Toronto Early Music Players Organization

About Us

The Toronto Early Music Players Organization is a registered non-profit group founded in 1984. TEMPO promotes the appreciation of early music and provides a venue for amateur musicians to receive professionally coached sessions and to play together.  At every monthly workshop we have a professional coach. Coaches provide fascinating music and bring insight, learning and instruction to it. If you are new to TEMPO, welcome! Please contact our President, Elan Dresher at info@tempotoronto.net for a link to the workshop’s music. You will need to print it and bring it with you to the session (along with a music stand). Our members primarily play recorders, viols, flutes, violins and other early instruments, but all instruments are welcome! 

Year at a Glance 2025/26

Sept. 14, Colin Savage: "Guided by Voices".  Favourite Renaissance music from the Voces8 songbook. Works by Byrd, Gabrieli, Mouton, Allegri, et al.

Oct. 19, Jonathan Wong: "All About That (Ground) Bass". In the spirit of fall, we’ll explore famous lament and other ground bass compositions by Monteverdi, Purcell, and others, which will become a springboard for learning about figured bass and trying out some improvisation and playing of divisions.

Nov. 9, Francis Colpron: “From Willaert to Take-Five! It's a rendez-vous!”. Come on a journey through the musical works of composers such as Willaert, Engelmann, Holborne, and Paul Desmond, and discover the ingenuity and expertise of these musicians from the Renaissance, Baroque, and twentieth-century jazz periods.

Dec. 21, Avery Maclean

 

2026

Jan. 11, Bill McMillan

Feb. 8, Jonathan Stuchbery

March 8, Stephane Potvin

April 12, Felix Deak

May 10, Tatsuki Shimoda

June 14, TEMPO Tea

For workshop leaders` biographies and programme information click here


Where: Grace Church-on-the Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd.  Toronto. (Entrance to the workshop will be Door 6, off Russell Hill Rd. For anyone with mobility issues, please use Door 7, off Russell Hill Rd, where there is a ramp).

Membership

  • We are a group of 25-30 amateur musicians who love to play together. Renaissance and Baroque music is our passion!

  • A new professional coach at every monthly workshop. They provide fascinating musical scores and bring them alive.

  • Warm harmonic sounds as we play soprano, alto, tenor and bass parts – just like a choir.

  • A friendly welcome and a break for refreshments!

If you are interested in joining  please contact our President, Elan Dresher at info@tempotoronto.net. The yearly membership fee is $95 and a single workshop  fee is $20. Fees for attending a first meeting will be waived, and any student may participate for free. Membership fees may be paid by e-transfer to tempotoronto@outlook.com or by cheque (payable to TEMPO Toronto) at a workshop. For how to pay membership fee or donate by e-transfer click here.

Feeling unsure? Your first meeting is free! Come and check us out or contact our President, Elan Dresher at info@tempotoronto.net for more information or to be connected with a mentor who will greet you at your first meeting.

Meetings

Workshops run monthly on Sundays, September to May, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm at Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd., Toronto. (Entrance to the workshop will be Door 6, off Russell Hill Rd. For anyone with mobility issues, please use Door 7, off Russell Hill Rd. where there is a ramp). There is plenty of street parking available near the Church.

Please click on the map for directions to Grace Church. on-the-Hill.

Sessions will be livestreamed on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person.


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info@tempotoronto.net

TEMPO welcomes donations to support our activites. TEMPO is a registered charity that can issue official tax receipts for donations received. We are registered under the name TORONTO EARLY MUSIC PLAYERS ORGANIZATION, Registration no. 119266419 RR 0001. Click here for page 2.