Details
253 Woburn Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5M 1L1
416 986-8749
Email: info@torontoclassicalsingers.ca
Website: www.torontoclassicalsingers.ca
________________________________________
About
Toronto Classical Singers is the only choir in the country dedicated exclusively to the great choral/orchestral repertoire. Known for its unique musical point-of-view and its diverse and high-quality programming, the choir features lesser-known and rarely performed pieces as well as the beloved vocal/orchestral repertoire. Led by founding conductor and artistic director Jurgen Petrenko, the group has established a long-standing partnership with Talisker Players who accompany the choir in their presentations of the great choral masterpieces.
Over our 29 seasons in Toronto, it took a full-blown pandemic to cancel a single performance and like all arts groups we are greatly impacted by the situation. We are postponing our May 2021 performance but hope that founding conductor Jurgen Petrenko will lead the choir, the Talisker Players and soloists for our all Vaughan Williams concert as part of next season’s programming. His Sea Symphony will be performed with Five Mystical Songs, along with further concerts to be announced.
We look forward to resuming our full schedule in 2021-2022, as we celebrate 30 years of contributing to musical life in Toronto.
Our concerts are presented at Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street.
________________________________________
The Folks Behind It All
Jurgen Petrenko, Artistic Director
Born in Toronto, Jurgen Petrenko has Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Toronto. After many years as an organist and freelance musician, Jurgen joined the CBC where he worked as a producer of programs including Choral Concert, Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, the Opera Quiz, Critic’s Choice, Take Five, and as executive producer of Music and Company. He has also presented over 400 weekly Organ Thursday features.
Jurgen has served as the general manager of the prestigious Elora Festival, and has conducted for Toronto Operetta Theatre. He regularly plays harsichord with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and is the artistic director of the Centre Wellington Singers. He currently is the organist of St. John’s Anglican Church in Elora and teaches oratorio to the graduate voice majors at the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Jurgen is the co-founder and artistic director of Toronto Classical Singers with whom he has conducted dozens of the major choral/orchestral works. He is also in demand as an adjudicator and organ accompanist and can be heard on numerous recordings on the Naxos and independent labels, accompanying St. John’s Parish Choir, and the Elora Festival Singers.
________________________________________
Photo Gallery
- Op-Ed | ‘I’m Tired Of All These Young Punks In My Neighbourhood Blasting Classical Music’ - April 1, 2021
- Op-Ed | Stacie Dunlop: ‘How can we create a group project in isolation?’ - November 27, 2020
- OP-ED | Classical Singer Stacie Dunlop: ‘We Want To Find A Way For Our Industry To Reopen’ - August 18, 2020
- Op-Ed | ‘I’m Tired Of All These Young Punks In My Neighbourhood Blasting Classical Music’ - April 1, 2021
- Op-Ed | Stacie Dunlop: ‘How can we create a group project in isolation?’ - November 27, 2020
- OP-ED | Classical Singer Stacie Dunlop: ‘We Want To Find A Way For Our Industry To Reopen’ - August 18, 2020
