June 12 marked a special day in Toronto. The city hosted its first soccer match connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Canada taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the afternoon.
To commemorate the occasion, Luminato joined forces with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for an extraordinary musical celebration in the evening that brought together thousands of people through both sport and music.
Major sporting events are often accompanied by cultural festivals that help express the identity and values of the host city. Music, and perhaps choral music in particular, has a unique ability to unite people across backgrounds.
I am reminded of something a music professor once told our class: “When athletes and musicians go to work, they play.” The comparison is apt. Both demand mental and physical discipline, and years of training to perform at the highest level.
This year’s Luminato theme, PLAY, made the collaboration especially fitting.
The Collaboration
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra concluded its 2025–26 Masterworks season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, joined by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir under the direction of Gustavo Gimeno. The solo quartet featured soprano Golda Schultz, mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska, tenor Saimir Pirgu, and bass Jongmin Park.
Beethoven’s Ninth was a natural choice for the occasion. Its final movement, the famous “Ode to Joy,” celebrates ideals of unity and shared humanity. These are themes that resonate just as strongly in international sport as they do in music.
While Roy Thomson Hall hosted the sold-out performance, another remarkable event unfolded simultaneously at Sankofa Square. Hundreds of choristers representing dozens of community choirs from across Toronto gathered wearing red and white shirts and joined in singing the final movement.
Led by Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée, they performed alongside the livestream from Roy Thomson Hall in the last movement of the symphony.
Tickets for the Beethoven performances had sold out well in advance — much like the challenge of obtaining World Cup tickets. The free livestream at the Square made this monumental piece of music accessible to the public.
The public livestream made the music accessible to a broader audience while giving Toronto’s choral community an opportunity to participate directly.
Preparation for the event began days earlier. Community choristers attended a rehearsal with Vallée on the preceding Saturday, while technical crews spent the day before the performance installing equipment and testing the audio-visual systems that would relay the concert live from Roy Thomson Hall. You can check out the rehearsals here.
Going Live
The evening itself began with a stirring rendition of O Canada, followed by remarks from Mark Williams, Beck Family CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Luminato Artistic Director Olivia Ansell. Their message centred on unity and community.
Just as sport can bring people together, so too can music.
The stage was full of musicians. The quartet, which customarily would be on the stage as well, were placed in the centre of the choir loft, surrounded by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
As a chorister, I could sense the special atmosphere inside Roy Thomson Hall. Beethoven’s Ninth is familiar territory for many performers and audience members alike. The orchestra and Gimeno last performed the work together four years ago. This occasion was definitely different.
Following the thrilling, concluding Prestissimo section, the audience erupted into rapturous applause and an immediate standing ovation. The energy was electric, not unlike the feeling inside a stadium when the home team wins a championship.
Friends singing at Sankofa Square shared pictures of the occasion. Many singers with smiles.
It was a celebration of community and of Toronto.
It was jubilant. It was joyful.
Freude!
By Albert Wong for Ludwig-Van.
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