2019 Presenter Profiles (Blue Pages)

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We are a renowned choral ensemble with approximately 20 voices specializing in Baroque repertoire from the likes of Vivaldi, Charpentier and Handel, and of course J.S. Bach. The Georgetown Bach Chorale performs in a variety of spectacular venues in Halton Hills, from the intimate setting in a private home to the stunning beauty of local churches. The chorale rehearses every Tuesday evening, circled around a freshly-tuned harpsichord, working very consciously to prepare each season’s concert offerings. Highlights for this coming year’s events include Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor and his tormented Piano Concerto in C minor, as well as performances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Hamilton Philharmonic.

The Georgetown Bach Chorale always presents a wide range of music for you to enjoy – there is something for everyone!

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Glionna Mansell Corporation is a music marketing agency, digital classical organ dealer and concert producer in the organ and choral performance genre. The company is an active supporter/promoter of emerging artistic talent alongside experienced world-stage performers. The activities and entities operating under the Glionna Mansell banner include: Organix Concerts, Allen Organ Company in Ontario and touring/concert choir MOSAIC Canadian Vocal Ensemble with members of St. Michael’s Choir School Alumni. This experienced choir has performed locally and in Italy, including the Vatican and also the Holy Land. In 2020, the choir will tour New York/New England followed by a 2021 performance tour to Turkey and Greece. Organix Concerts is a recipient of the RCCO National Award of Excellence and will be presenting 30 concerts in 2020 featuring Canadian and international artists including: Richard Spotts (USA), Giulia Biagetti (Italy), David Bendix Nielsen (Denmark) and David Troiano (USA). President and artistic director Gordon Mansell is music director and titular organist at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church – Toronto. 

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Gravenhurst’s Cultural Cornerstone since 1901, the Opera House continues to be a focal point for great entertainment year-round! Muskoka’s oldest entertainment tradition, the Gravenhurst Opera House is the place to be for music, theatre, educational programming, weddings, celebrations, community events and more! Visit our website. 

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The Hannaford Street Silver Band is Canada’s award-winning professional brass band and resident company of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. Its mission is to honour the traditions of this art form and place it in a contemporary context with a unique, Canadian point-of-view. We actively facilitate innovative creative projects and collaborate with the best of Canada’s diverse artists. 

Our 2019/20 season features brass repertoire gems, paired with new music played with the verve and virtuosity you expect from the Hannaford Band: “Nine Daies Wonder” on October 27 features violin virtuoso Mark Fewer with guest conductor James Gourlay; “Winter’s Song” is on Tuesday, December 10 at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church with the Bach Children’s Chorus; “Festival of Brass” on Sunday, February 9 features Gábor Tarkövi, principal trumpet of the Berlin Philharmonic, and our season concludes on Sunday April 26 with “Murdoch Ahoy!” - a unique collaborative film and music presentation.

The HSSB demonstrates its commitment to youth, outreach and education by running the Hannaford Youth Program. This vibrant program is a fantastic opportunity for brass and percussion players ages 7 to 24 to participate in three remarkable youth bands.

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Harbourfront Centre, on Toronto’s waterfront, is an innovative not-for-profit cultural organization that creates events and activities of excellence that enliven, educate and entertain a diverse public.

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The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (the Isabel) is a home for the creative arts at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and a hub of vibrant artistic study, creation, and exhibition in our community. The building houses the Queen’s Department of Film and Media and the DAN School of Drama and Music, as well as the Isabel house season, which brings some of the most exciting and acclaimed musicians to its 567-seat concert hall. Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Isabel brings together world-class arts spaces and programs with a captivating sense of place, creating a dynamic venue for our students and community to learn, discover, think, do, and experience together. 

Opened in September 2014, the Isabel was designed by Oslo/New York-based firm Snøhetta and Ottawa’s N45, with acoustics and theatre design by ARUP and Theatre Projects Consultants. Anchored by a transformational gift to the Initiative Campaign from Drs. Alfred and Isabel Bader, the Isabel was inspired by the Baders’ love - of the arts, of Queen’s, and of each other - and is named in Isabel’s honour. For a virtual tour, visit www.queensu.ca/theisabel/content/virtual-walkthrough.

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A community choir who enjoy singing music from many lands, as well as music by Canadian composers, our repertoire includes songs that may be new to listeners, as well as classics and familiar folk tunes. We welcome singers to join our large chorus, or to audition for our chamber group. We rehearse Tuesday evenings near Lawrence and Yonge. Our 2019/20 season will include two opportunities to learn from skilled clinicians at full-day workshops.

Saturday, Nov 30: “Navidad Nuestra” – a Latin American Christmas celebration featuring the music of Ariel Ramirez, with special guests, Latin American musicians Sikuris St. Lawrence. Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Ave. 

Saturday, March 7: “The Seas” – music about and inspired by the sea. Settings of the ‘Ave maris stella’ from Canada and around the world, plus a selection of rollicking sea shanties. Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Ave.

Saturday, June 6: “Of Love and Nature” – our final concert, focusing on the nature of love and the love of nature, features selections from Brahms and Bartók, plus works by contemporary Canadian composers. Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle, 525 Bloor St. E.

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The Ken Page Memorial Trust is a non-profit charitable fund supporting jazz and the artists who create such lasting memories for all of us. The aims of the Trust are to encourage emerging talent, foster an understanding of the evolution of the music, promote jazz education through workshops, masterclasses and outreach programs conducted by established professionals, and to provide financial aid to jazz musicians on an emergency basis.

The KPMT holds annual jazz fundraisers featuring some of the world’s leading jazz artists and honours jazz professionals with its Lifetime Achievement Award; it also presents seasonal performances of Jim Galloway’s Wee Big Band. Most recently, the Trust provided grants to the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, Springboard to Music, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, Humber College Community Music School, and the Ken Page Memorial Trust Scholarship in memory of Ron Collier.

Donations are our lifeline. Board members are unpaid and every dollar is dedicated to furthering our mission. Contributions are gratefully received, and if you are currently a donor we extend our sincere appreciation. If you would like to help us make a difference please visit our website.

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Welcome to the KSO 2019/20 concert season at Flato Markham Theatre (October 19, December 14 and February 8) and Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (March 20, May 8 and June 26). Highlights of the season include Bartók’s Concerto For Orchestra, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Fourth and Fifth, Shostakovich’s Fifteenth, Prokofiev’s Fourth and Rachmaninoff’s Third symphonies. We are thrilled to welcome back Maxim Bernard in Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G, Dong Xu in Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 4 (For the Left Hand) and Leonid Nediak in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Mary Kenedi will make her debut with the KSO in Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Sheng Cai – in Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Leslie Ashworth - in Barber’s Violin Concerto. In June, the KSO and Markham Contemporary Music Festival will return to Cornell Recital Hall for a series of concerts presenting pieces by Stravinsky and a world premiere by Hong Kong Canadian composer Werner Chan. The concert season will conclude on June 27, with a performance at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio, led by renowned Chinese Maestro James Liu and, on July 1, with a Canada Day concert at Unionville Millennium Theatre.

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Founded in 1952 by Jean Dobson, Barrie’s King Edward Choir enters its 68th season, under the direction of maestro Oliver Balaburski. The choir began as a ladies’ ensemble, taking its name from the school in which they practised. It blossomed into a group encompassing all voices and today is a mixed group of 50 singers committed to creating beautiful music in a passionate, informed and evocative manner.

Our mandate is to offer choristers and audiences alike opportunities to experience a broad range of choral music, including classical, contemporary, Canadian, popular and world music. We continue to collaborate with other artists, engage in community outreach, and offer a mentorship program for students. New members are welcome to join by audition throughout the year.

Our 2019/20 season begins with “Gloria” on Nov 30, featuring Vivaldi’s well-known setting of the same, plus a selection of Christmas works, with several by Canadian composers. Winter and spring concerts are on March 7 and May 9.

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Now in its seventh year, this neighbourly series in the upper Beach continues to present a variety of eclectic and exciting concerts, TSO bassist Timothy Dawson and his community-minded crew present classical, jazz, world music and even comedy. 

This year’s outstanding offerings include: “The Passionate Voice” – countertenor Dan Taylor, baritone Russell Braun, and bass Gary Relyea, along with their protégés; “Sultans of String - Christmas Caravan” with special guest Rebecca Campbell, Lynn Miles and Donné Roberts; The Four Seasons - Mark Fewer and orchestra presenting Vivaldi’s iconic version and Piazzolla’s red-hot Four Seasons of Buenos Aires; and finally, “Mass Hysterical – A Comedic Cantata”– a new musical revue from the creators of the “Second City Guide to the Symphony,” in which four actors, a chamber ensemble and a soprano will guide you on a hilarious journey through the history of church music.

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In its 46th season, Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society is one of Canada’s busiest presenters of chamber music concerts with over 60 concerts per year, ranging from solo recitals to octets. Programs range from medieval to contemporary; most feature both classics and recent music. Almost all of our concerts take place at our Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo, in a private home – it holds a maximum of about 85 people. A superb Steinway piano, good acoustics, a supportive audience and an intimate but informal atmosphere make for great concert experiences. Notable performers have included pianists Janina Fialkowska, Till Fellner, André LaPlante, Sofya Gulyak, and many more; the Penderecki, New Orford, Alcan, and many more quartets; the AYR and Andromeda Trios and many more.

In the coming year, we will have a historic cycle of Beethoven’s string quartets by the Penderecki String Quartet (stretching from December 16, 2019 to December 16, 2020 – Beethoven’s 250th birthday.) The PSQ is in residence at Wilfrid Laurier University. See our continually updated website for details (just google KWCMS.) 

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As one of Waterloo Region’s largest arts and cultural organizations, we continue to push boundaries, build community, and welcome and cultivate world-class talent in our community. Who we are and how we approach our work is a reflection of the innovative and entrepreneurial culture which abounds in this region. Today, the KWS is one of Canada’s outstanding orchestras, presenting a diverse and rich concert season and garnering national and international attention for its artistry, musicianship and innovative programming. Its education and outreach programs serve its evolving community and a continuum of ages. The KWS continues to be the largest employer of artists and cultural workers and the most significant cultural asset for Waterloo Region.

Highlights for the 2019/20 season include: Stravinsky’s “Suite” from The Firebird, “The Magical World of Harry Potter”, Ravel’s Boléro, “Back To The Future: In Concert” and more!

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LARK Ensemble forms the core players for the Skylight Series of concerts at the beautiful Corkin Gallery. Each year, we are joined by some of Canada’s finest musicians to bring you masterworks and hidden gems from past and present. Our concerts are known for their creative programming and intimate setting, as well as our now-famous intermission parties.

LARK Ensemble is Leslie Allt, principal flute, National Ballet Orchestra; Aaron Schwebel, concertmaster, National Ballet Orchestra; Roberta Janzen, cellist,Toronto Symphony Orchestra; and Keith Hamm, principal viola, Canadian Opera Company.

This year’s concerts at the gallery take place on October 6, February 9 and May 17, all at 7:30pm. We are also playing as part of the free noon-hour series at the Four Seasons Centre on April 14. Our guests this season include Theresa Rudolph and Kathleen Kajioka, viola; Leana Rutt, cello; Christopher Bagan, fortepiano and harpsichord; and Erica Goodman, harp.

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Lawrence Park Community Church has a tradition of fine music, both in worship and in concert. Sunday services are held at 10:30am in the air-conditioned Sanctuary, and at 5pm “Soul Table” in the Community Hall. Musical groups include the Adult Choir (volunteer and professional singers) and the Lawrence Park Handbell Ringers. There are also musical opportunities for kids and youth. Special music Sundays include November 17 - the Brian Barlow Quartet; December 15 - a “Service of Lessons and Carols” with trumpeter Robert DiVito; Good Friday, April 10 - the Choir performs Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem with soloists Michèle Bogdanowicz and Paul Winkelmans, and on April 19, the Confederation Centre Youth Chorus from Charlottetown sing at the 10:30am and 5pm services.

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The Li Delun Music Foundation was established in 2002 in Toronto as a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural exchange between the East and the West through musical events. Named after the renowned Chinese conductor Li Delun, who founded the first symphony orchestra in the People’s Republic of China, the foundation is now well-known in the community as a presenter of high-quality musical events such as the annual “East Meets West New Years Concert” at the Toronto Centre for the Arts each year, and recitals by acclaimed musicians. Aside from forming the Toronto Festival Orchestra, which gives talented young aspiring musicians a chance to work alongside seasoned professionals, the foundation also provides a platform for young up-and-coming soloists to play on the concert hall stage, accompanied by a professional orchestra in front of a live appreciative audience.

The Li Delun Music Foundation also holds masterclasses and workshops given by internationally-acclaimed artists such as Lang Lang, Sa Chen, Haochen Zhang and professor Lee Kum-Sing.

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Lula Music and Arts Centre (LMAC) aspires to nourish a thriving Canadian world music scene. With a focus on local world artists performing music of the Americas, LMAC fosters all expressions of Canadian world music. Through concerts, festivals, cultural exchanges, education and outreach as well as audience and professional development, LMAC supports musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds, encouraging artistic cross-pollinations and cross-cultural understanding. LMAC values collaboration, mutual respect in all partnerships, community development, inclusiveness, diversity, accessibility and artistic integrity.

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MCS Chorus, a chamber choir of 35 auditioned voices, is Mississauga’s only adult choral organization committed to the choral classical repertoire. MCS Chorus offers a diversified season of extensive community engagement events and ticketed concerts performed with chamber orchestras, instrumental ensembles and soloists. This wide range of programming contributes a strong and unique voice to the cultural fabric of the city. MCS is dedicated to bringing the choir’s performances into the communities of Mississauga under the dynamic leadership of artistic director Mervin William Fick.

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With over 150 singers, MFC is the largest and most spirited community choir in our city. We first came together in 1984 to celebrate Mississauga’s 10th anniversary, and we stayed together to celebrate the joy of singing in a choral community like no other. Our spirited singing springs from our no-audition policy. Everyone who loves to sing is welcome to join us, and audiences hear the joy in every song. Under the leadership of David Ambrose, MFC performs many concerts, raises money for local charities, records professional CDs, holds an annual choral competition and tours the world.

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The MSO is designated as one of Mississauga’s six pillars of arts, culture and heritage. The orchestra offers entertaining and increasingly sophisticated programs from the classic and popular repertoires of symphonic music, all performed to the highest artistic standards. Based out of Hammerson Hall, a world-class performing arts facility located within the Living Arts Centre, the MSO provides performance opportunities and personal development to talented amateurs while combining the strands of excellence and education by assisting young professional performers and composers through solo performance opportunities, commissions and mentoring.

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Great Classical music for all. Our 2019/20 (31st) season showcases two string quartets with European and Latin roots. We will present another all-Beethoven programme, this time of violin sonatas; a rare and precious opera recital; and a return by popular demand of a violin/piano super duo. The players: Bennewitz Quartet, Wallis Giunta, mezzo-soprano with Steven Philcox, piano; Andrew Wan, violin and Charles Richard-Hamelin, piano; Dalí String Quartet, and Paul Huang, violin and Helen Huang, piano. Five-concert subscriptions are $200/$175 adult/senior and $125 under age 30. Concerts are Sundays 3:15pm, Walter Hall (UofT) - general admission seating. “Music and Truffles Kids” – give your child their first taste of Classical music! Artists featured in our mainstage events will also perform a one-hour mini-concert for young people ages 6 to 11 and their parents, grandparents, friends at 1:15pm. Subscriptions are $75 and include a Lindt chocolate truffle for everyone at the end of each concert. We are fortunate to have Wonny Song (artistic & executive director of Orford Music) as our artistic director. 

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MOSAIC Canadian Vocal Ensemble is a subsidiary of Glionna Mansell Corporation. The choir is a touring ensemble, and in collaboration with alumni members of St. Michael’s Choir School, present local and international concerts of mostly contemporary, classically-written sacred music. The choir has performed in Italy, particularly in Florence, Assisi, Rome and three occasions at the Vatican. The choir has also performed in Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa, St. George’s Anglican Cathedral in Kingston and St. Paul’s Anglican Church - Bloor Street, Our Lady of Sorrows, and St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church in Toronto. Most recently, the choir performed in the Holy Land and will present a 2020 concert at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and Holy Cross Basilica in Boston. In 2021, the choir will tour Istanbul and significant venues in Greece. 

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Music at Metropolitan presents a variety of concerts at Metropolitan United Church, featuring Metropolitan’s choir, soloists and guest artists. This season includes two concerts by Benjamin Stein and friends: Nov 16 – “Like as the Lute Delights,” and another concert in March. Our annual Good Friday concert on April 10 features the Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra in Requiem Aeternam; Give Us Peace: Dona Nobis Pacem by Vaughan Williams and Requiem by Mozart. The Marg and Jim Norquay Celebration Concert on May 2 features soprano Chelsea Van Pelt and baritone Nicholas Higgs. During “Doors Open” weekend, on Sunday, May 24, at 1:30pm, the Metropolitan Silver Band presents a free concert. On May 30, tenor Charles Davidson, the choir and others present “Showtunes for 202(0) and Beyond!” Our special Christmas events include the “Deck the Halls” carol sing with the Metropolitan Silver Band and organ on December 8 at 1:30pm, and our “Candlelight Carol Service” on December 22 at 7pm. Metropolitan houses the largest pipe organ in Canada and the oldest tuned carillon in North America. Please contact us for a concert brochure or for more information.

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Music at St. Andrew’s is a community outreach program of historic St. Andrew’s Church in downtown Toronto. It was inspired by the church’s 2011 purchase of a Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano, which we share with the greater community. The piano is featured extensively in our free “Friday Noontime Recitals.” Our seventh season launches October 4 with performances by University of Toronto postgraduate music students and professionals. On Saturday, Nov 30 our candle-lit church will provide an atmospheric setting for dramatic readings from A Christmas Carol. Dickens’ beloved tale will be brought to life by opera star mezzo-soprano Marion Newman, classical music expert Rick Phillips and other talented readers, and complemented by musical interludes and a gingerbread reception. Our annual “Mardi Gras” concert returns Friday, February 21 with an exuberant evening of parades and authentic New Orleans jazz, performed by Patrick Tevlin’s Happy Pals, featuring pianist Jordan Klapman. 

Music at St. Andrew’s presents great music at affordable prices! Concerts take place at St. Andrew’s Church, 73 Simcoe St., Toronto.

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The Music Gallery is Toronto’s Centre for Creative Music. We present and promote experimentation and innovation in all forms of music, and encourage cross-pollination between genres, disciplines and audiences. Since 1976, we have occupied a valued position within Toronto’s musical ecology, presenting both internationally-renowned contemporary music and a wide spectrum of local artists and projects.

We are now located in the beautiful 918 Bathurst St. Centre for Culture, Arts, Media and Education. We present the “X Avant Festival” during October, and “Emergents” (emerging artists) and “Departures” (off-site) series as well as unique main stage concert experiences throughout our season. We also partner with artists and arts organizations to co-present their work in our space, assisted by our highly experienced technical crew. Our season runs September through June with off-season events.

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“...The chamber music recital is not just alive, it’s kicking.” (musicaltoronto.org) A legacy organization in classical music, Music Toronto presents the world’s best chamber ensembles and pianists. A truly international series, we open with Italy’s premiere Quartetto di Cremona, making their Toronto debut. We specialize in string quartets: the Vision (Berlin - also a debut), the Miró (US), the Schumann (Germany), the Pavel Haas (Czech Republic) and the Ebene (France). Of course, we always welcome back our home-grown favourites, the St. Lawrence Quartet and the Gryphon Trio. Our piano series is equally eclectic – and compelling. Piano 6 New Generation brings 6 brilliant young Canadian pianists to our stage. The distinguished British pianist Jonathan Plowright, the electrifying Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi, Quebec’s grand master André Laplante, and the effortlessly virtuosic young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor (also one of our favourites) complete the season. Great music of five centuries, from Haydn to Hétu; artists new and familiar, extraordinary music-making: only the finest, only at Music Toronto. Join the best audience in the city for these great concerts.

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The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is a 21-voice SATB professional choir based in Toronto, dedicated to performing Afrocentric music of all genres, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. Founded by artistic director Dr. D. Brainerd Blyden-Taylor in 1998, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada’s premier performer of Afrocentric composers and a touchstone for the education of audiences and communities regarding the full spectrum of Afrocentric choral music. The mission of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale is to build bridges of understanding, appreciation and acceptance between communities of people through the medium of music. The Chorale has a Toronto concert season, tours extensively each season and has released several CDs and DVDs.

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is artist-in-residence at the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas at York University. Membership is by audition. The 2019/20 season will include Great Joy II: Around the World - a jazz/gospel Christmas; the opera Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed That Line to Freedom by American composer Nkeiru Okoye; the premiere of God’s Trombones - a song cycle by the Canadian pianist and composer Stewart Goodyear; and collaborations with local choirs.

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2019/20 begins an exciting new adventure for New Music Concerts as it embarks on its 49th season. Brian Current comes on board as co-artistic director with founder Robert Aitken and, along with new general manager Adam Scime, prepares to take us boldly into our second half century. Here are some season highlights. “Kasemets@100” is a celebration of Estonian-Canadian composer Udo Kasemets, in cooperation with the University of Toronto, Nov 12. “Aitken@80” features works written for the world-renowned flutist by a number of world-renowned composers, on December 8. “The Mouths That Roar” features Gabriel Dharmoo’s solo performance piece Anthropologies imaginaires, and works for soprano performed by 2018’s Friend of Canadian Music Award-winner Janice Jackson, on January 10. Brian Current curates “Serious Smile” on February 13 featuring György Ligeti, Alexander Schubert, Keiko Devaux, Corie Rose Soumah and Brandon Chow. The PEP ensemble (pianist Corey Hamm and erhu virtuoso Nicole Ge Li) perform works created especially for their unique ensemble on March 26. And the season concludes on May 31 with a portrait concert featuring renowned German composer/conductor Matthias Pintscher. 

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newchoir is Toronto’s first adult rock choir. Entering our 15th season, newchoir specializes in performing choral arrangements of rock and pop songs accompanied by a rock band and other professional instrumentalists to support the sound. Members are auditioned for the ensemble and come from across the GTA to rehearse every Monday night at the Church of the Redeemer (161 Bloor West). newchoir presents two concerts each season, with the final concert of the season being at Koerner Hall. The choir invites a well-known Canadian artist to collaborate with for the Koerner Hall show. This gives the membership the opportunity to work with a professional musician and to actively support musicians in this genre of music. newchoir is committed to promoting and working with Canadian talent as an active member of the arts community.

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Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation marks its 26th season under the continuing leadership of artistic director Eric Robertson. Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation has presented a rich variety of concerts for Toronto audiences, including its popular weekly recital series, as well as international groups such as King’s College Cambridge Choir, Clare College Singers and St. John’s College Choir. It has also featured Canadian artists including Erica Goodman, Colin Fox, Beverley Johnston, John McDermott, Sharlene Wallace, Anne Lindsay, John Johnson, the True North Brass, the Gryphon Trio, and NEXUS.

Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation is also involved in the “City Carol Sing,” a large annual charity event that raises money for food banks across Canada. Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the best in inspirational arts programming. It is governed by an elected volunteer board of directors and operates with the assistance of advisors from a variety of backgrounds, including event management, promotions, finance and business. 

Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation, in cooperation with Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, begins its 2019/20 season in September with its weekly Lunchtime Chamber Music series.

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Nocturnes in the city, in its 19th season, started originally as concerts for the Czech community at the Prague restaurant in Masaryktown, Scarborough. After a few years of four to six classical and jazz concerts per season, the classical portion of our program moved to the cozy and acoustically superb St. Wenceslaus Church in downtown Toronto - and we present seven concerts this season.

We’ve presented singers such as Eva Urbanová, Zdenek Plech, Gustáv Beláček, and John Holland; pianists Antonin and Karolina Kubalek, Adam Piotr Żukiewicz, Boris Krajný, Martin Karlíček; clarinetists Joaquin Valdepeñas and Peter Stoll; the Kocian, Prazak and Zemlinsky quartets; great jazzmen such as Emil Viklický, George Grosman, Drew Jurecka, Miro Letko, Joe Musil and Martin Kratochvíl; conductors Jiří Bělohlávek and Kerry Stratton, as well as music lectures by Iain Scott and Catherine Belyea.

The highlights of the next season include: violinist Ivan Ženatý; the Dvořák piano quartet with Slávka Vernerová Pěchočová; and a solo recital by pianist Radka Hanáková.

It is one of the least expensive concert series (a subscription for all seven concerts is only $100) and great catering will be provided after the concerts. Visit our website for all of the information.

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Entertaining Oakville, Burlington, and Mississauga since 1984, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra (OCO) performs favourite classics, contemporary music, and rare gems, in various locations, including the Oakville Centre. This season features “Beethoven & Friends” on October 5 and 6; “The Fun Classics” on November 16 and 17; “4 Elements & 4 Seasons” on February 29; and, rounding out the season, “Upbeat!” on April 25 and 26. Founded as a group of amateur string players, the OCO has steadily grown in size and quality to become the well-loved and exceptional orchestra it is today. The OCO enriches Oakville’s cultural landscape by sharing a passion for chamber music, helping local, amateur musicians of all ages develop their artistry, and promoting Canadian soloists. In addition to bringing scintillating chamber music to the doorsteps of Oakville residents, OCO musicians play at charity, private and corporate events, and participate in community outreach. OCO’s annual Youth Concerto Competition is recognized for fostering exceptional talent. Details are available on the OCO website, and tickets are available at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office.

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The Oakville Choir for Children & Youth (formerly known as The Oakville Children’s Choir) holds fast to its mission of providing world-class choral, musical and performance training to young people in Halton, where it has become a comprehensive music education program for over 260 auditioned choristers, ranging in age from four through 25 years. The OC presents three to four self-produced concerts annually for the community, each featuring all levels of choir plus a guest artist. In addition, the choir performs at workshops, provides guest appearances at community functions, collaborates with other choirs and arts groups in Ontario, and tours internationally.

Theory, musicianship, vocal coaching and workshops with professional artists are all components of the choral program. Competitions and touring also add to the choristers’ experience, as well as the choir’s wide range of repertoire, diverse concert programming and its high standard of performance.

The OC gives back to its community by developing youth, partnering with other groups, bringing music to seniors and hospitals, offering bursaries to families in need, supporting other charities, participating in community events, providing educational outreach initiatives, and encouraging volunteering.

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Celebrating its 25th anniversary season, Off Centre Music Salon re-creates the magical, inclusive atmosphere of the Viennese and Parisian Salons of the 19th century. Music is intimately shared, with each concert telling a story and creating personal connections for the audience and performers alike. Dedicated to the discovery and development of young, professional musical talent, Off Centre concerts include voice and instrumental performances. Repertoire is rarely, if ever, repeated.

The theme of our 2019/20 season is “The World of Yesterday.” We will begin with our 25th annual “Schubertiad” in October and build on the theme of waltzes in our November concert. In April, we will present a Beethoven-themed concert. We will wrap up our 25th anniversary season in June with a concert entitled “Intersections,” enabling us to reflect and explore old times through new performances.

Please join us at our home in Toronto, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre to take a slow meander through the world of yesterday.

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Opera Atelier is a world leader in the rediscovery and revitalization of period opera and ballet, particularly works from the Baroque era. Through their historically-informed productions, founding co-artistic directors Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg seek to provide a thrilling theatrical experience for modern audiences. 

Opera Atelier presents a two-opera season in Toronto, and tours internationally. The company is dedicated to the education of youth and young artists, and offers a robust slate of education, enrichment and outreach opportunities. 

Opera Atelier’s 2019/20 “Season of Saints and Sinners” features Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Ed Mirvish Theatre (October 31 to Nov 9) and Handel’s The Resurrection at Koerner Hall (April 11 to 19). Visit our website for more information.

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In our 23rd season, and continuing our residency as the professional opera company at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Arts, Opera York offers two exciting productions for our main stage with the Opera York Chorus and Orchestra. Our season opens with great Canadian singers in a traditional production of Verdi’s La Traviata, with Natalya Gennadi – Violetta; Kijong Wi – Alfredo; Diego Catala – Giorgio. Music director is Denis Mastromonaco and stage director is Penny Cookson.

Opera York’s second half of the season is led by music director Geoffrey Butler, in a full production of Lehar’s classic The Merry Widow: Sara Papini plays Hanna Glawari, and Douglas Tranquada plays Count Danilovits. Special this season: The Opera York Children’s Chorus presents “Aladdin” in May.

Opera York continues to provide affordable and accessible lectures, operatic concerts for seniors and educational programming. Nov 1 and 3: Verdi’s La Traviata, Richmond Hill Centre for the Arts. February 28 and March 1: Lehar’s The Merry Widow, Richmond Hill Centre for the Arts.

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The “crown jewel of Canadian community orchestras,” Orchestra Toronto is comprised of passionate musicians from throughout the greater Toronto area, coming together to make music for the love of it. We perform five concerts each season in the stunning acoustics of the George Weston Recital Hall, at the Meridian Arts Centre. We offer the enjoyment of music, foster education and music appreciation, and support emerging Canadian talent. Our organization of volunteers is committed to making symphonic music accessible to a broad and diverse public beyond the concert hall.

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Organix Concerts, a not-for-profit organization, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Glionna Mansell Corporation. Organix is the producer of musical events specific to organ performance and education. Included are bi-weekly free lunch-time concerts in collaboration with All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church. These bi-weekly free concerts offer the public an opportunity throughout the year to hear and experience rarely performed repertoire brilliantly executed by passionate Canadian and international artists. Organix Concerts also presents evening concerts under the Special Presentation Series banner. In 2020, these concerts include performances from American, Italian and Danish artists. Organix Concerts is a recipient of the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Award of Excellence for its part in contributing to the promotion and value of the organ and its music in Canada. Organix is a music festival series unlike any other!

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Oriana Women’s Choir is an auditioned ensemble of 30 amateur female singers with a long history of performance at a high artistic standard. Led by artistic director Mitchell Pady since 2011, Oriana explores the possibilities in choral music for the female voice, collaborating with a diverse range of artists to push the boundaries of typical expectations for women’s choir performances. We foster the creation of Canadian choral music, regularly commissioning works from Canadian composers for women’s voices. 

Oriana presents a three-concert series, in November, February and May. Our first concert of the 2019/20 season will feature Mitchell Pady’s four-part treble arrangement of Vivaldi’s Gloria, in collaboration with the Earl Haig SS Senior Strings Ensemble and Chamber Choir, with Jonathan Elliotson on trumpet. In February, we join forces with Simcoe-area women’s choirs Double Treble and Vox Femina, and in our spring concert we will perform all-Canadian repertoire including premiere performances of works by Matthew Emery and Ben Keast, alongside selections written by the composition students they are mentoring in the Claude Watson Senior Arts program. We look forward to welcoming you to the concerts in our 48th season!

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Orpheus Choir’s vision is to celebrate the power of choral music as an agent of social change and a passionate medium of artistic expression. The 65-voice choir, under artistic director Robert Cooper, champions the new and unusual in choral performance, commissioning and introducing new works and performing overlooked masterpieces. Regularly working with living composers, and singing a wide range of repertoire in concerts with high production values, Orpheus has introduced audiences to many accessible works from the current generation of leading composers. Orpheus also supports young emerging vocal talent through its highly respected Sidgwick Scholars Program and its newer Vocal Apprentice Program for high school singers. Winners of the 2018 Choral Canada Award for Outstanding Innovation, Orpheus continues to present an “expect something different” experience!

The 2019/20 season features a celebration of the 1969 moon landing; a performance of Canadian music and readings for Christmas with “Stratford and Shaw” actor Benedict Campbell; Will Todd’s Passion Music, featuring jazz pianist John Sherwood and gospel singer Melissa Davis; and an exploration of music and mental health in Allan Bevan’s Ancient of Days.

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The Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC), founded in 2002 by Dr. Lisette Canton, offers audiences a wide range of choral music of the finest quality, performing music from all historical periods while keeping Bach’s choral œuvre as the focus of its repertoire. Through a combination of both a scholarly and emotional approach to choral music, the ensemble expands all aspects of the artistic spectrum. Joining some of Canada’s most accomplished artists and top choristers from the National Capital region and beyond, the professional choir has received national and international recognition.

Now in its 18th season, the OBC performs a large subscription concert series in Ottawa and travels extensively in Canada and abroad. In 2020 the choir has been invited to return to the world’s most prestigious international Bach festival, Bachfest Leipzig, as one of a select number of ensembles worldwide (and the only Canadian ensemble) to present the entire chorale cantata cycle of Bach. Last season, the choir released its 7th CD, Handel, Bach & Schütz, on the ATMA Classique label. Performances this season include "A Bach Christmas" on Nov. 30 (in Toronto), "The Genius of Josquin" and "Prelude-Europe 2020", several Special Events and a 5th European tour.

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Hailed by critics and audiences alike as one of Canada’s finest oratorio choirs, Pax Christi Chorale delivers stirring performances with great polish and total conviction. Under the artistic direction of David Bowser, the award-winning choir has established its reputation as an ensemble of high calibre and a cultural beacon in our city. The organization operates the 100-voice chorale, a chamber choir, and a choral scholars program which provides professional development training to emerging artists. Pax Christi Chorale’s collaborations with outstanding guest artists and artistic partners inspire, in audiences and performers alike, a deep appreciation for choral masterworks and new Canadian music. 

The organization has recently committed to the commission and premiere performance of three new works by Canadian women composers over three seasons. Pax Christi Chorale champions great choral music among a diverse community. We have an inclusive philosophy and welcome audience members, choristers, and volunteers from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Rehearsals are on Monday nights in North York. Auditions are at the beginning of September, and can be arranged by contacting associate conductor Daniel Norman at dnorms9@gmail.com.

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The Peterborough Singers is an auditioned 100-voice community choir of adults and youth. We generally perform four concerts per year: a Yuletide concert, Handel’s Messiah, an oratorio, and one concert dedicated to music outside the box of regular classical programming. Past oratorios have included music by Bach, Verdi, Fauré, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn and many others. The popular music concert has been soul, folk, Celtic, Broadway, popular music, music by the Beatles, or music highlighting the work of a particular modern composer. Fortunately we are not limited by the lack of availability of sheet music because of local associates who are able to create original arrangements for this repertoire. Concerts this season are “Yuletide Cheer”, Handel’s Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem, and “Canadian Legends”.

Rehearsals are held Wednesday evenings from September to the beginning of May at Murray Street Baptist Church in Peterborough. Prior to most rehearsals, we provide ongoing educational initiatives which allow interested members to greatly improve their sight-reading or musical skill levels at no additional cost above the yearly membership fee. Auditions take place in May and September.

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The Royal Canadian College of Organists - Toronto Centre publishes a list of events that celebrate the majestic mighty organs in the Toronto, 905 region! A vibrant executive committee meets monthly to coordinate and plan short- and long-term events. At present, the Toronto Centre has approximately 200 members.

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Founded in 2007, Reaching Out Through Music provides musical opportunities to the youth of St. James Town, one of North America’s most densely-populated and ethnically diverse communities. We seek to enrich children’s lives by offering active participation in choral, instrumental and other programs, including the opportunity to attend some of the myriad concerts in the City of Toronto. We create social opportunities for children by encouraging them to share a love of music, performance and teamwork through collaborative choral and instrumental ensembles. A critical part of child development, music education has been proven to provide children with cognitive and emotional benefits that will have a lifelong impact on learning and social skills. ROTM has a tradition of hosting concerts yearly, and endeavour to do so locally, and accessibly. Our concerts feature up-and-coming artists and our own students. ROTM is expanding and increasing the number of musical learning opportunities for its members, including a Kinder Khoir & Ukulele Choir. We will hold our annual Fundraising concert in April, 2020. Our dedicated teachers and volunteers look forward to an enriching season, and we welcome inquiries.

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Rezonance is a vibrant ensemble dedicated to presenting great performances of Baroque music in innovative ways. Inspired by history, but also informed by the present, Rezonance leads audiences through carefully crafted programs, where they can discover under-appreciated and unusual works, as well as experience the best-known classics in new contexts. Operating as a collective with special guest performers and two core members, Rezonance has had a regular concert season since 2012, as well as frequent collaborations with other groups. Rezonance was recently featured by special invitation in the “Early Music America Emerging Artists Showcase” concert. As an ensemble committed to excellence and also willing to experiment with tradition and push boundaries in the concert experience, Rezonance looks forward to many great concerts in its future.

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Toronto’s premiere venue for bringing the world’s finest, Roy Thomson Hall continues to host Canada’s biggest events through its 2019/20 season. This fall, the season kicked off with another successful run of the Toronto International Film Festival, hosting gala screenings and Hollywood stars. Roy Thomson Hall is also the proud home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and pleased to present another exciting season of classical performances.

“National Geographic Live!” returns for a ninth season of talks, featuring some of the world’s most adventurous explorers sharing stories of their triumphs and challenges.

Our free choir and organ concert series continues into its 23rd year, and we celebrate our favourite new year’s traditions at the Hall, ringing in 2020 with “Bravissimo! Opera’s Greatest Hits,” and welcoming the year with “Salute to Vienna on New Year’s Day.”

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The Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall is “the greatest venue in this city” and “magnificent in its acoustics, as much as in its design” (Toronto Star) and voted “Best Concert Hall” in NOW’s Best of Toronto Awards 2017. This year at Koerner Hall, our 11th season, we bring you extraordinary international and Canadian artists. W are beginning to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday - festivities that will continue over two concert seasons. With close to 100 Koerner Hall concerts to choose from in the 2019/20 concert season, the season also features The Conservatory’s renowned faculty and students performing in The Royal Conservatory’s two additional concert venues, Mazzoleni Hall and the Temerty Theatre, all located in the TELUS Centre at 273 Bloor St. West.

We look forward to seeing you, often!

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Scaramella presents intimate, one-of-a-kind period instrument chamber music concerts, bringing together top-notch musicians from Canada and abroad for fresh and vivacious performances. Children 14 and under are welcomed, free of charge.

It’s a celebration! 2019/20 is Scaramella’s fifteenth season, following a tradition we have built over the years of pairing old friends with new. We open with local harpsichord superstar Sara-Anne Churchill and Montréal’s most eloquent French Baroque violin specialist, Olivier Brault, for music of Rameau. In February, we have a fabulous vocal team that pays tribute to the Ferrarese concerto delle donne. We end by exploring music that has been ‘Englished;’ songs and instrumental gems that showcase the sparkling and sonorous accompaniment of viol and harp. Do please join us!

The season in brief includes Nov 16: “Pièces en concerts” (clavecin, violon, basse de viole); February 8: “Musica secreta” (3 sopranos, viola bastarda, lute, cembalo); May 16: “Behold a Wonder” (soprano, harp, 2 lyra viols). More details are available on our website. Tickets are always available at the door, or for advance purchase using the order form on the website. 

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The Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) is thrilled to be celebrating our 40th anniversary. We have always been dedicated to enriching the musical life of the Greater Scarborough area by presenting high-quality musical performances that offer a friendly, affordable, enriching, and convenient live-entertainment experience. 

Our six regular concerts of the 2019/2020 season will feature great masterworks from the greatest composers, including a celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with a co-production with the Toronto Choral Society and Beethoven’s 9th. An SPO co-production with the Canadian Sinfonietta will feature music from the Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto (ICOT) and Elizabeth Raum. The SPO will also present new work from Canadian composers. Confirmed musical guests include Jacelyn Holmes (vocalist), Joyce Lai (violin), Máté Szűcs (viola, Berliner Philharmoniker), and more. The SPO is dedicated to educational outreach, youth engagement, and mentoring of New Generation Artists. Please visit our website and for more information