In 1909 the TMC travelled to Chicago to sing three concerts with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra. The 228 members of the choir were brought to Chicago on two special Pullman trains of seven cars each, leaving Toronto Tuesday evening, arriving in Chicago Wednesday morning.
It's easy to add some TMC choral music to your day -- stream some of the music we've posted on YouTube. There are many videos and playlists to choose from - English Cathedral Greats to Christmas carols and music, to music by Canadian composers.
The choir participated in two Olympic games in Canada -- not running a SATB 800 metre relay ;-) -- but as performers at the cultural events in conjunction with the games.
Healey Willan, considered the dean of Canadian composers, was commissioned by the TMC in 1921 and composed An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts for the Choir.
In the early years of the 20th century, the Choir brought a number of stellar American orchestras to Toronto for concerts, including the Theodore Thomas Orchestra of Chicago (which became the Chicago Symphony Orchestra).
2019 marks TMC’s 125th anniversary. Founded in 1894, the Choir has performed in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, as Toronto went from a city of 200,000 to the Greater Toronto Area of over 6 million. Over its 125-year history the TMC is proud to have played a role in the development of Canadian classical choral music, particularly in Toronto. Discover some of Toronto’s choral music history through the TMC’s history.
TMC has a long history of commissioning works from Canadian composers. One of TMC's 21st century commissions is God so Loved the World by Timothy Corlis. This piece, for choir and solo cello, was commissioned for the TMC's 2013 Sacred Music for a Sacred Space concert at which it was premiered.
Massey Hall (named Massey Music Hall when it opened) and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were both born in 1894 and have been part of each other's lives and the life of music in Toronto ever since.
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir presented the Canadian premiere of Sir William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast on February 13, 1936 in Massey Hall with guest artists the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and under conductor Dr. Herbert Fricker (the Choir's second conductor who took over from Augustus Vogt in 1917).