The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMChoir) had announced the upcoming renewal of Jean-Sébastien Vallée’s contract as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for an additional five year term. The new contractual period begins with the 2026-27 Season, and continues through the 2030-31 Season.
The renewal comes in recognition of Vallée’s outstanding leadership and direction for the choir, taking the 131-year old organization firmly into the 21st century.
“Jean-Sébastien has brought an extraordinary renaissance to TMChoir, elevating our artistic standards to unprecedented levels while creating an inspiring culture that energizes everyone — from our choristers to our staff,” says David Raju, Board Chair of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir in a statement.
“His passion, meticulous preparation, and profound understanding of the choral art have transformed rehearsals into thrilling experiences and performances into unforgettable moments. Most importantly, JS has built a vibrant community where members are challenged, supported, and inspired to reach new heights together. The Board is thrilled to continue this remarkable journey with him.”
Jean-Sébastien’s leadership as Artistic Director of TMChoir began in 2021, making him only the eighth AD in the choir’s long history. His tenure began during the difficult pandemic years, and TMChoir not only emerged from the experience intact, but has remained on an upward track.
His tenure at TMChoir has seen the organization tackling adventurous repertoire, reach out with extended community programming, and resulted in seminal recordings.
- The 2025/26 season began with a high note, and three sold-out performances of Carmina Burana with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Other highlights so far include:
- Creating the TMSingers in the 2022-23 Season, a professional chamber choir that expands on the organization’s capabilities. TMSingers have performed special concerts including In Time: At the Intersection of Music & Dance with Compagnie de la Citadelle, Schubert’s Winterreise, and the multimedia production of The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci.
- TMChoir’s 2024 recording Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music (ATMA), a double CD that pays tribute to the organization’s past and future.
- TMChoir returned to the National Arts Centre in 2024 for the first time in almost 30 years to perform Jacques Hétu’s Symphony No. 5, Op. 81 with Alexander Shelley and the combined forces of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Orchestre symphonique de Québec. (TMChoir will return to the National Arts Centre in June 2026 for Shelley’s final performance as NACO Music Director to eperform Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony)
“Working with Jean-Sébastien Vallée and his terrific ensemble is always a privilege,” says Alexander Shelley, Music Director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. “They are one of the most refined and technically precise groups I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with — always prepared and consistently stunning with the quality and depth of their sound.”
Jean-Sébastien Vallée
In addition to his work with TMChoir, Vallée is Director of Choral Studies at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. Guest engagements include conducting with the National Arts Centre Orchestra (December 2025), the Orchestre symphonique de Québec (February 2026), and future appearances with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and Boston Symphony Orchestra. He will be leading the Alberta Youth Choir in 2026.
“Over the past four years, I have been profoundly moved by the artistry, resilience, and generosity of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir community,” says Jean-Sébastien Vallée.
“Together, we have reimagined what this historic ensemble can be, while honouring the legacy of those who came before us. Looking ahead, I am inspired by the possibilities that lie before us — creating new music, deepening our ties with audiences, and sharing the power of choral artistry on an international stage. At the heart of this vision is my unwavering trust in the power of the human voice — individual voices joining together to create something greater than themselves. This is the essence of choral music, and I am thrilled to continue this journey with TMChoir, shaping the next chapter of its history with boldness, imagination, and joy.”
Bravo to TMChoir and Jean-Sébastien Vallée — looking forward to the next five years.
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