This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between November 3 and 9, 2025. For more of what’s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra. TwoSet Violin: Sacrilegious Games
Wednesday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.
Roy Thomson Hall, $94+
The sacred sarcasm in classical music still manages to thrive despite the weight of the genre’s self-promoted seriousness, and TwoSet Violin — Brett Yang and Eddy Chen — embodying the ridiculous, hilarious, and the human side of this art, is in town this evening, joined by the TSO. Formed in 2013, TSV built their fanbase, now over 9.5 million followers, with their self-deprecating humour and short, witty social media presence. Their live shows and online episodes feature many fictional and real characters, including the fearsome Ling Ling, a true child prodigy who practices 40 hours a day, a Tiger Mom, and Hilary Hahn and Ray Chen. With these characters, along with Brett and Eddy, set against the reality of practice, auditions, and performance-related skits, the TSV has created a unique niche for itself — a real hoot for those in the know, and those who can smell the know. The cavernous Roy Thomson is nearly at full capacity already (this is still nothing compared to their 2022 Singapore concerts, where Brett and Eddy were loaned two Strads: Empress Caterina, and Regent Superb, from Tarisio New York, as it sold out in the first 2 minutes of the ticket release), so get your tickets ASAP and see what TSV is up to, on this world tour. Info here.
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir: Brahms: A German Requiem
Wednesday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.
George Weston Hall, Meridian Arts Centre; Friday, November 7, 7:30 p.m., Koerner Hall. $39.95+
The oldest and the largest choir in Canada (and perhaps the best in the country), the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir returns to the stage with its charismatic director, Jean-Sébastien Vallée, to sing one of the most unique and beautiful of requiems: A German Requiem by Brahms. Written in the common language (German, instead of Latin), from the Lutheran Bible, Brahms intended this work to console the living in the midst of the loss and pain of death. As we live in a culture where birth is celebrated, but the journey to death is hidden under hushed tones, where illness and aging are made to be targets to be defeated, this beautiful work, celebrating life along with death, still remains uniquely humane. Please join the TMC, musicians of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and soloists Russell Braun and Charlotte Siegel for this timely reflection as the season cusps into the dark winter, and the pale autumn light sets a just little earlier everyday. TMC will also premiere Stephanie Martin’s new work, ECHO, in this 90-minute, no intermission program. Read our Preview here. Info here.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra. E.T. in Concert
Friday, November 7, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 8, 2 p.m.
Roy Thomson Hall, $57+
One of the best films of the 1980s, with possibly the best of John Williams’ scoring, E.T. occupies a special place in many people’s hearts. Innocence, the loss of innocence, the trial and struggle of growing up, and the nostalgia that we all learn to relate to — however much we protest, with its peak set in Halloween, E.T is perhaps the perfect movie to celebrate the late fall for the boomers, Gen X, and the Xennials — and their younger family members and friends. It’s difficult, even after all these years, to keep the tears away, when E.T. and Elliott learn the pain of leaving and being left. So get your tickets fast, as it will likely sell out, sink into this gentle viewing of E.T. with full orchestra, and be ready for that emotional punch — pack some Kleenex for sure. Info here.
Canadian Opera Company, Free Concert Series: SongHa, violin & Carson Becke, piano
November 7, 12 p.m.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre, free
Violinist SongHa is a 2023 laureate of the Concours musical international de Montréal, where she was awarded Second Prize, Audience Choice Award, Best Interpretation of a Sonata, and Best Performance of a Commissioned Canadian Work. She’s also first prize winner at Windsor String Competition 2022, Premio Lipizer International Competition 2020 and Yehudi Menuhin International Competition 2016, and was named a laureate at the Queen Elisabeth Competition 2024. She’s bringing a program of music by Brahms (Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Major, Op. 78), Tchaikovsky (Souvenir d’un lieu cher, Op. 42, and Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34), and Clara Schumann (Three Romances, Op 22, Andante molto), to a free concert in the atmospheric Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. SongHa will be performing with Carson Becke, a pianist who’s performed in North America and Europe as a recital and concerto soloist, chamber musician, and vocal collaborator. Info here.
Royal Conservatory of Music: Glenn Gould School Chamber Opera: The Telephone & Baby Kintyre
Friday, November 7, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 8, 7:30 p.m.
Mazzolini Hall, $20
GGS Fall Opera project is a double bill: The Telephone (Gian Carlo Menotti) & Baby Kintyre (Dean Burry). One of the major advantages of a small production — especially in a learning institution — is that they are more flexible and nimble than a huge, expensive opera house, therefore able to take the risk to feature works that are rarely mounted, as well as the super popular. Menotti’s The Telephone is a very popular one-act opera, and a true American classic. Burry’s Baby Kintyre, based on Toronto’s own ghostly story — where a little baby was found, and buried 82 years after his death in 2007 — certainly features our own story, in our city and time. Over the years, some productions from the GGS clearly stood out with finesse and excellence — the 2024 March production of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, was one of the best productions I have experienced. Get your tickets, and see what kind of magic they may bring to the stage this time. Info here.
Royal Conservatory of Music: Kyung Wha Chung, Violin with Kevin Kenner
Sunday, November 9, 3 p.m.
Koerner Hall, $55+
One of the finest of her generation, Kyung Wha Chung brings her musicality, technical mastery, and her lifelong experience and emotions to Koerner Hall for this Sunday afternoon. Being one of the very first Asian elite classical musicians in the world, one can only imagine the difficulties she must’ve faced, but we are all richer for her to continue to play on the international stage. Chung was taught by Ivan Galamian, and links the golden age violinists Jascha Heifetz and Issac Stern to the modern super stars, such as Hilary Hahn and Ray Chen. For violinists, it would be particularly interesting to see how she blends the old school aesthetics with contemporary ideals. Kenner, a first prize winner of the 1990 Chopin Competition, is no wallflower; his training with Leon Fleisher and Leonard Bernstein is also an important generational link, and their collaboration on this highly emotional repertoire — Schumann Sonata 1, Grieg Sonata 3, and Franck Sonata, promises much emotional fireworks and technical brilliance. A must-attend of this week. Find our Interview with Kyung Wha Chung here. Info here.
New Music Concerts/U of T Faculty of Music: Mystery of Clock
Sunday, November 9, 8 p.m.
The Fleck at Harbourfront Centre, $20+
This one night concert, a collaboration between New Music Concerts and U of T Faculty of Music, features power duo — Aiyun Huang and Mark Fewer. These two artists are highly dedicated to the creation and performance of new works — often incorporating theatrical, spatial, and electronic elements — a true gestalt approach, and for this evening, they will explore the nebulous nature of time and its perception. The collaboration between musicians, and Roland Auzet (Stage Direction), Denis Martin (Technical Direction), and Cédric Delorme-Bouchard (Lighting Design), promises much richness and experience that goes beyond just the sonic world. Come and see how works of Ehwa Hong (KOR/FRA), Alexandre Singier (FRA), Julia Cauley (FRA), Menelaos Peistikos (GRC), Erik Griswold (AUS/USA), I-Lly Cheng (TWN), Javier Álvarez (MEX), and J.S. Bach can transcend, and perhaps take us away from what could be a rigid, non-yielding grid of time, into a new space of temporality. Info here.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox
HERE.
- CRITIC’S PICKS | Classical Music Events You Absolutely Need To See This Week: November 24 – November 30 - November 24, 2025
- CRITIC’S PICKS | Classical Music Events You Absolutely Need To See This Week: November 17 – November 23 - November 17, 2025
- CRITIC’S PICKS | Classical Music Events You Absolutely Need To See This Week: November 10 – November 16 - November 10, 2025
