Toronto, April 10, 2025 — The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMChoir) proudly announces its 2025/26 season — an ambitious, blockbuster year of iconic masterworks, monumental collaborations, and new partnerships with Canadian artists.
With a season that brings together the full force of some of Canada’s top choral and orchestral talent, including a continued partnership with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, TMChoir continues to uphold its reputation as a leader in shaping the future of choral music. From Bach to Beethoven, from Brahms to Whitacre, this year’s programming showcases the kind of grand-scale, emotionally charged repertoire that TMChoir delivers with unmistakable made-in-Canada excellence.
This season, TMChoir takes a significant step in artistic collaboration by partnering with four contemporary Canadian visual artists, featuring their works alongside each of the choir’s mainstage performances. These cross-disciplinary pairings are more than aesthetic — they reflect a spirit of artistic
collaboration and a shared commitment to celebrating creative voices from within Canada.
“We believe deeply in the talent that exists right here — in Toronto and in Canada,” says Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée. “This season is a celebration of our capacity to create, to collaborate, and to stage some of the most challenging and iconic works in the choral repertoire. Whether through our performances or through these exciting visual art partnerships, we’re showcasing Canadian excellence on every level.”
Mainstage Concerts & Canadian Visual Artists
TMChoir’s mainstage performances offer a season of musical mastery. Opening with Brahms’ German Requiem, featuring baritone Russell Braun and soprano Charlotte Siegel, alongside the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the concert includes the world premiere of ECHO by composer-in-residence Stephanie Martin, reflecting on love and loss. Next, Festival of Carols returns with traditional carols and the world premiere of The Treasures, a festive work by Stephanie Martin inspired by Lucy Maud Montgomery’s poetry. This holiday tradition will be recorded for commercial release in 2026. In March, the choir presents Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, a powerful work of drama and devotion, featuring Baroque orchestra, and soloists from within TMSingers including Nicholas Nicolaidis, and guest artists Sherezade Panthaki, Allyson McHardy, Isaiah Bell, and Jonathon Adams. The season closes with The Sacred Veil by Eric Whitacre, a poignant meditation on love and grief, performed by the TMSingers in collaboration with Metropolitan United Church for Cancer Awareness Month.
TMChoir with the TSO
TMChoir continues its storied collaboration with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in three epic concert events this season. The choir joins the TSO for Orff’s explosive Carmina Burana opening their season in September; Handel’s Messiah, the cherished holiday tradition, in December; and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the ultimate “Ode to Joy,” closing TSO’s season in June 2026. These large-scale collaborations unite hundreds of performers and celebrate the collective power of Canadian musical excellence on one stage.
Community Programs and Engagement
Beyond the concert hall, TMChoir’s community programming continues to expand. Exchange day of choral workshops returns in Winter 2026 inviting singers from across Toronto to gather, learn, and connect in a day of shared music-making. TMChoir also continues its new Conducting Mentorship Program, offering practical training for emerging conductors looking to deepen their craft in a professional setting.
Subscriptions Now Available
Season subscriptions for TMChoir’s four mainstage concerts are on sale now at www.tmchoir.org, offering audiences the best value and priority seating to this incredible season.
2025/2026 Concert Season
Brahms: A German Requiem – November 5, 7:30 PM at George Weston Recital Hall & November 7, 7:30pm, 2025 at Koerner Hall.
Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor
Russell Braun, baritone
Charlotte Siegel, soprano
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
Brahms’ “A German Requiem” is a deeply human reflection on love, loss, and the solace offered to those who grieve. Led by Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir brings their signature “mix of subtlety, power, and precision” (Ludwig van Toronto) to this masterpiece’s soaring choral lines and rich orchestration. ECHO, a stunning new commission by Stephanie Martin, preludes Brahms’ work, featuring the full power of the Choir and orchestra.
Festival of Carols – December 2 & 3, 2025 at 7:30PM at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church
Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor
Jonathan Oldengarm, organ
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Celebrate the season with one of Toronto’s favourite holiday traditions! Hailed as “a joyous affair” (Ludwig van Toronto), this festive evening invites you to sing along to holiday classics, led by Maestro Jean-Sébastien Vallée. Enjoy a performance that warms hearts and lifts spirits, featuring Treasures, a new
commission by Composer-in-Residence Stephanie Martin. Inspired by Lucy Maud Montgomery’s poetry, it reflects on the simplicity of Christmas joys. Continue or start a new tradition with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir!
Bach: St. Matthew Passion – March 24 & 25, 2026, 7:00 PM at Koerner Hall
Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor
Nicholas Nicolaidis, evangelist
Sherezade Panthaki, soprano
Allyson McHardy, mezzo-soprano
Isaiah Bell, tenor
Jonathon Adams, baritone
Baroque orchestral ensemble
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is a monumental work of drama, devotion, and unparalleled musical genius. With its soul-stirring arias, intricately woven chorales, and emotionally charged narrative, this spiritual masterpiece remains one of the greatest choral works ever written. Under the baton of Jean-Sébastien Vallée, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, along with exceptional soloists and instrumentalists, brings Bach’s timeless music to life in a profoundly iconic performance.
The Sacred Veil (Collaboration with Metropolitan United Church)
April 25, 2026, 7:30PM at Metropolitan United Church
Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor
Jonathan Oldengarm, organ and piano
Toronto Mendelssohn Singers
Grammy Award-winning composer Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil is a deeply personal meditation on love, loss, and healing. Written with poet Charles Anthony Silvestri, it tells the true story of Silvestri’s wife, Julie, who passed away from ovarian cancer at 36. Through its luminous harmonies and intimate text, the piece explores the profound connection between love and grief. “Heartbreaking but also bracing” (LA Times), this poignant work is presented in partnership with Metropolitan United Church as a vigil for Cancer Awareness Month.
2025/26 Season Summary
Brahms: A German Requiem
November 5th & 7th 2025 at 7:30PM – Koerner Hall & George Weston Recital Hall
Festival of Carols
December 2nd & 3rd, 2025 at 7:30PM – Yorkminster Park Baptist Church
Bach: St. Matthew Passion
March 24th & 25th, 2026 at 7:30PM – Koerner Hall
The Sacred Veil
April 25th, 2026 at 7:30PM – Metropolitan United Church
About Jean-Sébastien Vallée
An internationally recognized conductor, scholar, and pedagogue, Maestro Vallée has conducted ensembles throughout North America, Europe and Asia and has prepared choruses for leading orchestras. Vallée’s recent seasons include engagements with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Toronto
Symphony Orchestra, l’ Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, and the Liszt Ferenc Academy in Budapest.
About the TMChoir
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is proud to be one of Canada’s oldest, largest, and best-known choral organizations.Through its performances, educational programs and community engagement, the TMChoir aspires to introduce audiences to choral masterworks from the past and present—making both renowned and lesser-known pieces available, accessible, and inspirational to all. Within the TMChoir is a core ensemble of 24 professional singers known as the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers. Together, they form the over 160-voice TMChoir of today.
Visit tmchoir.org for 2025/26 programs and how to purchase tickets.
