The 2024 version of the Toronto Summer Music festival comes with the title Voices Within, and will run from July 11 to August 3. Toronto Summer Music picks up just as the regular season winds down, filling up the calendar with a wealth of live music packed into just over three weeks.
“Within each of us lies a voice that is full of imagination and creativity,” said Jonathan Crow, Artistic Director in a statement. “At the 2024 Festival, Voices Within, we welcome artists from around the world to share their artistry with us, and to let us experience the world as they see it through their musical voices and instruments. From the strong voices of masters resonating with experience to the bright voices of emerging artists ringing with hope, we will celebrate the multitude of voices within our community at the 2024 Festival.”
There will be 26 Mainstage concerts, along with a free concert series, programming for kids, and educational events. The remaining details will be announced in June.
In the meantime, here’s a look at the Mainstage shows.
Toronto Summer Music Mainstage Shows
Opening Night: The Fairy Queen
Thursday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Koerner Hall
A new production of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen takes audiences to an enchanted forest where reality and the dream world merge, and young people escape from the concrete jungle into a sylvan paradise. Conducted by William Christie and Paul Agnew, with choreography by Mourad Merzouki, and spotlighting the latest laureates of Le Jardin des Voix, Les Arts Florissants’ academy for young singers. The cast includes eight soloists and contemporary dancers from the Compagnie Käfig, with musicians from Orchestre des Arts Florissants.
Transfigured Night
Friday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
This program pairs Brahms’ Sextet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 36 with Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 in performances by Artistic Director Jonathan Crow and Andrew Wan (violin), Sharon Wei and Eric Nowlin (viola), Brian Manker and Peter Stumpf (cello).
Death And The Maiden
Monday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
The New Orford String Quartet returns to TSM to perform a program of string quartets, all of them composed in D minor. That includes Schubert’s haunting “Death and the Maiden”, Mozart’s String Quartet No. 15 in D minor, and a world première by Ian Cusson, a composer of Métis and French Canadian descent based in Oakville.
Connolly & Middleton
Tuesday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
Recently awarded The King’s Medal for Music, Dame Sarah Connolly will be joined by acclaimed pianist Joseph Middleton to perform a program of Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder, as well as songs by Barber, Berg, Schönberg, and others.
Trio Zimbalist
Wednesday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
The Trio Zimbalist brings their signature flair for performance to three atmospheric works, including Lera Auerbach’s Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 28; Mieczyslaw Wienberg’s Piano Trio, Op. 24 and Beethoven’s eerie Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1, “Ghost”.
Vadym Kholodenko
Thursday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Koerner Hall
Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko was the Gold Medal winner of the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He comes to TSM to perform masterworks for piano, featuring Handel’s Chaconne in G Major, HWV 435, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111, and Prokofiev’s Four Pieces for Piano, Op. 32 and Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84.
Schubert’s Piano
Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
Performances by Josef Špaček (violin), Scott St. John (violin & viola), Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin (cello), Michael Chiarello (bass), George Xiaoyuan Fu and Philip Chiu (piano) light up this all-Schubert program that includes the “Rondeau brillant” in B minor for Violin and Piano, Op. 70, Impromptus, Op. 90 and Piano Quintet in A Major “Trout”.
Breathings
Monday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
This concert by Constantinople and guests Kiya Tabassian (setar, voice, and direction), Darlene Gijuminag (Mi’kmaq drums and singing), Celina Kalluk (Inuit throat singing), Kianoush Khalilian (ney), Didem Başar (kanun), Etienne Lafrance (double bass), and Patrick Graham (percussion) focuses on our intimate connection with the natural world, via breath.
Schmaltz & Pepper
Tuesday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
Schmaltz & Pepper are a brand new ensemble with a concert of original klezmer and Yiddish music arrangements inspired by jazz, Roma, classical, and European folk music. Band members include TSO Principal Clarinet Eric Abramovitz, Grammy-nominated Drew Jurecka, and friends.
Bach & Vivaldi
Wednesday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Church of the Redeemer
Artistic Director Jonathan Crow, harpsichordist Christopher Bagan, and Academy Fellows from the Chamber Music Institute, along with winners of the 2023 Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank Competition David Baik (violin) and Gregory Lewis (violin), perform a program of Baroque delights from Bach and Vivaldi. Audience members can also join the artists at a post-performance reception. All proceeds from the concert support the TSM Academy.
Canadian Brass
Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Koerner Hall
The Canadian Brass return to Toronto with an international reputation for a showcase concert.
Voices Within
Friday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
Jennifer Frautschi (violin), Jinjoo Cho (violin), Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt (viola), Rachel Mercer (cello) and Angela Cheng (piano) perform an eclectic program of chamber music, including Halcyon for Cello and Piano by Jocelyn Morlock, Jessie Montgomery’s Musings for Two Violins, Dvořák’s Terzetto, Op. 74 and Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-Flat Major, Op. 44.
Dreams and Shadows
Monday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
Violinist Jonathan Crow and pianist Philip Chiu perform a themed program of works that include
Canadian composer Elizabeth Raum’s Les Ombres, Kaija Saariaho’s Tocar, and Brahms’ Sonata No. 3 in D minor, and Op. 108. Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 80.
Elisabeth St-Gelais
Tuesday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
Innu soprano Elisabeth St-Gelais was the First Prize Winner of the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage Competition. In this concert, she’ll perform a program of songs by Strauss, Menotti, Ian Cusson, Verdi, and Duparc.
Pacifica Quartet
Wednesday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
The multiple Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet perform chamber classics with their characteristic virtuosity. The program includes Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2, Op. 13, Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 68, and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, “American.”
Beethoven Unleashed
Thursday, August 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Koerner Hall
Violinist Kerson Leong performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61, with Simon Rivard conducting the TSM Festival Orchestra. The night will conclude with a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”.
Chausson’s Concert
Friday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
The Pacifica Quartet is joined by Aaron Schwebel and Yura Lee (violin), Barry Shiffman (viola), Joseph Johnson (cello), Michael Chiarello (bass), Philip Chiu (piano), Eric Abramovitz (clarinet), Samuel Banks (bassoon) and Gabriel Radford (horn) in a program of Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat Major, and Chausson’s Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet.
TSM Finale
Saturday, August 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall
The 2024 Festival Finale concert features TSM Artists, Academy Fellows from the TSM Academy’s Emerging Artist Program, and Community Program participants in a concert that includes a world première by award-winning Iranian-Canadian composer Iman Habibi.
- Check for more information, including details on the ReGeneration concert series and more in June, and tickets [HERE].
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