Lang Lang Joins the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to Kick Off 2025/26 Season with a Gala That Puts Music, Mentorship & Young People at the Centre

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) launches its 2025/26 season with a one-night-only Gala concert featuring the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO Gala celebrates the joy, power, and connection of the musical experience, underscoring the orchestra’s enduring dedication to mentorship, education, and community engagement.

In a 75-minute program that blends grandeur and playfulness, Lang Lang joins the TSO under Music Director Gustavo Gimeno for the very first time. Together, they bring an electrifying vitality to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”—a bold, majestic work that shines with clarity, colour, and commanding energy. The evening also features Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the brilliantly orchestrated, mischievous masterpiece made famous in Disney’s original Fantasia, but beloved in concert halls for its wit and cinematic sweep.

The day’s festivities begin with a special edition of Morning with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (MTSO), the TSO’s flagship Open Rehearsal series for invited students, reimagined for this momentous occasion. This event welcomes 300 Toronto high school students to a behind-the-scenes look at a professional orchestral rehearsal. Students will experience Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto conducted by Gustavo Gimeno, followed by a Q&A with Lang Lang, moderated by TSO Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. This meaningful engagement opportunity adds to the TSO’s legacy of fostering the next generation of artists and music lovers.

"September is always full of excitement and energy at the start of another Toronto Symphony Orchestra season," said Mark Williams, Beck Family CEO. "But this September is especially exciting as we welcome Lang Lang, one of the world's greatest pianists, to Toronto for an exceptional performance with your TSO. Music-lovers get to experience Lang Lang's artistry at our Gala, and at the morning rehearsal, we are also welcoming 300 students to Roy Thomson Hall for a special look at the dedication and mastery that goes into making an unforgettable concert. It's moments like this—the sharing of music across generations—that really stick with me. It's what the TSO has done for over 100 years. It's joyful. It's moving. And it's what makes serving this community through music such a powerful reminder of our connection with Toronto."

Lang Lang (Photo by Olaf Heine)Lang Lang (Photo by Olaf Heine)Gustavo Gimeno conducting the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)

Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)Gustavo Gimeno conducting the TSO (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conducting a School Concert (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)

TSO Violin Jim Wallenberg at a Symphony Storytime session (Photo by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)Young patrons at the Long & McQuade Instrument Discovery Zone at the 2024 Open House (Photo by Jae Yang/Courtesy of the TSO)TSO Violinists Amanda Goodburn and Jenny Thompson perform for seniors at a TSOUND Connection performance at the Alzheimer Society of Peel (Photos by Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO)

One Night Celebrating Millions Reached

Over the past century, the TSO has reached well over two million young people through education and community-engagement programs that create inspiring first encounters with orchestral music. Open Rehearsals like MTSO are a cornerstone of that work—offering students rare, behind-the-scenes access to internationally acclaimed artists and repertoire. This season also marks 100 years of our School Concerts, a cherished tradition that brings the magic of live music to more than 30,000 students annually, many experiencing a concert hall for the very first time.

The Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO), one of the country’s leading training programs for emerging musicians, is also a vital part of this impact. Offered tuition-free to its members, the program provides intensive professional training through rehearsals, a concert series, direct mentorship from TSO-musician coaches, and a beloved annual side-by-side performance that brings TSYO and TSO musicians together onstage.

The TSO’s commitment to youth engagement extends beyond the concert hall. Through its expanding partnership with the Toronto Public Library, the orchestra brings its popular Symphony Storytime series—featuring music and narration designed to inspire young listeners—into community branches across the city. These accessible, welcoming programs build early connections to orchestral music and reinforce the TSO’s mission of creating meaningful access for all.

Lang Lang International Music Foundation X Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Continuing a valued partnership begun over a decade ago, the TSO Gala will also feature the work of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering young musical talent globally. The Gala evening will include a performance by Ryan Huang, a Toronto-based Lang Lang International Music Foundation Young Scholar whose journey reflects the meaningful impact of this long-standing collaboration. Members of the TSYO will join Ryan in a special performance during the Gala dinner, representing the extraordinary talent and promise nurtured through these programs. Further, Ryan will return in February to perform with the TSO as part of its Lunar New Year concert, Year of the Horse.

2025/26 TSO Gala

The 2025/26 TSO Gala Committee brings together some of Toronto’s most dynamic civic leaders and creative champions of the arts.

The 2025/26 TSO Gala promises to be a landmark celebration of artistry, mentorship, and the power of music to transform lives. 

All funds raised support the orchestra’s life-enriching community programs, including those that serve youth and seniors, use music as a form of healing, and bring us closer together as one inclusive community through our shared language of music.

Event Info

Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

Lang Lang, piano

Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”

TSO.CA/Gala

Individual tickets: $1,500; Table sponsorship: $25,000

Donations, purchases, and inquiries: Sarah Bullick, Assoc. VP, Development, sbullick@TSO.CA | 416.593.7769 x 344

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.

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. 

Lang Lang’s appearance is generously made possible by Bob Corcoran.