L-R (clockwise): Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson (Photos courtesy of the artists); Randall Goosby (Photo courtesy Decca Classics); Emmanuel Ax (Photo courtesy of the artist)

The Royal Conservatory of Music has revealed a preview of the classical music programming for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Toronto audiences have another season of superstars and imaginative programming in store.

Mervon Mehta said, “Today we launch season number 16 in our remarkable hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music. What a joy it has been to bring together the artists that will visit us. Our International Orchestra Series continues with two nights of music from Prague, dear friends Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson join forces for some ten-fingered fun, and our celebration of Stephen Sondheim continues with our first ever holiday musical, Into the Woods. Brilliant young artists such as Kevin Chen and Randall Goosby sit comfortably alongside seasoned masters Emanuel Ax and Sir Stephen Hough, and jazz greats Monty Alexander and Branford Marsalis share the stage with talented Canadians Barbra Lica, Emilie-Claire Barlow, and Jay Douglas. None of this is conceivable without the support of our donors and our loyal subscribers.

The incredible artists of our 2023-24 season brought us back from the brink and the future looks bright
indeed!”

Here’s a look at the classical music offerings announced so far. More details on the season to be announced later in early June.

Special Events

Czech Philharmonic conducted by Semyon Bychkov

The Czech Philharmonic has more than a century’s history behind it. Antonín Dvořák conducted its very first performance in 1896. Current Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Philharmonic, Semyon Bychkov, is in his sixth season. In their debut in Toronto’s Koerner Hall, they’ll be performing
works by Dvořák, Smetana, and Mahler over two evenings.

December 7: Smetana’s “Vyšehrad,” “Vltava,” and “Šárka” from Má vlast, with Grammy Award-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov in Dvořák’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G Minor.
December 8: Czech violinist Jan Mráček performs Dvořák: Violin Concerto in A Minor, and the orchestra plays its award-winning rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.

Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson

The two classical music world luminaries team up for an unforgettable performance of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances (for two pianos), Schubert’s Fantasia in F Minor (for piano four hands), and other works on February 18.

The Czech Philharmonic and conductor Semyon Bychkov (Photo courtesy of Columbia Artists)

Concerts

Both Canadians and international stars will bring a range of works to Koerner Hall.

Piano Recitals

Emanuel Ax on October 6 for his 75th birthday to perform Schoenberg and Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 2, No. 8 (“Pathétique”), and No. 23 (“Appassionata”).
British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor on November 8 to perform works by Brahms, Schumann, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition on November 8.
Canadian prodigy Kevin Chen in his Koerner Hall debut on December 15, to perform works by Chopin, Liszt, and Schubert.
Canadian star Bruce Liu makes a return to Koerner Hall to perform works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Mendelssohn, and Scriabin on January 19.
Montréal pianist Louis Lortie pays tribute to Maurice Ravel in celebration of his 150th birthday, performing an all-Ravel program including Gaspard de la nuit and La valse.
French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard on February 28 to perform works by Beethoven, Debussy, Schoenberg, Webern and Pierre Boulez in recognition of his 100th birthday.
Schaghajegh Nosrati, protégé of Sir András Schiff, makes her Koerner Hall debut on March 23 performing works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Charles-Valentin Alkan, and Haydn.

Vocal Concerts

Les Violons du Roy conducted by Jonathan Cohen, with soprano Karina Gauvin and contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, perform Handel arias and duets on October 27.
Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan, recently nominated for a Juno Award, performs works by Scriabin, Messiaen, and John Zorn with pianist Bertrand Chamayou on November 28.
Grammy Award nominated British vocal ensemble VOCES8 makes its Koerner Hall debut with a special Christmas concert on December 13, titled Winter Tales.

String Concerts

Violinist Leonidas Kavakos performs the complete Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin over two days on November 9 and 10.
Sister and brother duo of Isata and Sheku Kanneh-Mason get together for a recital of cello sonatas by Fauré, Mendelssohn, and Poulenc, and a new work by Natalie Klouda on December 11.
American rising star Randall Goosby, protégé of Itzhak Perlman, performs works by Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Fauré, Chausson, and Schubert with pianist Zhu Wang at their Koerner Hall debuts on April 23.
Canadian violinist James Ehnes, also recently nominated for a Juno Award, and American pianist Orion Weiss perform works by Bach, Korngold, Prokofiev, and Vaughan Williams on May 11.

Chamber Music Concerts

Master guitarist MILOŠ and the Viano Quartet, winners of the 2019 Banff International String Quartet Competition, perform Baroque to Piazzolla to Broadway to The Beatles on November 17.
Takács Quartet brings its innovative musical thinking to works by Beethoven and Brahms, along with a new string quartet by the acclaimed pianist Sir Stephen Hough on February 21.
Martin Fröst, Antoine Tamestit, and Shai Wosner, three internationally respected soloists present an intimate format chamber music recital. Their program on March 28 consists of Bizet, Brahms, Dvořák, and a dance mosaic – a selection of Swedish, Bulgarian, French, and other folk dance tunes, arranged by Fröst and Wosner.
Baroque specialists Les Arts Florissants and French violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte perform Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” at 300 on March 29, commemorating the work’s original publication in 1725. The program includes music Vivaldi would have known in Venice and compositions which were in turn inspired by his vision.

The Royal Conservatory Orchestra will perform in concerts conducted by Earl Lee, Tania Miller with violinist Isabella Perron, Naomi Woo with pianist Jerry Hu, and William Eddins with baritone Colin Mackey.

“This upcoming year will be my first as President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory and I am thrilled that the exceptional calibre of Koerner Hall artists to-date will continue in this 16th season,” said Alexander Brose in a statement. “I am looking forward to seeing these distinguished artists – some of whom are returning, others who are gracing our stage for the first time – perform at The Royal Conservatory. I thank our donors, sponsors, and patrons for their generosity and for their support of our mission to develop human potential.”

Tickets on sale for the classical music and jazz concerts announced so far [HERE].

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Anya Wassenberg

Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto City Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an experienced freelance writer, blogger and writing instructor.