers, and we will ensure that the extraordinary emerging artists who are featured on the New Wave concerts will be given a chance to perform these works at a later date. More information about when the performances will be rescheduled will be announced with next season's programming.

All tickets and festival passes will be fully refunded. Please allow up to 5 business days for refunds to be processed via Eventbrite.

All subscribers who had claimed their free festival pass using the promo code will receive a cancellation notification. Subscribers to the 2019-2020 season will still be granted access to the rescheduled New Wave Festival, and will be contacted with more information when the dates and location have been confirmed.

Patrons need not take any further steps with regard to New Wave Festival ticketing.

As a reminder, Esprit also announced on March 13, 2020 that the Taiko Returns concert at Koerner Hall has been postponed to the 2020-2021 season.

The following options are available for subscribers and single ticket holders for Taiko Returns (Sunday March 22, 2020):

Obtain a refund for the value of the ticket(s). The refundable amount is the value of the ticket purchased, less the Royal Conservatory of Music service charge of $8.00 CAD.

Donate the value of your ticket(s) for a charitable tax receipt. Your support during this challenging time is greatly valued and needed. Your generosity would help us mitigate the financial impact on Esprit and the artists we work with. The donation amount is for the value of the ticket purchased, less the $8.00 service fee.

In order to request a refund or donate the value of your ticket to Esprit, please email the Koerner Hall box office, at tickets@rcmusic.com. This offer is valid until March 31, 2020.

We would also like to note that Esprit's administrative office will be closed indefinitely, with staff working remotely. For inquiries and concerns, please feel free to contact us at one of the following email addresses:

Rachel Loo, General Manager - rachelloo@espritorchestra.com.
Amber Melhado, Marketing & Outreach Coordinator - amber@espritorchestra.com.
General inquiries - info@espritorchestra.com.

We urge the wonderful community in which we operate to find comfort in their favourite music as we endure this troubling time. Music has a way of connecting, healing, and inspiring us no matter what situation we find ourselves in. Until we can meet again inside the concert hall, we wish you all happy and healthy listening.

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