As far as Carlos Bastidas knows, his newly founded Canada Virtuoso Ensemble will be Mississauga’s first all-professional classical music ensemble.
There are existing classical music ensembles in the city, of course, such as the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, a fine hybrid ensemble of professional and amateur musicians which has been operating in the city for more than 50 years, but an all-professional ensemble dedicated to Western classical music hadn’t yet taken root in the community.
Until now, that is.
“This is more than a concert — it is the launch of a new artistic home for world class classical music in Mississauga,” said Maestro Bastidas in a statement. “We are proud to establish a fully professional ensemble in this city and to share this exciting beginning with our community.”
The Canada Virtuoso Ensemble’s first concert takes place on June 5, 2026, at Christ First United Church in Port Credit.
LV spoke to Bastidas about the endeavour.
Carlos Bastidas: The Interview
Bastidas is a long time resident of Missisauga himself. The fact that there was no strictly professional classical ensembles calling the city home came as a surprise.
“It came as news,” he says. As the music director of the Ontario Pops Orchestra and other ensembles, he’d performed in Mississauga many times over the years. He was approached about three years ago to form a new professional ensemble in Mississauga.
“It was my pitch to the city,” Bastidas says. “Mississauga is the sixth largest city in Canada, and we don’t have a professional ensemble. That was kind of news for everyone. That’s why the idea came to be.”
For the launch concert on June 5, the Canada Virtuoso Ensemble will take the stage as a string based chamber group.
“You can’t really start right away with a full 60 piece orchestra,” Carlos notes. “It’s hard to maintain that.”
Over time, the chamber group will be added to as their audience grows. “That was our strategic plan.”
He found players through multiple routes, including audition notices, social media, and word of mouth. “You have to do multiple approaches,” he says.
The Toronto Effect
Proximity to Toronto and its myriad of classical music options has likely had a dampening effect on local growth within Mississauga itself. But, Bastidas feels that stepping into that void offers opportunity as well.
The outlook is promising, given the response so far. “It was a great reaction. We got some followers already,” he reports. Ticket sales have been brisk. “There seems to be an appetite.”
They’ve found a first home at Port Credit’s Christ First United Church. “For now we’re going to house the orchestra in this church,” he says. “It has beautiful acoustics. I heard someone say it’s like the Massey Hall of Mississauga,” he says. “When we get bigger, then we’ll move to the Living Arts Centre.”
As a first home, the church more than suitable. The original structure, initially housing a Methodist congregation, was built in 1894 with acoustics in mind. He points out that its location is near both the GO train and local bus lines.
“We want to make it accessible with public transit.”
The Concert
“I really wanted to invite a local soloist. I researched and found this wonderful soprano singer, Anna Wojcik,” Bastidas says. “She has a beautiful voice, so I invited her to join the launch.”
Polish-Canadian soprano Anna Wojcik completed her Master’s studies in Opera at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland. She is also a graduate of The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School. Anna has already performed for audiences across North America, Poland, and Germany, and won competitions that include the 69th ACPC Marcella Kochańska-Sembrich Vocal Competition, and the Doreen Chaddock Memorial Vocal Scholarship Competition, among others.
Anna will be performing Schubert’s iconic Ave Maria and other operatic favourites.
The concert program is anchored by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. “It’s a best seller,” Carlos says, “spring and summer, just to be appropriate,” he laughs.
The Ensemble’s inaugural concert with be a shorter format. “The concert’s not going to be a two hour concert with an intermission,” he says. “It’s a symbolic one hour. The mayor and other dignitaries will be there.”
His cautious approach is designed to avoid over extending resources, and allow for time for its audience to build. “We’re starting small,” he acknowledges. “As we go along, we’ll be adding more concerts, and more musicians.” The current climate for performing arts is still uncertain. “You have to be realistic about such things.”
Media interest and support has been positive. “I’m really happy that we have a lot of support,” he says.
“Everyone is witnessing the birth of an orchestra.”
Concert Details
The Canada Virtuoso Ensemble’s opening program showcases familiar and beloved works, including highlights from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Handel’s Water Music, and Geminiani’s La Follia.
The concert takes place June 5 at Christ First United Church in Port Credit, Mississauga (151 Lakeshore Road West).
- Find tickets and other show details [HERE].
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