TSO Season Culminates With Incoming Music Director Gustavo Gimeno Conducting THE FIREBIRD And More

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) concludes its 2018/19 season with musical fireworks as Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki plays Mendelssohn, Donald Runnicles conducts Carmina Burana, Steven Reineke leads Modern Broadway, and star Canadian violinists James Ehnes and Jonathan Crow display their astonishing virtuosity with works by Korngold and Sibelius. The last concerts of the season are a foretaste of the TSO's musical future with incoming Music Director Gustavo Gimeno conducting the suite from The Firebird.

On June 5, 6 & 8, distinguished German conductor Karl-Heinz Steffens makes his TSO début with Brahms Symphony 4, music of immense strength and power. The program of Central European gems also stars Canadian artist Jan Lisiecki, already one of the world's most admired pianists, performing a fiery and poetic concerto by Mendelssohn that is featured on his highly praised recent Deutsche Grammophon album. "The young Canadian Jan Lisiecki sparkles and shines" (Gramophone, UK).

On June 10, 11 & 12, TSO Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke wraps up the 2018/19 Pops Series, sharing the stage with Betsy Wolfe and Jeremy Jordan-two of Broadway's brightest stars. Modern Broadway features hits from such Tony-winning shows as The Book of Mormon, Once, The Baker's Wife, The Last Five Years, The Civil War, and Newsies, along with songs from such modern classics as Les Misérables, Cats, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, and more.

June 19-23, the TSO joins forces with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Youth Choir, and the Toronto Children's Chorus for Carmina Burana, under the direction of esteemed Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles. American soprano Nicole Haslett, South African tenor Sunnyboy Dladla, and American baritone Norman Garrett make their TSO débuts in Orff's choral extravaganza celebrating some of life's greatest pleasures-from springtime and love to food and wine. Master violinist James Ehnes presents the gorgeous melodies and high-flying emotions of the concerto by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

June 28, 29 & 30, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's 2018/19 concert season culminates with Gustavo Gimeno Conducts The Firebird, as the Spanish-born conductor and incoming Music Director returns to Toronto to lead the TSO in the ever-popular suite from Stravinsky's blazing, fairy-tale-inspired ballet. Sibelius's virtuosic Violin Concerto-a majestically lyrical evocation of the North, and the only concerto he ever composed-features the TSO's Concertmaster, Jonathan Crow, as soloist. Prokofiev's light and spirited First Symphony, "Classical", rounds out this final program. Gustavo Gimeno, Jonathan Crow, and TSO Chief Executive Officer Matthew Loden will also take part in a special onstage conversation after each performance of The Firebird.

One of Canada's most respected arts organizations, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) plays a vital role in the city's dynamic cultural life. Committed to serving local and national communities through vibrant performances and expansive educational activities, the TSO offers a wide range of programming that resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds. With a notable recording and broadcast history complementing international touring engagements, the TSO is a unique musical ambassador for Canada around the world.

The TSO continues its long-established history of connecting younger generations with orchestral music. Two core programs include School Concerts, performed for over 40,000 students annually, and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO), which, in a tuition-free model, offers high-level orchestral training for talented young musicians aged 22 and under. Additionally, the TSO supports the development of next-generation artists through its annual open call for Canadian orchestral scores, and its essential Resident Conductor and Affiliate Composer positions.

Peter Oundjian was named TSO Conductor Emeritus at the end of his 14-year tenure as Music Director in June 2018. In the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, Sir Andrew Davis will serve as Interim Artistic Director, prior to the arrival of the TSO's new Music Director in 2020. Sir Andrew Davis is well known to Toronto audiences, having a 44-year relationship with the TSO. Maestro Davis opens the 2018/19 season and returns to the TSO stage regularly in each of his two seasons as Interim Artistic Director. Gustavo Gimeno will begin serving as the TSO's Music Director in 2020/21.

The TSO was founded in 1922 by a group of Toronto musicians and gave its first performance at the historic Massey Hall. Since 1982, Toronto's iconic Roy Thomson Hall has been the TSO's home, drawing patrons from around the world. Soon to celebrate its centenary, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's name remains synonymous with musical versatility and growth, and artistic distinction.

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