The Glass Orchestra

To complement the Summer 2026 exhibition, Plague Crystals by Natalia Romik, Koffler Arts is pleased to present The Glass Orchestra.

Throughout its documented history of over 2,000 years, glass music has surfaced in many different cultures and forms. Founded in 1977, The Glass Orchestra (GO)—a quartet with Rick Sacks, Bill Parsons, Paul Hodge and Eric Cadesky—carries on the long tradition of glass music by designing, building, and playing glass instruments of all shapes and sizes, which altogether weigh half a ton!

Drawing on a wide range of musical influences and performance techniques, the GO explores the unique sonic properties of glass, creating an ethereal, percussive soundscape with a vast array of glass instruments, both “found” and custom made. (The skill of the members in designing and making glass instruments has earned them a place in the New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments.)

Cash bar with non-alcoholic and alcoholic options available.

The Glass Orchestra has toured since the 1980s, appearing in major cities across Canada; the United States, from New York to Honolulu; and, Europe, from London to Berlin. In 1989, the ensemble completed a seven-week tour of Asia, which took them to Taiwan, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore, Japan, and the Shenzhen and Zhuhai International Arts Festivals in China. They have released five commercial recordings, the most recent, titled Live From The Archive Volumes 1+2, is a collection of live works drawn from the group’s extensive archive. Additionally, their music can be heard in numerous film and television scores, from Hollywood productions to TV series, as well as independent and art-based projects.