Blue Pages

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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).

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.

Read Profile

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.