The new music festival, titled "New Creations," returns for its second year in late March and early April 2006. It will include the world premiere of John Harbison's Double Bass Concerto and Canadian premieres of works by John Adams, Melinda Wagner, and Peter Lieberson, among others.

Other highlights include a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Shostakovich, featuring performances of his last two symphonies, cello concertos, and violin concertos.

Guest conductors include Charles Dutoit, Nicholas McGegan, JoAnn Falletta, and former music directors Andrew Davis and Gunther Herbig. Among the soloists on the schedule are Emmanuel Ax, Peter Serkin, Yefim Bronfman, Maxim Vengerov, Nadio Salerno-Sonnenberg, Itzhak Perlman, and Evelyn Glennie.