The economic and political issues which affect the composition, performance, and recording of new orchestral music (or, more precisely, which prevent these activities) operate as much in Canada as in any other western country. Even if works for orchestra do appear, they are more noticeable for their rarity than for their abundance. So it is surprising even to most people in Canada to learn that one Canadian composer has written 21 works for orchestra in the past 26 years, including eight symphonies. Like his other works, these symphonies contain a wide variety of music of impressive technical and formal control and substantial expressive power and depth.