Orchestre de l’Agora

The Orchestre de l’Agora (OA), under the direction of Nicolas Ellis, is a flexible, artist-driven musical collective that redefines the role of the classical musician within the community by emphasizing talent, commitment, and social engagement. Its musicians—young professionals from the Montréal area—are among the finest of their generation and take an active part in the orchestra’s social initiatives through music.

Founded in 2013, the Orchestra has embraced a dual mission from the outset: to promote classical music and the arts, while also contributing meaningfully to society. True to the vision of its founder, Nicolas Ellis, the Orchestra is guided by core values such as initiative, collaboration, engagement, impact, and audacity. These values have shaped the Orchestra’s many projects over the years, including the Concert solidaire presented in July 2020—the first public symphonic concert in North America following the shutdown of performances in March 2020 (pandemic).

In 2021–2022, the Orchestra launched a partnership with the Montréal Detention Centre to present workshop-concerts for incarcerated individuals. Driven by musicians who believe deeply in the power of music as a tool for social change, the Orchestra has donated more than $175,000 to environmental and community organizations by organizing benefit concerts on their behalf.

Since 2013, OA musicians have also provided music lessons and mentorship to hundreds of children from underprivileged backgrounds, in collaboration with the organizations Partageons l’Espoir and Les Porteurs de musique.