Toronto Symphony Orchestra to Hold All-Access Open House & Free Concert in September

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra will host TSO100: Open House & Free Concert: a day of free, engaging music-themed fun, alongside diverse performances and programming on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Beginning at 10:00am, Torontonians are invited to enjoy an interactive all-access pass to Roy Thomson Hall (60 Simcoe St.)-from up-close-and-personal lobby performances, to all-ages activity stations and historical building tours-and a highly-anticipated free afternoon concert featuring the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in full force, to round off the day's events. Full visitor information can be found at TSO.CA/openhouse.

"Roy Thomson Hall is an iconic Toronto landmark, and it has been our home for the last 40 years" says TSO Chief Executive Officer Mark Williams, "As we begin the Toronto Symphony's next century, opening our doors to the community and welcoming the city into our home feels fitting. We are your orchestra and we belong to you-getting to know Torontonians is essential to the work that we do. Whether visitors stay for the free concert or simply immerse themselves in the activities we have planned throughout the day, we want Toronto-all of Toronto-to feel welcome."

Open House: Welcome, Toronto!

The TSO will welcome visitors to Roy Thomson Hall from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, September 24 for an all-access Open House experience-an engaging way for Torontonians of all ages to celebrate and get to know their orchestra. The Open House is set to feature lobby performances from Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) musicians, pop-up performances by musicians of the TSO in a special performance of the children's story Kiwi's Can't Play the Violin by Pierre Rivard, and a diverse range of Toronto-based ensembles and musical voices, including a not-to-be-missed piano performance by the Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto (ICOT), steel pan artistry with musician Winston "Pappy" Frederick and a strings performance with chamber-folk band Medusa. Visit TSO.CA/openhouse for the performance schedule.

Visitors of all ages can curate their day from a suite of fun drop-in activities centered around the orchestra experience-from create-your-own-sheet-music stations, to a musical instrument discovery zone hosted by Long & McQuade, to guided building tours and a historical exhibition celebrating the TSO's storied 100-year history.

The Open House welcomes walk-ins; no RSVP required.

Free Concert Conducted by TSO Music Director Gustavo Gimeno

The free hour-long live concert with the full orchestra begins at 2:00pm and will be hosted by the TSO's Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, who will engage with the audience from the stage-introducing the works, and sharing fun-facts and musical details about the composers, the artists and the orchestra. TSO Music Director Gustavo Gimeno has put together a masterworks program with mixed repertoire that both celebrates and reflects the city's diversity-a signature style of the TSO's programming under his leadership.

The concert program opens with Winnipeg-based composer of Cree descent Andrew Balfour's Kiwetin-acahkos (North Star), and also features original TSO commissions from Toronto-based award-winning composer Afarin Mansouri, and Mexican-Canadian Composer Luis Ramirez. These modern creations by contemporary artists are anchored alongside excerpts of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2-played by Canadian phenom, and International Chopin Competition champion (one of the most prestigious competitions in classical music globally), Bruce Liu-and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, the thrilling musical retelling of the Middle Eastern tales known as the 1,001 Nights, and a third piece, Danzón No. 2 by contemporary Mexican composer Arturo Márquez.

Guests are required to reserve their seats in advance. RSVP beginning on September 15 at TSO.CA/OpenHouse.

TSO100: Open House & Free Concert event is an official Ontario Culture Days event-the three-week-long multidisciplinary arts initiative will attract nearly one million Ontarians across 1,000+ communities this year

Info & Tickets

TSO100: Open House & Free Concert

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.

Open House: Sat, September 24, 2022 at 10:00am to 2:00pm

Walk-ins welcome, no RSVP required

Free Concert: Sat, September 24, 2022 at 2:00pm to 3:00pm

Guests are required to reserve their seats in advance. RSVP beginning on September 15 at TSO.CA/OpenHouse.

Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, host

Bruce Liu, guest artist

Free Concert Tickets are available online through TSO.CA/OpenHouse. Guests are asked to RSVP beginning on September 15 to reserve seats. RSVP online or by contacting TSO Patron Services at 416.598.3375, Mon-Fri, 9:30am-5pm.

For current health and safety protocols at Roy Thomson Hall, please visit TSO.CA/Safety.

New to the Symphony? TSO Regular Priced Tickets 101:

For new symphony-goers, who don't have a subscription package, regular priced single tickets can be purchased at TSO.CA or by contacting TSO Patron Services at 416.598.3375, Mon-Fri, 9:30am-5pm. Below is a list of the different types of TSO concert series and 22/23 single ticket pricing information*:

• Masterworks-multi-faceted programs featuring treasured classics-regular priced tickets from $29 to $157

• Pops-a collection of concerts that delves into popular culture and music from film, to Motown to holiday hits-regular priced tickets from $41 to $132

• Films in Concert-blockbuster films accompanied by the TSO's live orchestra-pricing ranges per film, regular priced tickets from $49 to $139

• Young People's Concerts-a family-friendly concert series to inspire a love of music-regular priced tickets from $23 to $37

• Relaxed Performances-concerts designed to be welcoming of neurodiverse audiences-regular priced tickets $17

• TSOUNDCHECK-highly discounted tickets for people ages 15 to 35, for more information, visit: https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/ticket-information/tsoundcheck/

To score the best rates (and benefits like easy ticket exchanges), ticket subscriptions are available by series type, and/or through various mix-and-match Compose Your Own subscription packages. TSOUNDCHECK packages are part of a highly discounted ticket program for people ages 15 to 35. Discounts vary, and when combined with early bird pricing, can top 35% off regular priced tickets. Visit https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/subscriptions/ for more information.

*Ticket prices are subject to change. Single ticket pricing does not include $6/per ticket service charge. TSO subscribers are not subject to service charges or exchange fees on subscriber priced tickets.

About the TSO

One of Canada's most respected arts organizations, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is celebrating its centennial season in 2022/23, and has played a vital role in the city's dynamic cultural life for 100 years. Music Director Gustavo Gimeno brings an expansive artistic vision, intellectual curiosity, and sense of adventure to programming the 93-musician Orchestra. The TSO is committed to serving local and national communities through vibrant performances, extensive educational activities, and impactful community relationships. It has a notable recording and broadcast history and has been celebrated internationally during its many tours. The TSO remains synonymous with musical versatility and growth, and artistic distinction.

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