Toronto Symphony Orchestra to Present ALLIGATOR PIE & More in April

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) embraces spring with renewed energy and fresh performances. On April 2, The TSO Presents Alligator Pie will delight children-big and small. Based on the children's poetry collection Alligator Pie by Toronto poet Dennis Lee, with music composed by Abigail Richardson-Schulte (The Hockey Sweater), the work was co-commissioned by the TSO and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. The two matinee performances (2:00pm and 4:00pm) bring together soprano Carla Huhtanen, host Kevin Frank, and Dennis Lee himself under the musical direction of RBC Resident Conductor Earl Lee.

On April 2 at 8:00pm, the TSO presents Ottawa's celebrated National Arts Centre Orchestra, who visits Toronto for the first time with its new music director, Alexander Shelley. Their program includes Ringelspiel by Canadian composer Ana Sokolovi?, two tone poems by Richard Strauss-Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration-and Mozart's sublime Piano Concerto No. 20 performed by celebrated pianist Gabriela Montero.

On April 6 and 8, Beethoven Piano Concerto 4 features distinguished Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård (Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales), and renowned Swiss-Italian pianist Francesco Piemontesi. The evening also includes Perpetual Summer by Canadian composer Kati Agócs, and the romantic Symphony No. 1 by Sibelius.

On April 9 and 10, A Midsummer Night's Dream & More takes audiences on a whimsical journey with selections from Mendelssohn's incidental music for Shakespeare's romantic comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. The TSO's own Principal Harp Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton takes centre stage for Handel's exquisite Harp Concerto. Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations and Wagner's powerful "The Ride of the Valkyries" round out the program, under the baton of conductor James Feddeck, making his TSO début. Watch a video of Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton playing the first movement of the Handel Harp Concerto.

On April 13, 14 and 16, Angela Hewitt Plays Bach marks the anticipated return of the amazingly gifted Canadian pianist. This time, Ms. Hewitt adds Leader of the Orchestra to her role as soloist, performing two piano concertos by Bach. The program also features the highly dramatic Symphony No. 8 by Shostakovich, conducted by TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian.

On April 28 and 30, the brilliant German conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher makes his TSO début with Mahler Symphony 1. Anchored by Mahler's exalting Symphony No. 1 "Titan", the concert also features the Canadian Première of Pintscher's towards Osiris. Noteworthy Israeli piano soloist Inon Barnatan shines in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24.

The TSO Season Presenting Sponsor is BMO Financial Group.
The TSO Season Patron is The Renette and David Berman Family Foundation.