This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between June 23 and 29, 2025. For more of what’s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here.
Mandle Philharmonic Presents Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Mahler Symphony No. 2
Wednesday, June 25, 7:30 p.m.
Roy Thomson Hall, $41+
Mandle Cheung, a self-taught conductor/tech entrepreneur, leads the Toronto Symphony Orchestra through Mahler 2, à la Gilbert Kaplan. For nearly a decade, Cheung has presented numerous concerts in the city with his own orchestra, Mandle Philharmonic, featuring Beethoven’s symphonies, Mahler 1 and 4, and others. Mahler 2, one of the more complex late Romantic symphonies, features two female soloists, and a full-size choir — no small task here. Gilbert Kaplan, an American businessman who loved Mahler so much, left us with a gigantic legacy, starting with Mahler recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Wiener Philharmoniker, and the Kaplan Mahler editions and their musicological research have become an essential source for Mahler maniacs. However, his background as businessman was always a source of controversy. It is interesting to see how Cheung will navigate his first contact with an established orchestra laden with hierarchy and tradition, and where he might go from here. As major ensembles are heading into the summer break, this may be the last big symphonic concert till the fall — come and see Cheung continue to fulfill his lifelong dream of conducting Mahler 2 with the TSO, soloists Mireille Lebel, Kirsten LeBlanc, and the Amadeus Choir. Read our Interview with Mandle Cheung here. Info here.
Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute Orchestra & Choirs
Wednesday, June 25, 1 p.m.
Walter Hall, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park, open to the public, first-come, first-serve
In the midst of their summer program, TBSI presents a collection of instrumental and vocal works featuring participants. See what they have learned from the Institute, and join them in their enthusiasm for performance practice, great music, and lovely camaraderie. There’s nothing like summer music courses in building lifelong friendships as music challenges you to be open, vulnerable, ready to connect to others who’ve also let their guards down. This 90-minute program is always full of hidden gems, and if this intrigues you, do get in touch with TBSI for the Grand Finale ticket for Saturday, June 28, 7:30 p.m., at the Grace Church on-the-hill. Info here.
Array Music: Cascading Creativity Modifies Conception
Thursday, June 26, 7:30 p.m.
Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave., Pay-what-you-can
CCMC: Canadian Creative Music Collective, has been aiming to create a music experience similar to free jazz, for ‘… music that is fluid, spontaneous, and self-regulating.’ This evening is the last one of the year, presenting music of Morgan-Paige Melbourne, Maria-Eduarda Mendes Martine, Pouya Hamidi, and Eldritch Priest. The idea of improv and ‘free’ music is always considered a niche interest within mainline classical music, yet the genre continues to attract devotees across time. And there’s a significant challenge, and joy, in discovering something new — and as CCMC members are fluid in both acoustic and digital manipulation of sound, this could be the show where you discover a whole new set of possibilities. Come out to this intimate venue for a slice of something different. Info here.
Canadian Chamber Orchestra: Living Room Listening Party II
Thursday, June 26, 7:30 p.m.
Eglinton St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton Boulevard, Toronto, $45 with complimentary drink/$20 Students
CCO has been busy trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere for chamber music, and their June edition, with pre-show happy hour starting at 6:30 p.m., could be just the right thing to start the summer weekend. Featuring a wide range of music, from Vivaldi, Golijov, Kevin Lau, and Jocelyn Morlock, they want you to come and help blur that elusive line between them and you, by simply joining in the experience, just like a house party. Info here.
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