Maria Calpe

ICOT

ICOT is a non-profit art organisation founded by five Toronto-based composers and musicians in 2011 with the mission of creating new works that bridge Canadian and Iranian culture through music and art. ICOT has produced over 60 new works since its inception, and has curated or has been involved as featured artists over 35 concerts. ICOT's current members are Maziar Heidari (Music Director), Keyan Emami (Artistic Director), and Saman Shahi (Executive Director). The two former members and co-founders were Afarin Mansouri and Pouya Hamidi. ICOT has produced 2 operas (Operatic Narrations of Arash the Archer, The Journey:Notes of Hope), 2 ballets (5 Tableux from Khosrow and Shirin, Trio in Chaargah), 12 orchestral works (Secret of Solstice, Recall The Eden), dozens of chamber works and vocal works, as well as three call for scores that allowed ICOT to collaborate with over 20 composers from 8 different countries. ICOT has received commissions from the National Ballet of Canada, Tirgan Festival, Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Toronto, 13 Strings, and has been featured in Ottawa Chamberfest, Hamilton Philharmonic's What next Music Festival, Nuit Blanche Festival, Canadian Music Centre's 2017 Season as well as LADOM Ensemble's 2017 Debut Atlantic's Eastern Canada tour. In addition to the aforementioned groups ICOT's music has been performed by Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, Symphony on the Bay and Ton Beau String Quartet. ICOT's subsidiary ensemble, ICOT orchestra has also been featured in the Arash the Archer production, Secret of Solstice as well as the Journey: Notes of Hope Production. ICOT's first commercial recording "Persian Piano Night" was released in 2018 by Pardis Records, and is available worldwide both digital and physical form. ICOT has received several grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council and Toronto Arts Council for its various productions, projects and performances.