L-R (clockwise): Violinist James Ehnes (Photo courtesy of the artist); The Glass Orchestra (Photo courtesy of the artists); Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra (Photo: Dahlia Katz)

This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between May 27 and June 2, 2024. For more of what’s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here.

Canadian Opera Company: Tell Me a Story

Wendesday, May 29, Noon
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre. Free, tickets required

Out of the dark pit, musicians of the COC orchestra will step onto the bright stage of Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre to celebrate a gift from W. Bruce C. Bailey: a new celeste, with a premiere of Dustin Peters’ composition, ‘Ekpharasis!’. One of the best chamber orchestral works ever written, Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks, and Haydn Symphony No. 60, are also on the menu for this midday enchantment. Only a handful of tickets are left, but good news — this event will be live streamed, with pre-registration through the COC website. Info here.

SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival: Pressgang Mutiny

Wednesday, May 29, 7 p.m.
Saulter Street Brewery, 31 Saulter St., Suite #1. Free

The SING! Festival’s been running since 2012, and their focus on the voice as the most accessible and intimate musical expression always results in an exciting mixed bag of performances and workshops. This year’s festival, May 29 – June 2, celebrates a cappella vocal works in all kinds of spaces, and for this particular evening, the four men of Pressgang Mutiny, who’ve been around the world researching and singing sea shanties, will be at the Saulter Street Brewery, promising a lot of easygoing fun in a relaxed, inclusive environment. If you cannot make this event, the Thursday night concert presented by That Choir at St. Luke’s United Church, would be an excellent alternative. Info here.

Confluence Concerts: The Confluence Songbook

Wednesday, May 29, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 30, 7:30 p.m.
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazeltone Ave., $10+

Confluence Concerts celebrates the end of the 23/24 season with a truly diverse program featuring their artistic associates: Larry Beckwith, Andrew Downing, Teiya Kasahara 笠原貞野, Patricia O’Callaghan and Suba Sankaran, with a big guest musician list. They will feature all kinds of music from Bach and Monterverdi, to Schubert and Wolf, to Randy Newman and the Indigo Girls. Such programming benefits everyone — from the curious to the connoisseur of each style, and drives home the most important point of it all: music communicates and expresses beyond itself. It could represent a composite view, of collective us, as we navigate through differences and similarities. Info here.

Toronto Symphony Orchestra: James Ehnes + An American in Paris

Wednesday, May 29, 8 p.m., Thursday, May 30, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 2, 8 p.m.
Roy Thomson Hall; $51+, Tsoundcheck tickets available

Stéphane Denève, one of the very best conductors of our time (he’s the second artistic director of the New World Symphony, succeeding its founder, Michael Tilson Thomas, in 2022) is in town with James Ehnes, presenting a colourful program of Connesson, Bernstein, Poulenc, and Gershwin. Connesson, one of the most popular French contemporary composers, writes with plenty of panache and rich orchestral technique, and to hear it live, especially with Poulenc’s spiky and vibrant harmony, makes this program a great choice. Info here.

Canadian Children’s Opera Company: The Hobbit

Thursday, May 30, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 1, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday, June 2, 3 p.m.
Harbourfront Centre. $25+

One of the premier children’s choirs in Canada, CCOC is always busy — this season, you may have seen them with the Art of Time Ensemble, or on the COC stage for La Bohème. This time, CCOC presents an opera production of their own: The Hobbit by Dean Burry. It’ll be an energetic show, with over 90 CCOC choristers and a chamber orchestra. Two out of the three dates are already sold out, so make quick arrangements and get your tickets for the June 1 shows. Read our Preview/Interview here. Info here.

Tafelmusik: A Handel Celebration

Friday, May 31, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 1, 8 p.m., Sunday, June 2, 3 p.m.
Koerner Hall. $48+

Tafelmusik concludes its 45th season with a big Handel program under the direction of Ivars Taurins. Pulling the heavy hits from the best of Handel’s oratorios: Solomon, Hercules, Semele, and Judas Maccabeus, the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir and soloists Amanda Forsythe and Thomas Hobbs will fill the evening with drama and beauty. Info here.

Arraymusic: Glass Orchestra

Saturday, June 1, 8 p.m.
Arraymusic, 155 Walnut Avenue. Pay What You Can

There are such things as glass instruments. If you were at the recent Kronos tour, you would’ve seen the water-filled glasses being bowed. You may have seen street buskers rolling their fingers on water-filled glasses, making that signature angel/ethereal sound. There are a lot more ways to play music with glass. The Glass Orchestra was formed in 1977, and has been working on the myriad possibilities of glass music; for this show, members Rick Sacks, Bill Parsons, and Eric Cadesky will be joined by guests Nathan Petipa, Louis Pino and Naoko Tsujita. This may be the most fascinating live performance you attend this year — their last performance was in 2022 — don’t miss this rare chance to go and see what is possible with all things glass. There will be a livestream. Info here.

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Hye Won Cecilia Lee

Cecilia tumbled into 'serious' music study when she decided to avoid attending medical school. Currently working in the field of classical music, recording, and Korean-English interpretation, she tends to get her nose dirty in many different things in the city. Cecilia holds a DMA in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.