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The 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. Winner of the 2018 Choral Canada Award for Outstanding Innovation, Orpheus continues to present an “expect something different” experience!

The 2020/21 season will begin virtually, with livestreamed performances in November and December, moving to live performances when circumstances permit. Planned projects include a program of favourites selected by the choir members, and an exploration of music and mental health in Allan Bevan’s Ancient of Days.

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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 typically presents a three-concert series, in November, February and May. In this anything-but-typical year, we are starting the season virtually, and continuing our focus on Canadian repertoire, including our collaborative project with the composition students in the Claude Watson Senior Arts program. We continue to monitor developments to determine when we may be able to gather safely in-person again, but in the meantime we are looking forward to engaging with you online!

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Orchestra Toronto is an orchestra created by passionate musicians within the community, for the community. Under the direction of music director Michael Newnham, we offer the enjoyment of music, foster education and music appreciation and support emerging Canadian talent. We perform five annual concerts with repertoire from great symphonic classics to new delights, in the acoustically splendid George Weston Recital Hall, at the Meridian Arts Centre. Our organization of volunteers is committed to making symphonic music accessible to a broad and diverse public beyond the concert hall.

We are proud to be offering a full, five-concert season, in venues around the city of Toronto. Check our website for concert details.

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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.

During these otherworldly times, while our live concerts are on hold, we are planning a number of online events. We look forward to sharing some short performances, personal reflections and musical insights. Please continue to check the listings section of The WholeNote or our website to stay up-to-date with our planned activities.

Until we can meet again at our normal venue in Toronto, at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, please keep safe and be well.

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The Annex Singers of Toronto, now in its 41st season, is a spirited 60-voice auditioned choir with an eclectic repertoire spanning seven centuries. Under the dynamic and creative leadership of artistic director Maria Case, the choir performs three programs each season, collaborating with an exciting array of professional soloists and ensembles. Recent performances include Poulenc’s Gloria, Dobrogosz’s Jazz Mass, Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor, and the acclaimed original choral drama December Diaries. The Annex Chamber Choir, a smaller ensemble drawn from the main choir, is dedicated to presenting gems from the chamber repertoire. We offer choral development workshops led by some of Toronto’s most innovative clinicians, engage in community outreach, and encourage young singers with a sponsorship program.

In the 2020/21 season, we will present a virtual seasonal concert on Saturday, December 12, and continue our tradition of creative programming in the spring of 2021. Fall rehearsals will take place on Monday evenings over Zoom. We welcome experienced singers - please visit our website to arrange an audition.

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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 reimagined 2020/21 season features a new creation called Something Rich and Strange (Oct 28, 2020) and Handel's The Resurrection (April 1, 2021) both livestreamed from Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre. Visit our website for more information.

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Now entering its 50th season, New Music Concerts is a vital and central part of Toronto’s new music scene and has been providing a leadership role in the community throughout its history. Founded by internationally-acclaimed Canadian musicians Robert Aitken and Norma Beecroft, NMC presented its first concert in January 1972 with guest composer/conductor Luciano Berio. Since that time NMC has commissioned hundreds of new works, and has brought countless historically important compositions to thousands of listeners through meticulous performances by Toronto’s top musicians, most often with the participation of the composers. NMC is known throughout the world as the pre-eminent new music organization of our country. Composers from around the world know that if their work is performed in Canada by NMC, then the performance will not only be outstanding, but probably definitive.

NMC is internationally renowned and unique in Toronto as the foremost champion of contemporary works for large chamber ensembles. After 50 years under the artistic direction of Robert Aitken, we are embarking on a transition to our new, innovative artistic director, composer, and conductor, Brian Current.

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“…serious, discerning presenters like Music Toronto have everything to celebrate.” (Musicaltoronto.org) 

A legacy organization in classical music, Music Toronto continues to represent the world’s best chamber ensembles and pianists, though we cannot present live concerts during the pandemic. We specialize in string quartets, long recognized as the highest form of western classical music. Throughout our history we have invited to Toronto only the finest, from established masters like the Amadeus, the Tokyo and the Hagen to exciting new quartets like the vision and the Schumann. Of course we always welcome back our home-grown favourites, the St. Lawrence Quartet and the Gryphon Trio.

Our reputation for pianists is equally eclectic - and compelling. From world-renowned interpreters like Stephen Hough, Marc-André Hamelin and Janina Fialkowska to brilliant rising stars like Benjamin Grosvenor, our piano is always in good hands. Great music of five centuries, from Haydn to new works written in this 21st century, and always including Canadian music; artists new and familiar, extraordinary music-making: only the best, only at Music Toronto. Join the best audience in the city for these great concerts.

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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, though this season most of our programming will be delivered online. 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 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 and the Ken Page Memorial Trust Scholarship Award in memory of Ron Collier established at Humber College.

Donations are our lifeline, our 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.