1.8 Million Students, 100 Years of First Encounters with Music

For 100 years, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra has played to one of the largest audiences in the city: its students. Since 1925, more than 1.8 million young people across the GTA have attended TSO School Concerts, making the program one of the longest-running and most far-reaching music education initiatives in Canada.

Launched with a single performance at Massey Hall, the School Concerts program has grown into a cornerstone of the TSO’s education and community engagement work, delivering nearly 950 curriculum-connected performances over a century. Today, more than 30,000 students attend annually, reflecting classrooms that are increasingly diverse, multilingual, and culturally expansive. Through creativity, interactivity, and artist-led storytelling, the program continues to introduce young audiences to orchestral music—often for the very first time. That impact is reflected in the campaign video below, featuring students, teachers, and artists.

Curated by TSO Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, the 2025/26 School Concerts—Fiesta Sinfónica, Let’s Dance!, and She Holds Up the Stars—carry forward the program’s centennial legacy while responding to contemporary classrooms with culturally responsive programming and immersive performance experiences.

“For the past 100 years, the TSO has been invested in music education for young people—it’s one of our core values,” said Bartholomew-Poyser. “School Concerts are the most important concerts we present. When I look out into the audience, I see future music directors, future instrumentalists, future patrons—and I often tell kids at the end of concerts, ‘One day, some of you will be on stage with us.’”

A Century of Change in the Classroom

On January 31, 1925, the TSO—then known as the New Symphony Orchestra—presented its first educational concert, How Music Is Made, at Massey Hall. Conducted by founding Music Director Luigi von Kunits and hosted by Duncan McKenzie, Director of Music for Toronto Schools, the program was developed in collaboration with Toronto’s Board of Education and Catholic School Board. It combined orchestral excerpts with live commentary, laying the foundation for a model that continues to this day.

Of the nearly 1,000 School Concerts presented since, approximately 25% took place at Massey Hall, nearly 70% at Roy Thomson Hall, and dozens more in schools and community venues across the city. Over time, the program expanded to serve specific grade levels, introduced French-language performances, and developed free classroom resources—such as concert-specific Study Guides—to support educators before and after each performance.

Impact, by the Numbers—and Beyond

Teacher and student responses to TSO School Concerts consistently point to their lasting influence. For many students, these performances mark their first experience inside a concert hall. “That was the first time I’ve ever been to a concert,” shared a Grade 3 student. “I felt very excited and had a lot of fun.” “Music makes you happy—it makes me feel like I belong there,” added another. Educators describe School Concerts as a vital extension of classroom learning—particularly for students who may not otherwise have access to live performance. “This is the opportunity that my students have to hear live classical music,” one teacher shared. “Each year, it inspires them to imagine what a future in music—or supporting the arts—could look like.”

TSO Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conducting a "Hot, Hot, Hot!" school concert (Feb 2025)Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and Abanico Dance & Entertainment at the "Fiesta Sinfónica" school concerts. (Oct 2025).Students dancing with vocalist Macomere Fifi at the "Hot, Hot, Hot!" school concert. (Feb 2025)

Students attending the "Bhangra & Beyond" school concert. (Apr 2024).The "Hot, Hot, Hot!" school concert. (Feb 2025)Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser (TSO Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador) leads the TSO in the "Focus" school concert (Oct 2025).Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and Puja Amin (Sanskriti Arts) interacting with students at the "Bhangra & Beyond" school concert. (Apr 2024).

Delivering the Spark: 2025/26 TSO School Concerts

The centennial season of School Concerts is bookended by Fiesta Sinfónica, presented October 21–22, 2025 and April 27–28, 2026. Designed for Grades 7–12, the program explores the rich musical traditions of Latin America, led by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser alongside TSO violinist and soloist Ah Young Kim, the Abanico Dancers, and vocalist Monica Guzman.

From February 24–26, 2026, students in Grades K–5 will experience Let’s Dance!, a high-energy, interactive program spanning ballet to bhangra, presented in collaboration with the Joy of Dance Centre. A French-language version, Alors on danse!, will be offered on February 26. Rounding out the season is the World Première of She Holds Up the Stars (April 13–15, 2026), a TSO co-commission created in collaboration with Red Sky Performance. Based on Sandra Laronde’s award-winning novel, the production blends orchestral music with movement, life-sized puppetry, and storytelling, offering students in Grades 5–9 a powerful contemporary Indigenous performance experience.

For more information about TSO School Concerts and education programs, please contact Nicole Balm, Senior Director, Education & Community Engagement (nbalm@TSO.CA).

About the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

For more than a century, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has played a fundamental role in shaping and celebrating Canadian culture. The TSO’s commitment to musical excellence and ability to spark connection remain as strong as ever. With a storied history of acclaimed concerts and recordings, Canadian and international tours, and impactful community partnerships, we are dedicated to engaging and enriching local and national communities through vibrant musical experiences. Music Director Gustavo Gimeno brings an expansive artistic vision, intellectual curiosity, and sense of adventure to programming the 93-musician orchestra that serves Toronto—one of the world’s most diverse cities. As a group of artists, teachers, and advocates who share the belief that music has the power to heal, inspire, and connect people from all walks of life, we engage audiences young and old through an array of community-access, health-and-well-being, and education initiatives including the TSO-affiliated Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra—a tuition-free training program dedicated to cultivating the next generation of Canadian artists. Symphony With Us at a concert at Roy Thomson Hall, or experience the TSO in your neighbourhood. Visit TSO.CA or Newsroom.TSO.CA.

The TSO acknowledges Mary Beck as the Musicians’ Patron in perpetuity for her generous and longstanding support.

The TSO Season Presenting Sponsor is BMO.

The TSO’s Education and Community Engagement programs are generously supported by the Barrett Family Foundation.

The TSO’s Music Education programs are generously supported by Canada Life.

The TSO is grateful for the support of the Toronto Symphony Foundation and all levels of government, including the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Ontario.

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