The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is a Canadian large vocal ensemble based in Toronto, Ontario . It was co-founded in 1894 by Augustus S. Vogt and W. H. Hewlett to celebrate the opening of the Massey Hall . The ensemble was originally an extension of the choir of Jarvis St. Baptist Church in Toronto which Vogt directed and Hewlett accompanied. It is named after the German composer, Felix Mendelssohn .
22-698: The choir comprises 160 voices, among them a professional core of 24 singers known as the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers , who also perform independently The choir performs secular and sacred choral masterpieces in its own annual concert series, as well as regular performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra . The choir has toured in the United States and Europe, performing at the Carnegie Hall , Royal Albert Hall , Notre Dame Cathedral ,
44-620: Is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario . Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall . The TSO also manages the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO). Peter Oundjian was the music director from 2004 to 2018. Sir Andrew Davis , conductor laureate of the TSO, was the orchestra's interim artistic director from 2018 to 2020. Gustavo Gimeno has been
66-606: The Kennedy Center , and major venues in Vienna , Salzburg and Prague . In January 2010, the choir travelled to Vancouver to perform in the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir's outreach programs include Singsation Saturday Choral Workshops for singers, and an annual Choral Conductors' Symposium for emerging conductors. Since 1926, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir has made or been featured in 20 recordings,
88-573: The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and remained with the orchestra until 1991. Saraste now holds the title of Conductor Laureate of the RSO. He has twice recorded the complete symphonies of Jean Sibelius with the RSO. Saraste became Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1994. The later years of his tenure were marked by strife over the orchestra's financial difficulties, several musicians' strikes, and his unsuccessful efforts to improve
110-620: The Sibelius Academy with Jorma Panula in the same class as Esa-Pekka Salonen and Osmo Vänskä . Before becoming a conductor, Saraste was co-principal second violinist and later an associate to Leif Segerstam , with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO). In 1983, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Saraste co-founded the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, which specialises in performances of contemporary music. In 2000, Saraste also founded
132-595: The war in Donbas which were seen as conducive to "public incitement of hatred" under the Criminal Code of Canada. In January 2017, the TSO announced its participation in the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Canada , with a cross-country celebration of Canadian music funded by the Canadian government. In May 2017, the TSO announced the return of Davis to the orchestra as its interim artistic director, beginning with
154-551: The 2010–2011 season. He served in the post through the 2018–2019 season. In April 2022, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Saraste as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2023–2024 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. Saraste was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Music in 2000. He has received a Doctor honoris causa from York University (Toronto), and he
176-452: The 2018-2019 season, for a period of two seasons. In April 2018, the TSO announced the appointment of Matthew Loden as its chief executive officer (CEO), effective July 2018. In February 2018, Gustavo Gimeno guest-conducted the TSO for the first time. On the basis of this appearance, the TSO announced the appointment of Gimeno as its next music director, effective in the 2020-2021 season, with an initial contract of 5 years. In July 2020,
198-546: The Ekenäs Summer Concerts-Festival with the Finnish Chamber Orchestra, and he is currently the artistic advisor to both Festival and Orchestra. Saraste has directed the Finnish Chamber Orchestra on several tours, including tours in the United States and China. In 1987, Saraste became the chief conductor of the RSO, and held the position until 2001. In 1987, he also became the principal conductor of
220-517: The TSO announced the cancellation of its originally scheduled 2020-2021 concert season, with plans for replacement concerts on a smaller scale in various Toronto venues, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2021, the TSO announced that Matthew Loden was to stand down as its CEO, effective 22 September 2021. In January 2022, the TSO announced the appointment of Mark Williams as its next chief executive officer, effective April 2022. In November 2022,
242-603: The TSO announced the extension of Gimeno's contract as its music director through 2030. Jukka-Pekka Saraste Jukka-Pekka Saraste (born 22 April 1956) is a Finnish conductor and violinist. Saraste was born in Heinola , the son of teachers Kauko Pekka Saraste and Ritva Leena-Marjatta (Ruoranen) Saraste. He was trained as a violinist at the Conservatory of Music in Lahti (Lahden Musiikkiopisto) and later studied conducting at
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#1732848684170264-546: The TSO had debt of $ 7 million CAD, and both executive director Ed Smith and music director Saraste had left the ensemble. Peter Oundjian was appointed as music director in January 2003 and became music director in the 2004–2005 season. The 2005 documentary film Five Days in September: The Rebirth of an Orchestra recorded the first days of the TSO's inaugural season with Oundjian as its new music director. His contract
286-569: The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, under the direction of Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée, released Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music . This landmark recording celebrates the Choir's rich history and its longstanding commitment to Canadian choral music. Featuring a selection of works by prominent Canadian composers, Remember pays tribute to the ensemble's legacy while also highlighting its forward-looking artistic vision. Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra ( TSO )
308-580: The Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. In 1929, the TSO made its radio debut with a one-hour broadcast on CBC Radio from the Arcadian Court . After von Kunits' death in 1931, Ernest MacMillan served as music director for 25 years. In 1951, the orchestra made headlines when it declined to renew the contracts of musicians, thereafter known as the Symphony Six , who had been denied entry to
330-489: The United States on suspicion of communist activities, during the McCarthy Era. Andrew Davis was the TSO's music director from 1975 to 1988. The TSO subsequently granted Davis the title of conductor laureate. The orchestra had financial and audience size problems during the 1990s, and in 1992, TSO musicians accepted a 16% pay cut because of a threat of bankruptcy to the orchestra, with a promise from management to make up
352-543: The acoustics at Roy Thomson Hall . During the 1999 labour dispute, Saraste had offered to serve as mediator in the situation. Saraste stepped down from his Toronto post in 2001. From 2002 to 2005, Saraste served as the principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra . In August 2006, he became Music Director of the Oslo Philharmonic , with an initial contract of 5 years. In June 2009, his Oslo contract
374-414: The loss in subsequent contract negotiations. By 1999, this pay restoration had not happened, which led to an 11-week musicians' strike that autumn. Relations between the musicians and management deteriorated, and the music director at the time, Jukka-Pekka Saraste , offered to serve as mediator in the situation. In addition, there was a lack of public sympathy to the orchestra musicians' situation. By 2001,
396-489: The most popular being Handel's Messiah with Kathleen Battle, Florence Quivar, John Aler, Samuel Ramey and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra , under the direction of Sir Andrew Davis (1987). The choir has appeared on movie soundtracks including Agnes of God and the award-winning soundtrack to Schindler's List (uncredited) under the direction of John Williams . Albums under conductor Noel Edison include Berlioz: Requiem (1998) and A Festival of Carols (2006). In 2024,
418-697: The music director of the TSO since the 2020–2021 season. The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923 with 58 musicians. The first conductor was Luigi von Kunits , and that season there were twenty concerts, as well as a performance at a spring festival. In the summer of 1924, the symphony performed at the Canadian National Exhibition . Shortly thereafter, they began holding children's concerts. The orchestra changed its name to
440-451: The orchestra reported its third consecutive year of budget surpluses, with average audience attendance of 88% (excluding concerts for schoolchildren), although the orchestra still retained overall debt of $ 8.9 million CAD in 2008. In 2022, the TSO ended the season with its first net surplus since 1979. In April 2015, controversy ensued after the TSO cancelled the appearance of Valentina Lisitsa , citing Twitter postings by her in relation to
462-641: Was extended through the 2012–2013 season. He concluded his Oslo tenure after the 2012–2013 season. In December 2006, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Saraste as its artistic advisor from 2008 through 2011, and Artistic Director of the Lahti Sibelius Festival in 2008. In November 2008, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne announced the appointment of Saraste as its next principal conductor, effective with
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#1732848684170484-440: Was extended through to the 2017-2018 season. He concluded his TSO tenure at the close of the 2017-2018 season and was given the title of conductor emeritus. With Oundjian, the TSO made commercial recordings for its own TSO Live label and for other labels such as Chandos Records . By the 2006–2007 season, the subscriber base had increased to about 25,000, and the audience average capacity also increased to 84%. In November 2008,
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