About The Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Short Version

(Word Count: 160)

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-wellness, 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.

Long Version

(Word Count: 377)

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, the orchestra is 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, the TSO engages audiences young and old through an array of community-access, health-and-wellness, and education initiatives: It holds open houses and free concerts for members of the public at its long-time home of Roy Thomson Hall. Its Relaxed Performances are designed to be more welcoming for neurodiverse patrons, including those on the autism spectrum, and those with sensory and communication disorders, ADHD, and dementia. Art of Healing, its partnership with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, supports First Nations, Inuit, and Métis patients through musical storytelling and composition. TSOUND Connections harnesses music and technology to connect TSO musicians with seniors in care, to reduce social isolation and support well-being. Its Morning with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra program offers Open Rehearsals for high school music students from across the Greater Toronto Area. In partnership with the Toronto Public Library, Symphony Storytime features orchestra members performing live alongside the reading of children’s books, expanding access to literacy and music education for families and children. And the TSO-affiliated Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra is a tuition-free training program that has been dedicated to cultivating the next generation of Canadian artists for more than 50 years. 

Since the TSO’s first release in 1952, recordings have been an integral component of the orchestra’s artistic legacy. Of the more than 150 titles in its discography, many have been nominated for prestigious awards. In 2024, the TSO announced a multi-disc partnership with Harmonia Mundi. The first collaboration was the highly regarded 2024 release of Messiaen’s masterwork Turangalîla-Symphonie.

tso.ca

Gustavo Gimeno and the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Toronto Symphony Orchestra)

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Massey Hall (Photo by Allan Cabral/Toronto Symphony Orchestra)

Steven Reineke and the TSO (Photo courtesy of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra)The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Photo by Allan Cabral/Toronto Symphony Orchestra)

TSO Music Director Gustavo Gimeno (Photo by Allan Cabral/Toronto Symphony Orchestra)Gustavo Gimeno and the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)

Gustavo Gimeno and the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)Photo by Allan Cabral/Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Gustavo Gimeno and the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Toronto Symphony Orchestra)