This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between June 3 and June 9, 2024. For more of what’s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here.
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale: Shout for Joy
Monday, June 3, Noon
Roy Thomson Hall. Free, tickets are required.
The free noon-hour concert series at the Roy Thomson Hall for the season ends with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. Come and celebrate music stemming from African traditions and their Diasporas — a lovely lunch break to start the week right. Info here.
Noon at the Met: Carillon and Organ Recital
Thursday, June 6, Noon
Metropolitan United Church. Free, with a free-will donation.
The Metropolitan United’s carillon is a beautiful instrument. Following the bell tower construction in 1872, the original 23 bells were installed in 1922, donated by Chester Massey in memory of his wife Margaret, making it the first well-tuned carillon in North America. Additional bells were added during the 1960s and 70s. The bells regularly ring through the city for Sunday services and special occasions such as weddings, and for June, Met’s carillon will be on for a half-hour recital starting at noon, followed by a short indoor recital from 1 p.m. The first of the series will feature Met’s carillonist Elisa Tersigni, followed by Manuel Piazza for the indoor organ recital. Come by, grab lunch from the Trinity Cafe, and enjoy the afternoon. Info here.
Hilary Hahn with Andreas Haeflinger
Thursday, June 6, 8 p.m.
Koerner Hall, $70+
One of the best of her generation, Hilary Hahn presents an all-Brahms program with Andreas Haeflinger at the piano. Experiencing a familiar repertoire, but with such musicianship, can be a total eye-opener, especially if one hasn’t experienced it in a live performance. The concert is currently sold out, but it will be worth the effort to call for rush tickets (from cancellations, etc.) on the day, available at 5 p.m. sharp. Info here.
Continuum Contemporary Music: sur(rounding)
Thursday, June 8, 7 p.m.
St. George by the Grance, 30 Stephanie St., Toronto. $22.63+
Four creative minds: Émilie Fortin, Hillary Jean Young, Cassandra Miller, and Alex Jang came up with a hybrid concert for Continuum’s sur(rounding). For this first concert for Continuum’s Mentorship in Artistic Production, they are focusing on improvisation and collective creation. For those who are curious and have a voice to sing, there will be a workshop for Miller’s work, Rounding, starting at 6 p.m., to prepare you for the evening’s performance — all singers of all skill levels are invited and will be given a complimentary ticket to the concert. The info pack is scheduled to be sent out on June 5, so get yourself signed up asap, and enjoy the process. Info here.
Array + Cultureland Opera Collective: Echos of Bi-Sotoon
Thursday, June 6, 7:30 p.m.
Array Music Space, 155 Walnut Ave., Toronto. $35
A composite operatic work incorporating 7 BIPOC composers from across the globe will celebrate Bi-Sotoon, the place of the gods, a main trading post for both the Babylon Road and the Silk Road. It is easy to forget how big the world is in the age of digital experience (for instance, the shadow of the historic Persian empire, stretching across the entire Eurasia, remains strong even today, as one can still communicate speaking Farsi in the ‘stans’), so a live event such as this remains even more relevant for today, as a way to physically connect to this international creativity. A great chance to hear the work of Cultureland Opera Collective, whose primary focus is on Middle Eastern culture and communities, an underexplored and less-familiar territory for many. The event is currently sold out, but worth inquiring to see if any tickets are available on the day. Check out our Interview with Cultureland’s Dr. Afarin Mansouri here. Info here.
junctQín keyboard collective: Vintage & Villains, with guest artist, Richard Burrows
Friday, June 07, 8 p.m.
Music Gallery, 918 Bathurst St. Toronto, PWYC $10+
Come and experience what six-hands keyboard, synths, percussion, electronic music, and video media feels like. The best thing about it would be the music: whatever means it speaks through, true music always elicits communication, back-and-forth, from composer to performer, to/from the audience, and past-present-future. The variations are endless. junctQín keyboard collective members Stephanie Chua, Joseph Ferretti, and Elaine Lau have been busy exploring all forms of keyboard music and its essence over the years (hence their expansion to percussion and performance-derivative works), and for their June concert, jkc will present works by Vincent Ho and Nicole Lizée. Lizée’s music is often heavy with tech elements, and her usage of video elements is witty, evocative, and surreal — certainly a good one to experience in person. Info here.
Orchestra Toronto: Forces of Nature
Saturday, June 8, 8 p.m., Pre-concert chat at 7:15 p.m.
George Weston Recital Hall, North York. $25+
For this last show of the season, Orchestra Toronto is about to spill over the stage with a total of 110 musicians to play Mahler’s epic 6th Symphony. Upon hearing it, Albarn Berg wrote to Anton Weber: “Es gibt doch nur eine VI. trotz der Pastorale.” (There is only one Sixth, notwithstanding the Pastoral) — it’s an amazing work. The pre-chat starts at 7:15 p.m., and then at 8 p.m., the march towards the three blows of fate will start. Info here.
Oscar Peterson School of Music: PLAY Day
Sunday, June 9, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
The Royal Conservatory: Koerner Hall, Mazzolini Hall, Reta Lila Weston Courtyard, Free
The Oscar Peterson School of Music celebrates an end to their year of music-making with all ages and many genres with an open-day of performances. Different groups will be performing throughout the day, including Adult Ensembles, Bands, Orchestras, Children’s Choirs, and Chamber Ensembles. There will be several KidZones for little ones, featuring activities such as make-your-own-instruments, Streamers & Snakes, and different instruments PLAY Rooms. A great way to spend the day in-and-out of music making and appreciation. Info here.
Pax Christi Chorale and North York Concert Orchestra: Carmina Burana
Sunday, June 9, 2024, 5p.m.
George Weston Recital Hall, $15+
Come and experience the rich soundscape of the choral orchestra repertoire. Pax Christi Chorale’s Artistic Director, Elaine Choi, has been busy organizing and presenting various community-based choral activities in Toronto, and for this program, the North York Concert Orchestra with Rafael Luz joins them for two orchestral choral works: Brahm’s Nänie, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. The concert opens with one of the richest Romantic moments in Western music: Danse Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila, by Camille Saint-Saëns. Info here.
Aga Khan Museum: Erkan Oğur and Ismail Hakki Demircioğlu: A Soul-Stirring Concert in Toronto
Sunday, June 9, 2024, 5 p.m
Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Dr., $40+
Duo Erkan Oğur and Ismail Hakki Demircioğlu bring ancient and contemporary Anatolian music to Aga Khan. Stemming from the 14th century, Turkish music is full of complex history and musical nuance, and as the performance series at Aga Khan is one of the best world music series in Toronto, this is a great way to wrap up the weekend, with timeless melodies gently told in that amazing auditorium space. Info here.
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