Leaf Music and Canadian Chamber Orchestra (CCO), a Toronto-based 14-piece string ensemble, announce the release of debut album, Where the Light Breaks. Recorded at Kingston’s Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts through the IMAGINE program, the album brings together six works that move through themes of grief, memory, cultural identity, consolation, celebration, and possibility. Rather than following a predetermined concept, the repertoire took shape organically through the ensemble’s shared artistic curiosity, revealing unexpected connections between composers and musical worlds.
Featuring works by George Walker, Dinuk Wijeratne, Jocelyn Morlock, Kevin Lau, Osvaldo Golijov, and Edward Elgar, Where the Light Breaks moves between intimate reflection and visceral energy. Walker’s Lyric for Strings offers a poignant meditation on grief and memory, while Wijeratne’s Gajaga Vannama draws on Sri Lankan musical traditions to explore cultural identity and transformation. Morlock’s Solace and Lau’s Joy offer contrasting emotional perspectives, complemented by the intensity of Golijov’s Last Round and the expansive orchestral writing of Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro.
The recording also features special collaborations with composer and pianist Dinuk Wijeratne and the Rolston String Quartet, alongside performances by CCO members stepping forward as soloists. These contributions highlight the individuality of the musicians while showcasing the ensemble’s collective range and expressive possibilities. The album’s title reflects its shifting emotional landscapes, evoking the image of stained glass transformed by passing light. Each composition offers a distinct perspective, with its own colours, contrasts, and textures, inviting listeners to move between musical worlds and discover the connections that emerge.
Where the Light Breaks marks the beginning of that journey, offering an introduction to an ensemble whose artistic identity is rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and the expressive possibilities of chamber music.
ABOUT CANADIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Founded by cellists and longtime collaborators Andrew Ascenzo and Drew Comstock, the Canadian Chamber Orchestra brings together leading Canadian musicians to create powerful, intimate, and immersive musical experiences. Based in Toronto, the ensemble explores reimagined classics, contemporary Canadian repertoire, and new commissions through a collaborative approach that places performers, composers, and audiences in dialogue. Driven by a commitment to storytelling, community, and musical innovation, the CCO is establishing a distinctive voice within Canada’s contemporary classical landscape.
Leaf Music is an independent classical recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Nashville, Tennessee. The label produces and distributes recordings by artists and composers from across North America, with worldwide distribution through Naxos of America. In addition to its recording activities, Leaf Music provides professional audio and video production, post-production, and integrated marketing and distribution services.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Meg Henebury
Email: meg@leaf.music
