History

Dr. Augustus Vogt, founder of the TMC, died in 1926. In April 1929 a stained glass window to his memory was unveiled in St. Paul's Bloor Street.

You can still listen to TMC's very first 1926 recording of Palestrina's Adoramus Te, uploaded by Library and Archives Canada.

Acclaimed a choral genius, Elmer Iseler was at the helm of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for 33 years, from 1964 to 1997. The Choir achieved great success under his artistic leadership, a leadership and vision that not only shaped the TMC but also so much of choral music in Toronto and Canada.

The Mendelssohn Choir toured to the United States a number of times in the early 1900s, with its first U.S. concert given in Buffalo in February 1905. It was a 1906 performance of Beethoven's Choral Symphony that cemented the Choir's reputation in the States. 

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.

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).