Toronto Symphony Orchestra

File:Full orchestra small.jpg posing with the TSO at Roy Thomson Hall before a concert in January 2012]]

File:Peter Oundjian - Conductor of Toronto Symphony Orchestra 2014.jpg

The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923 with 58 musicians. The first conductor was Luigi von Kunits, and that season there were twenty concerts, as well as a performance at a spring festival.{{Cite news |last=Vyhnak |first=Carola |date=2015-06-14 |title=Birth of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20150614/281908771772027 |access-date= |work=Toronto Star |pages=A12 |via=PressReader.com}}

In the summer of 1924, the symphony performed at the Canadian National Exhibition. Shortly thereafter, they began holding children's concerts. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. In 1929, the TSO made its radio debut with a one-hour broadcast on CBC Radio from the Arcadian Court.

After von Kunits' death in 1931, Ernest MacMillan served as music director for 25 years. In 1951, the orchestra made headlines when it declined to renew the contracts of musicians, thereafter known as the Symphony Six, who had been denied entry to the United States on suspicion of communist activities, during the McCarthy Era.{{Cite web |last=Plummer |first=Kevin |date=2012-03-24 |title=Historicist: The Symphony Six |url=http://torontoist.com/2012/03/historicist-the-symphony-six/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714220028/http://torontoist.com/2012/03/historicist-the-symphony-six/ |archive-date=2014-07-14 |website=Torontoist}}

Andrew Davis was the TSO's music director from 1975 to 1988. The TSO subsequently granted Davis the title of conductor laureate.{{cite news |author=Littler |first=William |date=2015-05-08 |title=The TSO's Englishman in Toronto |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2015/05/08/the-tsos-englishman-in-toronto.html |access-date= |work=Toronto Star}}

The orchestra had financial and audience size problems during the 1990s, and in 1992, TSO musicians accepted a 16% pay cut because of a threat of bankruptcy to the orchestra, with a promise from management to make up the loss in subsequent contract negotiations. By 1999, this pay restoration had not happened, which led to an 11-week musicians' strike that autumn.{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto-symphony-negotiations-hit-sour-note-1.173965 | title=Toronto Symphony negotiations hit sour note | work=CBC News | date=25 September 1999 | access-date=2008-11-08}} Relations between the musicians and management deteriorated, and the music director at the time, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offered to serve as mediator in the situation. In addition, there was a lack of public sympathy to the orchestra musicians' situation.{{Cite book |last=Warren |first=Richard |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/9781442671232 |title=Begins with the Oboe |date=2002-01-01 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=978-1-4426-7123-2 |pages=209-211}} By 2001, the TSO had debt of $7 million CAD, and both executive director Ed Smith and music director Saraste had left the ensemble.{{cite news |author=Bernstein |first=Tamara |date=2001-10-25 |title=Toronto Symphony Teeters on the Edge of Ruin |url=http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=14591 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021117124101/http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=14591 |archive-date=2002-11-17 |access-date= |work=andante}}

Peter Oundjian was appointed as music director in January 2003 and became music director in the 2004–2005 season.{{cite news |author=Terauds |first=John |date=2007-02-08 |title=Conductor puts mark on TSO through '12 |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/conductor-puts-mark-on-tso-through-12/article_e6540300-35e7-5208-b981-5f614d083cd1.html |access-date=2024-10-15 |work=Toronto Star}} The 2005 documentary film Five Days in September: The Rebirth of an Orchestra recorded the first days of the TSO's inaugural season with Oundjian as its new music director.{{cite news |author=Oestreich |first=James R. |date=2011-03-16 |title=Orchestra, Back From the Brink |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/arts/music/peter-oundjian-toronto-symphony-orchestras-music-director.html |access-date=2017-05-29 |work=The New York Times}} His contract was extended through to the 2017-2018 season.{{cite news |author=Kaptainis |first=Arthur |date=2016-02-05 |title=Two more seasons for TSO's Peter Oundjian |url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/music/the-toronto-symphony-orchestra-signs-music-director-peter-oundjian-for-two-more-seasons |access-date=2024-10-15 |work=National Post}} He concluded his TSO tenure at the close of the 2017-2018 season and was given the title of conductor emeritus.{{cite news |author=Harris |first=Robert |date=2017-01-25 |title=Toronto Symphony Orchestra unveils its final Oundjian-led season |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/toronto-symphony-orchestra-unveils-its-final-oundjian-led-season/article33734525/ |access-date=2017-05-29 |work=The Globe and Mail}} With Oundjian, the TSO made commercial recordings for its own TSO Live label and for other labels such as Chandos Records.{{cite web |author=Kaptainis |first=Arthur |date=2018-06-14 |title=INTERVIEW {{!}} Peter Oundjian On The Eve Of Saying Goodbye |url=https://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2018/06/14/interview-peter-oundjian-on-the-eve-of-saying-goodbye/ |access-date=2020-05-25 |work=Ludwig Van Toronto}}{{Cite web |last=Wild |first=Stephi |date=2019-03-16 |title=Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works Featuring The Toronto Symphony Orchestra Receives JUNO Award |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/Vaughan-Williams-Orchestral-Works-Featuring-The-Toronto-Symphony-Orchestra-Receives-JUNO-Award-20190316 |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en}}

By the 2006–2007 season, the subscriber base had increased to about 25,000, and the audience average capacity also increased to 84%.{{cite news |author=Terauds |first=John |date=2007-02-03 |title=TSO's new season |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/tsos-new-season/article_e14148b2-d41a-5c38-833f-bdf956733ba7.html |access-date=2024-10-15 |work=Toronto Star}} In November 2008, the orchestra reported its third consecutive year of budget surpluses, with average audience attendance of 88% (excluding concerts for schoolchildren), although the orchestra still retained overall debt of $8.9 million CAD in 2008.{{cite news |author=Terauds |first=John |date=2008-11-20 |title=TSO salutes its third surplus in row |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/tso-salutes-its-third-surplus-in-row/article_2a185b09-91a0-575a-8478-a8847bdbb18c.html |access-date=2024-10-15 |work=Toronto Star}} In 2022, the TSO ended the season with its first net surplus since 1979.{{Cite web |last=Wassenberg |first=Anya |last2= |last3= |first3= |date=2022-09-30 |title=THE SCOOP {{!}} Toronto Symphony Ends A Difficult Season Deficit-Free |url=https://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2022/09/30/scoop-toronto-symphony-orchestra-ends-difficult-season-deficit-free/ |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Ludwig van Toronto |language=en-US}}

In April 2015, controversy ensued after the TSO cancelled the appearance of Valentina Lisitsa, citing Twitter postings by her in relation to the war in Donbas which were seen as conducive to "public incitement of hatred" under the Criminal Code of Canada.{{cite news |date=2015-04-07 |title=Toronto symphony bans Ukrainian-born pianist over 'provocative' tweets denouncing Kyiv's 'neo-Nazis' |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/toronto/toronto-symphony-bans-ukrainian-born-pianist-over-provocative-tweets-denouncing-kyivs-neo-nazis |access-date=2024-10-15 |work=National Post}}

In January 2017, the TSO announced its participation in the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Canada, with a cross-country celebration of Canadian music funded by the Canadian government.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Robert |date=2017-01-20 |title=Canada Mosaic: An imperfect but important cultural program |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/canada-mosaic-an-imperfect-but-important-culturalprogram/article33685049/ |access-date=2017-02-08 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-ca}}{{cite news |last1=Littler |first1=William |date=2017-01-16 |title=Canada Mosaic puts Canadian music on the map |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2017/01/16/canada-mosaic-puts-canadian-music-on-the-map.html |access-date=2017-02-08 |work=Toronto Star}}

In May 2017, the TSO announced the return of Davis to the orchestra as its interim artistic director, beginning with the 2018-2019 season, for a period of two seasons.{{cite press release |title=Sir Andrew Davis to provide interim artistic leadership during TSO Music Director search |date=2017-05-30 |publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://admin2.myscena.org/newswire/sir-andrew-davis-provide-interim-artistic-leadership-tso-music-director-search/ |access-date=2018-05-08}} In April 2018, the TSO announced the appointment of Matthew Loden as its chief executive officer (CEO), effective July 2018.{{cite press release |title=Toronto Symphony Orchestra Appoints Matthew Loden As Chief Executive Officer |date=2018-04-30 |publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.tso.ca/news-release/toronto-symphony-orchestra-appoints-matthew-loden-chief-executive-officer |access-date=2018-05-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506035813/https://www.tso.ca/news-release/toronto-symphony-orchestra-appoints-matthew-loden-chief-executive-officer |archive-date=2018-05-06}}

In February 2018, Gustavo Gimeno guest-conducted the TSO for the first time. On the basis of this appearance, the TSO announced the appointment of Gimeno as its next music director, effective in the 2020-2021 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.{{cite press release |title=Toronto Symphony Orchestra Announces Gustavo Gimeno as Next Music Director |date=2018-09-17 |publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.tso.ca/news-release/gustavo-gimeno-music-director |access-date=2018-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918144505/https://www.tso.ca/news-release/gustavo-gimeno-music-director |archive-date=2018-09-18}} In July 2020, the TSO announced the cancellation of its originally scheduled 2020-2021 concert season, with plans for replacement concerts on a smaller scale in various Toronto venues, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite press release |title=TSO Replaces Season with Plans to Perform Smaller Events across the GTA |date=2020-07-06 |publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.tso.ca/noteworthy/tso-replaces-season-with-plans-to-perform-smaller-events-across-the-gta/ |access-date=2024-10-15}}

In July 2021, the TSO announced that Matthew Loden was to stand down as its CEO, effective 22 September 2021.{{cite press release |title=CEO Matthew Loden to Depart the TSO |date=2021-07-07 |publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.tso.ca/noteworthy/ceo-matthew-loden-to-depart-the-tso/ |access-date=2021-07-12}} In January 2022, the TSO announced the appointment of Mark Williams as its next chief executive officer, effective April 2022.{{cite press release |title=Mark Williams Announced as New CEO of Toronto Symphony Orchestra |date=2022-01-12 |publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra |url=https://www.tso.ca/news-release/mark-williams-announced-new-ceo-toronto-symphony-orchestra |accessdate=2022-01-17}} In November 2022, the TSO announced the extension of Gimeno's contract as its music director through 2030.{{cite press release | url=https://www.tso.ca/noteworthy/five-more-years-on-the-podium/ | title=Five More Years on the Podium: Music Director Gustavo Gimeno’s Contract Extended through 2030 | publisher=Toronto Symphony Orchestra | date=5 December 2022 | accessdate=2025-03-17}}{{cite news |author=Wheeler |first=Brad |date=2022-11-21 |title=Toronto Symphony Orchestra extends contract of music director Gustavo Gimeno through 2029-30 season |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-gustavo-gimeno-toronto-symphony-orchestra/ |access-date=2022-11-28 |work=The Globe and Mail}}

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• Luigi von Kunits (1922–1931)
• Sir Ernest MacMillan (1931–1956)
• Walter Susskind (1956–1965)
• Seiji Ozawa (1965–1969)
• Karel Ančerl (1969–1973)
• Sir Andrew Davis (1975–1988)
• Günther Herbig (1988–1994)
• Jukka-Pekka Saraste (1994–2001)
• Peter Oundjian (2004–2018)
• Sir Andrew Davis (interim artistic director, 2018–2020)
• Gustavo Gimeno (2020–present){{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-gustavo-gimeno-toronto-symphony-orchestra/ | title=Toronto Symphony Orchestra extends contract of music director Gustavo Gimeno through 2029-30 season | newspaper=The Globe and Mail | date=21 November 2022 }}

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• List of symphony orchestras
• Canadian classical music
• Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra

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• {{Official website|http://www.tso.ca/|Toronto Symphony Orchestra official website}}
• {{Official website|http://www.roythomson.com/|Roy Thomson Hall official website}}
• {{Discogs artist|Toronto Symphony Orchestra}}

{{Toronto Symphony conductors}}

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Category:Orchestras in Toronto

Category:Musical groups established in 1906

Category:Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment winners

Category:1906 establishments in Ontario

Category:Angel Records artists

Category:Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble winners

Category:Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Vocal or Choral Performance winners