The New Orchestra Society (NOW) is a multi-faceted music organization with a mandate dedicated to providing a focus for the creation of an original west coast Canadian musical idiom. We have presented creative music through performances, sound recordings and community workshops since 1977, representing some of the most important work in the field of improvised music in the history of the Canadian scene. Since 1987, the Hear it NOW concert series has been our major vehicle for presenting original music. We have commissioned new work by important Canadian and International artists for performance and documentation through residencies. Our collaborators include leading artists such as George Lewis, Barry Guy, Rene Lussier, Butch Morris, Marilyn Crispell, and Wadada Leo Smith.