Stage Tube: Watch Rick Mercer Conduct the TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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On last night's episode of The Rick Mercer Report, host Rick Mercer attempted to conduct the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

The Rick Mercer Report, a weekly half-hour topical comedy, debuted on CBC Television in January 2004 and is now in it's 11th season. The most-watched Canadian television comedy, the show garners well over a million viewers every week.

In March, 2013 the series won the Canadian Screen Award for 'Best Music, Variety, Sketch comedy or Talk Program' and Rick received the award for 'Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program.'

Mercer launched his television career in 1993 as one of the creators, performers, and writers on the hit topical weekly show This Hour Has 22 Minutes. In 1998 he joined Gerald Lunz and Michael Donovan to create the satirical dramatic series Made In Canada, where he again starred and contributed as a writer.

In 2001 his CBC Television special Talking To Americans became the highest rated Canadian comedy special of all time with 2.7 million viewers. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, and the Los Angeles Times all ran articles about the impact of Talking to Americans and Mercer went on to discuss it on ABC's Nightline and NBC'sThe Today Show.

Founded in 1922, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is one of Canada's leading cultural institutions. Today, more than 225,000 patrons and over 50,000 students visit the Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall each year, and an additional five million Canadians tune in to concert broadcasts on CBC Radio.

Under the leadership of Music Director Peter Oundjian, who is currently celebrating his tenth anniversary season on the podium with the TSO, the Orchestra has increased recording and touring projects to include a self-produced record label, and performances throughout the US and Canada.

The Orchestra continues to develop its international presence by being an active commissioning body for new Canadian and international works, as well as attracting distinguished guest artists and conductors to performances at Roy Thomson Hall. In August 2014, the Orchestra will embark on their first European tour since 2000.

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