2019 Presenter Profiles (Blue Pages)

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For over 15 years, Svetlana Dvoretsky and Show One Productions have presented some of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras, ballet companies, and dance and theatre productions in Canada. Show One is responsible for many debuts and has produced such special collaborations as the premiere of the theatrical Brodsky/Baryshnikov, which featured the long-awaited return of Mikhail Baryshnikov to Toronto; and the exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime performance by Dmitri Hvorostovsky with Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov in an unprecedented gala evening at the Four Seasons Centre in 2017.

In 2019/20, Show One presents “Classical Stars” at Koerner, featuring the return of pianist Denis Matsuev (October 17), the Toronto recital debut of sought-after operatic soprano Hibla Gerzmava, and the Koerner Hall solo recital debut of pianist Lucas Debargue (January 16). Show One has added a brand new project - “Stage Russia” HD screenings, featuring the most acclaimed theatre productions on a big screen with subtitles. Further compelling projects are continually added to the roster. Check our website for more details.

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SINE NOMINE was formed in Toronto in 1991 to research and perform music from before 1500, and has given concerts in Canada, the United States, and the UK. The members have varied backgrounds in vocal and instrumental performance (wind instruments, fiddles, lutes, and percussion), theatre, musicology, and medieval history, language, literature, liturgy, and manuscript studies. In preparing repertoire, we draw on all of these specialties, and work with improvisation and ornamentation, as well as medieval pronunciations and tuning systems, hoping to create performances which are intelligible and enjoyable to modern audiences (and which would not have been wholly foreign to medieval listeners!) We blend vocal and instrumental music from medieval courts and churches with readings, and occasionally even drama or liturgical action, to provide insight into the fascinating artistic and intellectual culture of the Middle Ages.

Our Toronto concerts this year will be on Friday, December 20, at 8pm and Friday, April 24 at 8pm; both are at Trinity College Chapel, 6 Hoskin Avenue.

Tickets will be available through www.brownpapertickets.com. 

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Acclaimed as “a world-class orchestra,” (Russelsheimer Echo, Germany), Sinfonia performs, under the leadership of music director Nurhan Arman, in CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio and the Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, as well as presenting innovative school programs. The orchestra has recorded for Marquis Classics, Cambria and Analekta, and won a JUNO Award for Best Classical Recording in 2009. The orchestra’s repertoire includes all the major compositions for string orchestra from the Classical, Romantic and contemporary periods. Sinfonia Toronto premieres many new works and has been recognized by the Canada Council for the Arts for its commitment to performing music by Canadian composers.

Sinfonia Toronto also plays every season on the main concert series in Barrie and Sault Ste-Marie, and has toured to other cities around Ontario from Brockville to Sarnia. The orchestra has enjoyed great success in international tours in Germany, Spain, Florida, and most recently on their 2018 tour in Peru, Argentina and Uruguay where every performance drew standing ovations and reviews such as one in the Buenos Aires Musical Tribune that hailed the orchestra’s Mozart Divertimento and the Dvořák Serenade as “definitive performances.”

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Small World Music Society is, “the beat of the globe in the heart of Toronto,” engaging audiences, enabling artists, and connecting industry, breaking down walls through the power of music. This year, the Small World Music Festival returned to Toronto stages to usher autumn in with a captivating and diverse mix of sounds new and old. Highlights included legendary Beijing-based Mongolian rockers Hanggai, globally acclaimed Tuareg soul rebels Tinariwen, a free day of global music programming at stackt market, and the anticipated Toronto debuts of NAMU’s fusion of Korean sounds, and Brazil’s provocative Teto Preto.

Throughout April and May, Small World will present the 18th annual “Asian Music Series,” embracing the scope of sounds from across the Asian cultural landscape. Arriving at various venues across the GTA, the Series unites emerging artists with internationally renowned figures and partners with premier presenters.

Small World Music Centre continues to present concerts and workshops as Small World’s intimate venue, and serve as a community space for creation and experimentation year-round inside Artscape Youngplace.

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All voice. No limits. SoundCrowd’s vision is: to enrich the Toronto community with the proven health and social benefits of participating in and experiencing choral music; to make connections through voice and movement using repertoire that is exciting, fun and meaningful to all; and to create dynamic and original performances of music from all genres using the musical language of a cappella. 

SoundCrowd, the brainchild of artistic director Scott Pietrangelo, is Toronto’s first large-scale a cappella ensemble. The group made its concert debut in 2016 alongside former Barenaked Ladies front man Steven Page at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall. Since then, they have been featured guests on a national TV show (The Social, www.thesocial.ca) and created viral music videos, performed at other notable Toronto venues (Princess of Wales Theatre, The Opera House), repeatedly sold out their own high-energy concerts, and travelled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall with choirs from around the world under the direction of Deke Sharon (Pitch Perfect, The Sing Off). SoundCrowd is an auditioned choir and accepts new applications in spring and summer.

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Soundstreams is one of the world’s leading contemporary music companies, and the largest global presenter of new Canadian music. Artistic director Lawrence Cherney and executive director Ben Dietschi are committed to showcasing the work of living Canadian and international composers with a focus on innovative thematic and experiential programming. Soundstreams also serves a broad community of music lovers through free outreach and education programs including Encounters, Bridges, SoundWave, and SoundMakers. Encounters is a free monthly discovery series featuring performances, discussions, and audience participation; Bridges helps talented contemporary composers from around the world launch their careers; SoundWave provides accessible tickets; and SoundMakers provides interactive learning experiences online and in the classroom.

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Continuing its long tradition of musical excellence, St. Anne’s presents a season of innovative performances, enhanced by our stunning sacred space which boasts religious artwork by the Group of Seven. Throughout the 2019/20 season, St. Anne’s will present a variety of concerts, including several recitals for solo instruments, as well as the popular “Community Cantate” in December. On April 19, St. Anne’s Choir will perform a concert celebrating the Earth and all Creation with music, including Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and Winter’s Missa Gaia. Since its founding in 1964, the St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society (MADS) has presented one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s beloved operettas. This season, MADS presents seven performances of Patience, running from January 24 to February 2. For more information or to participate in our music programs, please contact us. Mervin W. Fick, Director of Music.

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St. Bart’s, Regent Park preserves a timeless liturgy that includes all that is best in the Western Catholic tradition. The St. Bart’s Choir, under the direction of early music specialist Katherine Hill, sings at the Sunday Parish Mass (10:30am) and on other Feast Days throughout the year. The choir’s repertoire includes Gregorian chant and polyphony of the 14th to 16th centuries, as well as a wide variety of later English Cathedral music, sacred harp, Eastern Orthodox hymns, Baroque motets, new compositions, and motets and mass settings by Healey Willan. 

Organist Sebastian Moreno is likewise passionate about Anglo-Catholic music and ancient liturgy, focusing on medieval music’s influence in 19th-20th century composition. Music for liturgy is regularly enhanced by instrumentalists playing recorder, violin, viola da gamba, trumpet and medieval fiddle. Comprised of nine dedicated volunteers and choral scholars, the choir is always happy to welcome new members. Rehearsals are held on Thursdays, 7:15pm to 9:15pm.

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St. Michael’s Choir School was founded in 1937, with the purpose of providing sacred music for services at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. St. Michael’s Choir School is an all-boys school from grades 3 through 12 located in downtown Toronto. Comprised of between 250 to 300 students, St. Michael’s Choir School is a centre for musical and academic excellence. It is one of only six choir schools in the world affiliated with the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. Each student attending SMCS is accepted on the basis of a vocal audition and sings in at least one of the school’s choirs. Each St. Michael’s Choir School student is trained in music theory, vocal and instrumental music. In addition to weekly Masses and numerous annual concerts, SMCS choirs tour regularly and perform at local events.

At SMCS, balancing the sacred and the secular is a longstanding tradition. St. Michael’s Choir School is not only famous for its music program, but also for its academic achievement, consistently ranking at the top of Fraser Institute surveys. For 75 years, graduates of the Choir School have pursued studies in science, education, medicine, law, business, and, of course, music. For more information visit our website.

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St. Olave’s, Swansea, is an Anglican church in the west end of Toronto. Traditional services of Holy Communion or Morning Prayer (sung Sundays at 10:30am) use the Book of Common Prayer. There are also Choral Evensongs throughout the year, our very popular “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” before Christmas and a special Good Friday service with readings and choral music. Its excellent acoustics, organ and grand piano make it a desirable venue for performing groups and recitals.

Choral Evensongs often featuring a visiting choir (about one Sunday per month at 4pm) are followed by afternoon tea and a music event (as listed in The WholeNote), such as illustrated music talks or recitals by guest musicians, or performances from our Arts Guild. Evening Prayer (various weekdays at 6pm) are followed by supper and talks on travel, history, applied religion, etc.

Our choir, under the direction of John Stephenson, leads the congregation in hymns and canticles, and also sings anthems and motets. Rehearsals are Thursdays, 7:30pm to 9pm, with a warm-up Sundays at 9:30am. Call to ask about paid positions, or come to a rehearsal to see what it’s all about. Singers are also welcome to join the choir at Choral Evensongs.

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St. Thomas’s Church, Toronto, is one of the oldest Anglo-Catholic congregations in Canada. Established in 1874, the parish has been, from its earliest days, at the forefront of the liturgical and musical life of the Anglican Church of Canada. Excellent choral and organ music are vital components of all Sunday services, Feast Days, and the liturgies of Advent and Holy Week. There are three choral services each Sunday, sung by a dedicated group of volunteers supported by section leads: “Sung Eucharist (Contemporary Rite)” at 9:30am; “Solemn Eucharist (Traditional Rite)” at 11am; and “Solemn Evensong and Devotions” at 7pm. The repertoire is diverse, from plainsong and Renaissance masterpieces to gems of the British cathedral tradition and contemporary Canadian compositions. Located in the historic Huron-Sussex neighbourhood, adjacent to the University of Toronto campus, the church was designed in the Arts and Crafts style by renowned architect Eden Smith (1858-1949), a parishioner.

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Syrinx Concerts Toronto annual concert series presents performances by world-renowned and local classical chamber musicians, who are preeminent professionals as well as superb emerging young performers. Each concert program highlights a work by a Canadian composer, together with the more familiar classical repertoire. 

The 2019/20 season promises to be exciting and memorable. On December 1, we welcome Jean-Luc Therrien, piano, Mai Tategami, violin, and Zlatomir Fung, cello – who has just won First Prize at the prestigious 2019 Tchaikovsky Cello Competition! On April 5, Marc Djokic, violin, Valerie Dueck, piano, and Thorwald Jorgensen, theremin, will perform. Together they bring a rare and beautiful blend of instruments to the stage. On May 3, internationally-acclaimed musicians Jeanie Chung, piano, Alexander Dobson, baritone, and Vania Chan, mezzo-soprano, will join the series. Our final concert on May 31 features Wolfgang David, violin, and Takeshi Kakehashi, piano. One of the leading Austrian violinists of his generation, David and the famous blind Japanese pianist Kakehashi teamed up many years ago and have since toured internationally, releasing many award-winning CDs. Reception follows each performance.

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Led by music director Elisa Citterio, Tafelmusik is one of the world’s leading period-instrument ensembles, performing on instruments and in styles appropriate for the era of the music. Renowned for dynamic, engaging, and soulful performances, Tafelmusik performs some 80 concerts each year for audiences across Toronto, and is Canada’s most toured orchestra, having performed in more than 350 cities in 32 countries. The orchestra is often joined by the critically acclaimed Tafelmusik Chamber Choir and its director, Ivars Taurins.

Tafelmusik also seeks to transport audiences to the Baroque and Classical periods through insightful multimedia programs and adventurous cross-cultural collaborations. Our musicians share their knowledge and experience through comprehensive education and artist-training initiatives such as the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer and Winter Institutes. Tafelmusik’s recordings on the Sony, CBC Records, Analekta, and Tafelmusik Media labels have garnered ten JUNOs and numerous international recording prizes.

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Under the leadership of artistic director Peter Mahon, The Tallis Choir is a mixed-voice chamber choir of 36 voices that has been performing together since 1977. The choir presents an annual subscription series of four concerts between October and May each year in the magnificent acoustic of St. Patrick’s Church in downtown Toronto. Known for innovative programming and polished performances of repertoire covering more than five centuries, the Tallis Choir is an extremely versatile ensemble. They specialize in performances of rarely-heard sacred masterpieces of the Italian, Spanish and English Renaissance which form the cornerstone of their concert series. While they frequently feature a capella polyphonic works, the Choir often works with guest artists performing on period string and wind instruments to add further authenticity to the experience. Additionally, the Choir can be heard in performances around the GTA and southern Ontario, having appeared in the Colours of Music Festival, Luminato Festival, and in multiple performances at the Sony Centre.

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Tapestry Opera is a rare gem in Canada’s cultural landscape, and after four decades of boundary-breaking opera, the company enters its ruby anniversary year (40th) in a stronger position than ever before and with a red-hot lineup for 2019/20.

The season includes a world premiere, the return of two smash hits, embarks on bold explorations into augmented reality, the launch of a landmark national project and the ongoing development of four new commissions. Partnerships with Opera Philadelphia, Luminato, Opéra de Montréal, OCAD U and others are a major part of upcoming initiatives, this season and beyond.

This season’s world premiere, Jacqueline, dives into the real-life struggle between celebrity virtuosic cellist Jacqueline du Pré and the multiple sclerosis that ravaged her body, mind, and talent, robbing her of her identity, her breathtaking musical gift, and her life.

Tapestry Opera’s award-winning original cast and production of Rocking Horse Winner explores the relationship between Paul, a young man with developmental challenges, and Ava, his emotionally distant mother. An intimate, psychologically insightful look at love, luck, and greed, Rocking Horse Winner received 5 Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

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Currently in their 12th season, That Choir is one of Toronto’s most exciting a cappella ensembles, combining high-calibre performance with storytelling through choral music. Founded in 2008 by artistic director Craig Pike, That Choir now draws together close to 20 auditioned singers with diverse backgrounds in culture, work and study. Each season, That Choir presents a self-presented concert series of contemporary choral works, along with their own series of cabarets throughout the year. Additionally, the choir often collaborates with other ensembles in the city, undertakes a range of professional development projects, and appears at many local and provincial music festivals and arts events.

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TO Live is one of Canada’s largest multi-arts organizations, operating three iconic venues and presenting a full range of performing arts, theatrical and concert events in both downtown and uptown Toronto at Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre for the Performing Arts), St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, and Meridian Arts Centre (formerly Toronto Centre for the Arts). With hubs of creativity and content creation in both downtown and uptown Toronto, TO Live has a unique place and perspective in Toronto, and the mission of TO Live is to activate creative spaces by inspiring local and international artists, to connect audiences and to be the nexus for new ideas, to elevate artistic potential, and to be the catalyst for creative expression that is reflective of Toronto’s diversity.

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Toronto Beach Chorale (artistic director, Mervin W. Fick) is an auditioned SATB choir of up to 65 voices. Singers share a passion for great classical choral music, a strong commitment to sharing the gift of music and engaging their community in quality musical experiences. TBC invites professional musicians, soloists, actors and arts organizations to join in three to four concerts per season. TBC also organizes and participates in “Messiah for the City” – a free concert for the United Way charities – and in many local community events. TBC’s Choral Scholars Program offers subsidy and training to singers aged 19 to 24. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 7pm to 9:30pm, September to May in the Beach area. Auditions are held in September and January. The ability to read music and choral experience are assets.

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Building on 50 years of concert performances, the Toronto Chamber Choir of around 40 skilled singers, now under artistic director Lucas Harris, has held a prominent place in Canada’s early music scene since 1968. It specializes in Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, collaborating regularly with Toronto’s rich pool of period instrumentalists, but also with forays into other periods while staying true to its early music roots.

Four concerts per season - two Saturday evening concerts and two Sunday afternoon “Kaffeemusik” presentations - explore the cultural context of our repertoire through narration, often with a special guest expert. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall with occasional Saturday “retreats.” Auditions for new volunteer members are held anytime by arrangement with the director, while auditions for our Toronto Chamber Consort section lead program are held in May or June.

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The award-winning Toronto Children’s Chorus is currently marking its 42nd season and its 13th year under the baton of artistic director Elise Bradley, MNZM. The Chorus comprises a family of choirs: KinderNotes for children aged three to six (no audition required), four Training Choir levels, Main Choir (six ensembles) and Toronto Youth Choir (aged 16 to 30). Each year, more than 400 choristers develop their skills in vocal technique, sight-singing and music theory, and perform an array of season concerts and guest performances. The Chamber Choir also performs nationally and internationally, most recently representing Canada at choral festivals in New Zealand and Australia.

Highlights of the 2019/20 season include two fall concerts; the TCC’s annual holiday concert in collaboration with Roy Thomson Hall on December 15; the family-friendly, movie-themed concert in February; TCC’s Main Choir concert with guest choirs from New Zealand on April 18; and the spring concert at the Toronto Centre of the Arts on May 2. Visit www.torontochildrenschorus.com/performances to view all upcoming performances and to purchase tickets.

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The Toronto Choral Society (TCS) was founded in 1845 to foster a positive musical environment in which members can learn and develop their musical ability and choral repertoire. This December 6, 7:30pm at Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, we will be performing: “Messiah & Carols, A Christmas Celebration!”

What better way to launch the holiday season than an evening of the uplifting sounds of Handel’s Messiah and traditional Christmas carols! The 150-voice Toronto Choral Society will fill Koerner Hall with the rich and emotional sound of one of the Western world‘s best known choral works. Handel wrote this, his most iconic work, in just 18 days. And, it is said that he “wept while he composed the Hallelujah chorus, and claimed he saw visions of angels while he worked on this piece.” Could we be so fortunate while listening? The magnificent choir will be accompanied by the Talisker Players, a unique ensemble of musicians whose strength and reputation lies in the accompaniment of choirs. Throughout the evening, Christmas carols will be interspersed in the program as well as some audience sing-alongs, creating the perfect festive concert. Geoffrey Butler is our artistic director, joined by William O’Meara, accompanist.

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Toronto Classical Singers is known for its unique musical point of view and its high-quality performances, often presenting the lesser-known and rarely performed vocal/orchestral repertoire as well as the standard works. With its exuberant approach, the group celebrates the choral tradition.

For its 28th performance year, founding conductor Jurgen Petrenko will lead the choir, the Talisker Players and soloists through three concerts featuring Handel, Schubert and Vaughan Williams with programming ranging from the ubiquitous to the enigmatic. Opening with “Have Seen a Great Light” on December 8, treat yourself to the universally shared experience of Handel’s Messiah. On March 1, “An die Musick - To Music” features Schubert lieder and his Mass No. 4. “Mysterious and Deep” completes our season on May 3: as vast as the ocean, Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony will be performed with The Mystical Songs, creating a concert of atmospheric awe and wonder. All concerts are on Sundays at 4pm, Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street. Please visit us on our website for more information.

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The Toronto Consort is Canada’s leading ensemble, specializing in the music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and early Baroque. Led by a collective of artistic associates, ten of Canada’s leading early music specialists, the Consort presents a main stage concert series at the beautiful Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, located in the Annex. The Consort has toured extensively and has recorded music for film and television, including the hit television series “The Tudors and The Borgias”, and is releasing its 15th CD recording in Autumn 2019: Frescobaldi and the Glories of Rome.

Aristotle wisely said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” We firmly believe that musical collaborations can attest sublimely to this truth. In our 2019/20 season, we are thrilled to explore the synergy of musical relationships and connections. Please join us and our exciting troupe of renowned guest performers and collaborators this season: trad fiddler Emilyn Stam, internationally-acclaimed tenor Charles Daniels, the truly magnificent vocal ensemble Profeti della Quinta, leading scholar Scott Metcalfe, and First Nations drummers and singers Shirley Hay and Marilyn George. Tickets starting at $20 can be purchased on our website.

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The Toronto Mass Choir continues to be on the cutting edge of Canadian gospel music bringing their distinct sound to the world stage. Their music incorporates contemporary gospel, traditional gospel as well as Caribbean music influences. Since 1988, the choir has recorded 12 albums, including the Juno award-winning album Instrument of Praise. More recently, TMC released By Special Request in June 2018.

2019/20 will feature their annual “PowerUp” event which is a three-day Gospel music workshop, featuring over 20 workshops and a huge finale concert event, on February 20 to 23 (www.powerupgospel.ca). This Fall, “Together Day” will happen on Saturday, Nov 2, another more intimate opportunity for the public to learn Gospel music in a workshop setting. 

Karen Burke, a professor in the music department at York University, is the artistic director of this diversified group along with her husband, Oswald Burke, who serves as their executive producer. Now with 45 members, plus a five-piece band, this not-for-profit choir consists of adult members from all across the GTA. Their travels abroad have taken them to several different countries such as Poland, Romania and the Dominican Republic.

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Grand symphonic sound, clarity of expression, and above all emotional impact are the hallmarks of Toronto Mendelssohn Choir performances. Canada’s world-renowned, large vocal ensemble performs choral masterworks from across five centuries under the leadership of interim conductor David Fallis. The 120-voice choir includes a professional core, auditioned volunteers and apprentices. The TMC presents its own concert series while also performing regularly with the TSO, including Handel’s Messiah. The TMC is currently conducting an international search for a new artistic director.

TMC’s 2019/20 season includes a gala 125th anniversary concert with the Toronto Symphony, October 20; “Festival of Carols” with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, December 3 and 4; a free concert – “Romantics and New Romantics” – with guest conductor John William Trotter, February 22; “Sacred Music for a Sacred Space” with guest conductor Gregory Batsleer, April 8 and 10; and “Great Poets in Music” with guest conductor Jean-Sébastien Vallée, May 30.

The TMC’s education and outreach programs include live concert webcasts of select performances, and Singsation Saturday choral workshops for anyone who loves to sing.

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The Toronto Mozart Players, operated by the Mozart Project, is a professional ensemble dedicated to engaging audiences and enriching lives through high quality performances of concert music. Specializing in the music of Mozart and his contemporaries, the ensemble performs a broad repertoire from the early 18th century to the 21st century under the direction of artistic director and conductor David Bowser. With commitment to Canadian repertoire and commissioned works by Canadian composers, the Toronto Mozart Players present world premieres along with classical repertoire.

The Mozart Project also provides professional development and performance opportunities to talented emerging artists through the Toronto Mozart Vocal Competition and Toronto Mozart Violin Competition, both of which include mentorship and training in masterclasses and performance. 

During the 2019/20 concert season, performances include: Handel’s Organ Concerto in F, Haydn’s Symphony No. 6 and Mozart’s Requiem.

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Toronto Operetta Theatre is in its third decade as Canada’s only performing arts company dedicated to music theatre in all its variety. 

The 2019/20 season opened with our patrons’ favourite, “Zarzuela!” The concert dedicated to the music from Latin America and Spain, “Viva La Zarzuela,” on Saturday, September 28, features Romulo Delgado, Olivia Maldonado, Ana Persijn Alarcon, Cristina Pisani and Guillermo Silva-Marin. Our holiday production, December 28, 2019 to January 5, 2020, and conducted by Derek Bate, is The Gypsy Baron by Johann Strauss, featuring Meghan Lindsay as Saffi, Beste Kalender as Czipra and Michael Barrett as Sándor Barinkay, the dashing hero. Following is Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore from March 4 to 8, featuring Holly Chaplin, Ryan Downey, Bradley Christensen, conducted by Jennifer Tung. The season finale is the world premiere of Canadian work, A Northern Lights Dream by Michael Rose, on May 2 and 3, featuring Natalya Gennadi, River Guard and Karen Bojti with Suzy Smith, conductor. All main performances are held at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.

Back by popular demand, Toronto Operetta Theatre is also hosting two cabaret shows at its home, the Edward Jackman Centre, in November.

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Founded in 1922, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) plays a vital role in the city’s dynamic cultural life. As one of Canada’s most respected arts organizations, the TSO is committed to serving local and national communities through vibrant performances and expansive educational activities. The TSO connects younger generations with orchestral music through “TSOUNDCHECK”, the original under-35 ticket program; “School Concerts”, performed for over 40,000 students annually; and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO), which offers high-level tuition-free orchestral training for talented young musicians aged 22 and under. 

With a notable recording and broadcast history complementing international touring engagements, the TSO is a unique musical ambassador for Canada around the world. Sir Andrew Davis serves as interim artistic director in 2019/20 – the TSO’s 98th season – prior to the arrival of acclaimed Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno as the orchestra’s 11th music director in 2020/21.

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Trio Arkel is a chamber music ensemble presenting classical music in the heart of Toronto. Leading musicians Marie Bérard and Winona Zelenka collaborate with renowned guest artists in three eclectic programs each season, performing both favourites and lesser-known works in concerts that fascinate and delight.

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The University of Toronto Faculty of Music is a vital destination for professional and scholarly study of music in North America. As part of one of the world’s top universities, the Faculty is home to a diverse and dynamic community. With superb educators in every area of music study and dozens of areas of specialization, we offer an education that is both broad and deep. Our community members have garnered honours such as the Oscar, the Leonardo da Vinci Prize, Peabody, Grammy, JUNO and National Jazz Awards, and occupy prominent positions with major performing arts organizations including the Toronto Symphony, National Arts Centre and National Ballet of Canada Orchestras, the Canadian Opera Company and CBC/Radio-Canada.

The 2019/20 season marks the beginning of the Faculty of Music’s second century and we are thrilled to welcome distinguished visitors (including Barbara Hannigan and Brett Dean, Kris Davis, Tamara Wilson, Eric Owens, Rob Kapilow and André Mehmari), and to offer over 150 public concerts and events. We encourage you to check our website often for the many additional student recitals, lectures, masterclasses and special events posted throughout the season.

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The Upper Canada Choristers is a mixed voice community choir in Toronto with a history of collaboration with international choirs and local children’s choirs. Performing with a wide variety of guest artists, the choir has a diverse repertoire and is committed to excellence. Cantemos is the auditioned latin american chamber ensemble of the Choristers. Founding artistic director and conductor, Laurie Evan Fraser and accompanist Hye Won Cecilia Lee provide the professional musical leadership for this vibrant organization. The choir performs 15 to 20 concerts in the community annually.

Our 2019/20 concert season opens with “Christmas Fantasy!” on December 6 at Grace Church on-the-Hill; the program will feature Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols with baritone, Bradley Christenson, as well as carols dating from the 15th century to the present day. Our spring concert on May 8, “Inti Ukana,” a celebration of Latin American cultures from pre-hispanic times to the present, will include Misa Criolla by Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez.

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This award-winning women’s ensemble, established by Halyna Kvitka Kondracki in 1965, has delighted audiences around the world with its rich repertoire of Ukrainian classical, sacred, contemporary and folk music.

Vesnivka begins its 54th season on October 27 with a concert featuring the music of Ukrainian composer Oleksander Koshyts. Koshyts led the National Choir of Ukraine on a concert tour in North America in the 1920s and later taught in Winnipeg. Joining Vesnivka and its partner, the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir (TUMCC), will be St. Nicholas Choir. On January 12, Vesnivka and TUMCC present their ever-popular annual “Ukrainian Christmas” concert with guest soloists and a folk instrumental ensemble. The season wraps up on March 29 with a concert commemorating the 180th anniversary of the publication of Kobzar - a collection of poetry and prose by Ukraine’s famous literary figure Taras Shevchenko – featuring music written by Ukrainian composers inspired by his poignant words. Guest artists will include soloists from the Ukrainian Art Song Project. Vesnivka also sings Christmas and Easter Liturgies on January 7 and April 19 at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church (Toronto).

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The namesake of the Victoria Scholars, Tomás Luis de Victoria, was an outstanding Renaissance composer whose music is renowned for its spirituality and emotional expressiveness. The Victoria Scholars bring clarity and balance of sound so characteristic of Renaissance music to all their repertoire, encompassing Medieval plainchant, works from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and contemporary eras, and newly-commissioned works. Past winners of the Healey Willan Grand Prize in the CBC Radio National Competition for Amateur Choirs, the Victoria Scholars have performed with many exceptional arts organizations (including Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Kiev Chamber Choir) and vocal soloists (including Sondra Radvanovsky, Michael Schade, Russell Braun and Norine Burgess). They have toured nationally and internationally and are heard regularly on CBC Radio 2 and Classical 96.3FM.

For the 2019/20 season, we are pleased to offer the following concert series: “Twas the Night Before Christmas” (December 22 and 23); “A Cappella with the Victoria Scholars” (March 1); and “Those Opera Composers” (May 31). Please visit us on our website or Facebook for further details.

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Village Voices is a non-auditioned community choir with our home base in Markham, Ontario. We perform major concerts in December and in May. We provide opportunities for members to sing together in fellowship, and encourage and promote each individual’s musical growth. We also provide choral music presentations to community-based groups, such as seniors’ homes, local fairs, festivals and churches.

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Visual and Performing Arts Newmarket (VPAN) was organized in 1988 with the aim of bringing together arts lovers and campaigning for a performing arts facility. In 1997, with a new Newmarket theatre in place, VPAN created “Three For The Show” - a three-concert series of classical music on Sunday afternoons during the winter months. Most recent artists to appear include Janina Fialkowska, Gryphon Trio, Quartetto Gelato, Mary Lou Fallis, Adi Braun, Martin Beaver, Broadsway, Cecilia String Quartet, the Vandikas Family, Canadian Guitar Quartet and Drew Jurecka Trio. Eighteeen years ago, VPAN added a popular fourth concert “Young Artists Showcase,” where young up-and-coming artists are invited to perform.

We are entering our 23rd season by presenting Leslie Fagan, with Guy Few and Lorin Shalanko, on Nov 3; Bridge+Wolak Duo on March 1; and Rivka Golani and Angela Park on March 29. All “Three For the Show” concerts take place Sundays at 2pm at the Newmarket Theatre, 505 Pickering Cres., with free parking. The “Young Artists’ Showcase” takes place at the newly refurbished Old Town Hall, 460 Botsford St. 

Call us for box office or visit www.newtix.ca.

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Celebrating our 20th anniversary, VIVA is a vibrant community of singers and educators committed to equity, excellence, and the belief that every voice matters. VIVA empowers singers of all ages, abilities, and experiences in each of seven choirs through innovative and high-level choral pedagogy and performance experiences. 

Two vital choir components highlight VIVA’s philosophy: the TD Inclusion Program for singers with disabilities; and the Choral Mentoring and Leadership Program for aspiring conductor-educators. VIVA’s youth choruses include: Preparatory (ages 4-6); Junior (ages 6-10); Main (ages 9-16); Senior Treble (ages 13-16), Everyone Can Sing for those aged 13 and up with disabilities; adult choirs include: Community Choir (SATB; non-auditioned) and Chamber Choir (SATB; auditioned).

All singers perform annually in our “Series Concerts” in Jeanne Lamon Hall at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, and other professional engagements. VIVA is the official children’s choir of The National Ballet of Canada, performing annually in The Nutcracker. Special events this year include VIVA’s 20th “Anniversary Commissions,” and a performance tour to Scotland in July.

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The VOCA Chorus of Toronto is a dynamic, auditioned ensemble under the leadership of artistic director Jenny Crober. We perform a vast range of repertoire, in collaboration with a wide variety of superb guest artists. VOCA's season consists of concerts, cabarets, community performances and workshops. Our talented, versatile accompanist is Elizabeth Acker. Several remarkable artists have joined VOCA as guest clinicians, including composer Ola Gjeilo, conductor Ivars Taurins and jazz musician Dylan Bell.

At our Saturday, December 7 “Comfort & Joy” concert, VOCA will present Vivaldi’s Gloria and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia On Christmas Carols, featuring soloists Dallas Chorley, Lindsay Connolly and Parker Clements with the VOCA Chamber Orchestra, along with selections by Ola Gjeilo, Elise Letourneau, Pentatonix and others. We’re thrilled to have been invited to perform in Roy Thomson Hall’s Annual Choir and Organ Series on April 9, 2020, where we will present a world premiere by renowned Cree composer Andrew Balfour. This event, along with our "Star Songs" concert on Saturday, May 9 will feature guests Shawn Grenke, organ, Colleen Allen, sax, and Jamie Drake, percussion. Rehearsals are Monday evenings at Eastminster United (Chester subway).

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VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert is Canada’s only company dedicated exclusively to the presentation of rare opera programming. Our performances rely on the power and beauty of the human voice, the dramatic inflexion of text and poetry accompanied by orchestra or piano. 

The 2019/20 season opens with a double bill presentation of Maurice Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortilèges and L’heure Espagnole on October 20, with featuring artists Holly Chaplin, Anika-France Forget, Danlie Rae Acebuque and Joshua Clemenger, with chorus director Robert Cooper and Suzy Smith as music director. Katya Kabanová by Leoš Janáček is next on December 1, with music director and pianist Jo Greenaway, and featuring Lynn Isnar, Emilia Boteva and Michael Barrett. A Canadian opera, Kamouraska by Charles M. Wilson follows on February 16, featuring Jennifer Taverner, Aaron Dimoff and Matt Chittick, with conductor and chorus director Robert Cooper. The finale of the season is Francesco Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur on April 5, featuring Sally Dibblee, Romulo Delgado and Geneviève Lévesque, with Narmina Afandiyeva as music director and chorus director Robert Cooper.

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Vox Choirs is a non-profit music organization comprised of two sibling choirs, Univox and Florivox, that share the same core principles: musical excellence, social responsibility, and relationship building. 

Univox, led by artistic director and conductor, Dallas Bergen, is a mixed-voice community choir for young adults. Performed works are primarily a cappella and span a wide range of the choral spectrum: Renaissance madrigals and motets, choral classics, modern composition, spirituals, and international folk songs. Univox aims to fill the niche for young adults who wish to continue to have a rewarding choral experience with others in their age group. 

Florivox, led by conductor Josh Tamayo, is a non-auditioned choir for treble voices. Just like its sister choir, a love of singing and a strong sense of community are guiding principles of Florivox. Members meet once a week to explore a wide variety of styles and to develop choral/singing skills, all within a friendly and supportive environment.

Both choirs perform 3 principal concerts a year, and this year promises to be another exciting program as the choirs continue to deliver a high quality and passionate musical experience.

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Westben is now a year-round Centre for Connection and Creativity Through Music. The Centre focuses on the year-round convergence of people, ideas and activities and is a cultural hive where professionals, amateurs and enthusiasts meet and are nurtured through the joy of music. Artist residencies, “Lunchtime Tick Talks,” “House Concerts,” and “Concerts to a Tea” are just some of the new year-round programming.

In 2020, Westben will celebrate its 21st season of “Concerts at The Barn” featuring classical, jazz, folk, fiddle, and Broadway offering the incredible opportunity to experience world class music in a natural setting. Also returning is the one-of-a-kind in Canada, peer-driven, Performer-Composer International Residency. 

Westben is where the best of music and nature spring to life in your company! Ask about our one-of-a-kind experiences such as “Chocolate Voices,” “Secret Concert” and the expanded “Dare to Pair” series. Nestled amongst the peaceful hills of Northumberland County two hours east of Toronto, near Campbellford, Westben’s primary performance venue is a custom-built, timber-frame barn. The Barn seats 400, and on sunny days from June to September, massive walls and doors roll away – allowing music to waft over the surrounding meadow.

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Through its “Music in the Afternoon” concert series, the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto (WMCT) presents chamber music concerts, featuring musicians on the threshold of international recognition, as well as established artists and ensembles. Concerts are held Thursday afternoons at 1:30pm at Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park, Toronto. 

Concerts in the 122nd (2019/20) season include Trio Fibonacci (October 3); soprano Jane Archibald (November 14); Diotima Quartet (February 27, 2020); percussionist Beverley Johnston and Friends (April 2); and the WMCT’s 2018 Career Development Award winner, Blake Pouliot, violin (May 7). 

Member/subscriber benefits include “Tuning Your Mind,” a free pre-concert lecture series presented in partnership with the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, on a topic related to the day’s concert, and a masterclass, this season by Diotima Quartet.

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Established in 2009, the Wychwood Clarinet Choir is directed by clarinetist and conductor Michele Jacot. Members of the choir include skilled clarinetists who share a love of music-making, friendship and fun. The group rehearses weekly and performs on a regular basis in Toronto’s St. Clair and Wychwood area. The instrumentation of the WCC extends from the contrabass clarinet to the E-flat sopranino. The choir’s repertoire includes many compositions and arrangements written by the group’s own Composers’ Collective, and by the choir’s late composer and conductor laureate, Howard Cable.

The Wychwood Clarinet Choir embraces the ideal of ‘music for life” and is committed to sharing the musical experience in educational settings and in the wider community.

Choir members are admitted by audition and pay a modest annual membership fee.

Three concerts are planned for the 2019/20 season. “Creepy Clarinets,” a Halloween themed concert on October 27; “Midwinter Suites” on February 23; and “Sounds of Spring” on May 24. Please visit the choir’s website for all the exciting details!

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York Region Chamber Music is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting chamber music experiences inside and outside the concert hall to inspire both seasoned concertgoers and first-time listeners. Primarily based at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, York Region Chamber Music also presents throughout York Region at venues such as the Aurora Cultural Centre.

York Region Chamber Music focuses on featuring exciting, young, professional performers and bringing new works by emerging composers to the stage. As advocates for classical music and the arts, we have strong ties with the community and local organizations through partnerships, including the City of Richmond Hill and the York Region Arts Council.

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York University’s Department of Music presents many public events each season. This year, our “Faculty Spotlight Series” showcases jazz bassist, Al Henderson; pianist Dorothy de Val; pianist/composer Michael Coghlan; and The Accolade Trio featuring clarinetist Patricia Wait and cellist Mark Chambers. 

Classical chamber concerts and performances by the York U Concert and Chamber Choirs are also offered along with electroacoustic explorations and student compositions. Our annual “World Music Festival” celebrates a wide variety of musical practices including Caribbean, West African and Celtic traditions. The “Music at Midday” series offers free lunchtime performances featuring guest artists, faculty, and student talent. 

Masterclasses by leading Canadian and international artists are frequently open to observers. Each term concludes with showcase performances by the York U Symphony Orchestra, Gospel Choir and Wind Symphony, as well as a four-day jazz festival. Performances take place in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall or in the informal setting of the Martin Family Lounge in the Accolade East Building at York’s Keele campus.

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The Yorkminster Park Baptist Church senior choir, under organist and music director William Maddox, enjoys a reputation as one of the best congregational choirs in the city of Toronto. Yorkminster Park presents a series of free organ recitals at 12:30pm, every Wednesday from September through June, with performers from around the world.

We have a wide variety of unique musical events throughout the year, but Yorkminster Park is renowned for its special seasonal concerts. 

The quality and dedication of the music ministry at YPBC is never more evident than during Advent and Holy Week and these services have become community traditions: “City Carol Sing,” “Carols by Candlelight,” the “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols,” “Passiontide Devotion” during Holy Week and traditional Evensong services three times a year. Our sanctuary is frequently made available to other choral and concert groups, which draw appreciative audiences from all over Southern Ontario.