Details
Address: 56 Queen Street E., Toronto, ON M5C 2Z3
Phone: 416-363-0331
Website: www.metunited.org
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About
Accepting, affirming and welcoming to everyone, Metropolitan United Church at Queen and Church Streets has a 200-year history of presenting great sacred music in the heart of Toronto. Under the leadership of Minister of Music Jonathan Oldengarm, our ensembles include the Adult Choir; Metropolitan Choristers (dir. Jennifer Martyn); and Handbell Choirs, the Metropolitan Silver Band (est. 1934, and dir. by Fran Harvey), and the Great Heart youth ensemble (dir. Ben Stein.) Our collection of instruments includes Canada’s largest pipe organ, installed as opus 1367 in 1930 by Casavant Frères of Quebec; the 54-bell Massey-Drury Carillon (Roy Lee, Carillonneur); a portative organ (by Becker of Hamburg); and a Steinway B grand piano. In addition to great music every Sunday morning and frequent outdoor carillon concerts, our beautiful neo-gothic sanctuary hosts two concert series including Music at Met and Noon at Met (Thursdays at 12:00 p.m. September to November, and February to June). Our Christmas Lessons and Carols service and Good Friday evening Choral Concert are particular annual highlights for many Torontonians. We are also a sought-after, fully accessible rental venue with a state-of-art audio, video, lighting and live-streaming setup. Visit us in person, at metunited.ca, or on our YouTube channel.
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The Folks Behind It All
Dr. Jonathan Oldengarm, Minister of Music
Internationally-recognized organist and chamber musician Dr. Jonathan Oldengarm is Metropolitan’s Minister of Music. He oversees the church’s active and diverse musical programme, which includes multiple ensembles, two concert series, and numerous annual musical service highlights. He is also responsible for maintaining and programming the church’s treasury of instruments, including the landmark 8,400-pipe 1930 Casavant pipe organ and 1922 carillon, the Becker positive organ, the Schulmerich handbells, and the church’s various pianos.
Jonathan has a passion for working with both amateur and professional musicians, ensuring that each performer reaches their full potential. He maintains an active solo performance, broadcast and recording schedule, and is a laureate of several international competitions. Recording credits include discs on the ATMA Classique, Klanglogo and Analekta labels with Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal; saxophonist Claudia Tesorino; the Ottawa Bach Choir (Lisette Canton, director); the A&P Choir (Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor); and Buzz Brass.
Jonathan holds a doctorate in organ performance from McGill University; the Fellowship diploma of the Royal Canadian College of Organists; and studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, Germany. From 2008 until 2022 he taught organ, harpsichord, keyboard skills, and liturgical improvisation at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, while serving as Director of Music and Organist at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal. Jonathan began as Minister of Music at Metropolitan in August 2022, succeeding Dr. Patricia Wright, Dr. Melville Cook, S. Drummond Wolff, Herbert Fricker and a long line of other distinguished Canadian church musicians.
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