NOTE FALL 2016 In this issue: Inspiring donor stories Q&A with Gary Hanson, Interim Chief Executive Officer Canada Mosaic—Celebrate Canada’s diverse musical landscape!
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Contents 3 A note from Sarah Jeffrey, TSO Principal Oboe 4 Orchestra news 4 TSYO Camp Weekend 2016 5 Spotlight on Gordon & Joan Stevenson 6-7 Donors making a difference 8 2016/17 School Concerts 9 Corporate Champion: Accenture 9 Dr. Basian: A legacy through music 10 Maestro’s Club benefits 11 H. Thomas Beck: An die musik (To music) 12 Canada Mosaic 13 TSO Visual Listening Guides 14 Meet Your 2016/17 Development team 14 The TSO welcomes Gary Hanson, Interim Chief Executive Officer 15 Upcoming events 15 Bravo to our partners
Design: Haft2 Inc. Writing: Christine Ward
Photography: (cover, pgs. 2 & 4) Christopher Wahl (pg. 6) Bronwen Sharp (pgs. 7 & 10) Dale Wilcox (pg. 7) Ryan Emberley Photography
Noteworthy is distributed free of charge to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s donor community. Charitable Reg. No. 10525 5335 RR0001
A NOTE FROM
Sarah Jeffrey TSO Principal Oboe
Dear supporter, I couldn’t be more proud right now to be a TSO musician and a Canadian! When we begin Canada’s 150th birthday year in January, my TSO colleagues and I will have an incredible opportunity. We will be performing original fanfares by Canadian composers written for 40 orchestras across the country. As a Canadian (yes, I’m a born-and-raised Torontonian!), it’s a huge and exciting honour to get to play a Canadian repertoire with one of Canada’s greatest symphony orchestras. I do hope you can join us at our Canada Mosaic performances throughout 2017.
Reflecting on what makes these concerts and the many more we have planned for this season extra special, I keep coming back to one word: family. Every one of my TSO colleagues is an extraordinarily gifted musician, but, together, we make music that transcends anything we can create alone. Every professional orchestra can surely make this claim, but at the TSO, our relationships—our family—are the most important thing. Some of us, as you may know, are actually family (my husband Gabriel Radford sits two rows behind me in the horn section). Others have relationships that have lasted for years (as former Toronto Symphony Youth
Orchestra members, Gabriel and I both have the privilege of playing alongside our mentors). Still others (me included!) revel in the relationships we’ve formed with our supporters—those I now count among my dear friends. You can see and hear those ties that bind come alive in our concerts. When we perform, we’re trying, more than anything, to share with you the love and caring we feel for each other, for our art form, and for you. I know what this means to me as a musician. To you, as our patron and supporter, I truly hope it heightens your experience and reminds you why your gifts are so incredibly important and appreciated.
Sarah Jeffrey 3
ORCHESTRA NEWS PATRICIA KRUEGER: SO LONG BUT NOT GOODBYE
TSO Principal Keyboard Patricia Krueger will be retiring at the end of January 2017. Toronto-born Patricia joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1977, when Walter Susskind was Music Director. Since then, she has had the privilege of working with all of Susskind’s successors—Seiji Ozawa, Karel Ančerl, Victor Feldbrill, Sir Andrew Davis, Gunther Herbig, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and Peter Oundjian—as both a keyboardist and a percussionist.
Photo by Christopher Wahl
Patricia’s extraordinary talent and charisma certainly will be missed. In the words of a couple of her long-standing colleagues and friends:
“ Good fortune led me to meet Patty when I was in high school, and she later agreed to teach me piano. She is an icon and the kind soul of the TSO, with a natural talent for so many instruments. She has been a huge inspiration during my own career.”
TSYO CAMP WEEKEND 2016 The Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra’s annual Camp Weekend (this year held from October 7 to 9) is an opportunity for students and coaches to spend concentrated time rehearsing in sections and as an orchestra. It’s also a whole lot of fun! A few highlights from this year’s Camp Weekend were the brass sectionals by the water, and the faculty concert, in which the TSYO faculty and staff performed a choral work for the students. TSO Assistant Principal Viola & TSYO Viola Coach Theresa Rudolph provides her thoughts on the weekend: “I love Camp Weekend. It is a wonderful opportunity to have the time to work in depth with the viola section, especially at this early point in their season. This gives me a chance as a coach to instill the values that they will be building on throughout the year. I also get a chance to work one-on-one with many of the students, to address any questions they may have either regarding the TSYO repertoire or about playing the viola in general. During the intense schedule of Camp Weekend, the orchestra develops a tighter bond, and I love witnessing friendships bloom among the students. I also enjoy the rapport that I develop with the viola section especially. It is also very rewarding to see how much the orchestra improves in the short span of a weekend. They have been sounding great since the end of Camp Weekend, and I am looking forward to their concert on Nov. 13!”
—David Kent, TSO Principal Timpani
“ Pat Krueger is the personification of a Swiss Army Knife—compact, versatile, and reliable—but also with a powerful LED flashlight built in. For not only does Pat perform a staggering variety of roles, both on stage and off, she is a shining beacon of good spirit among her colleagues.” —Gary Corrin, TSO Principal Librarian, and Andrew Harper, TSO Library Assistant
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The TSYO viola section with Theresa Rudolph (back row, second from right)
SPOTLIGHT ON
Gordon & Joan Stevenson
Gordon Stevenson remembers first hearing classical music as a child in Scotland and thinking it sounded like a foreign language, and not one he was especially keen to learn. More than 50 years later, he’s had a dramatic change of heart after his wife, Joan, spoke so enthusiastically about the symphony experience. Gordon and Joan are TSO regulars, having attended countless performances over the past six years. Like many TSO patrons, they started with the lighter Pops-concert fare, gradually moving into more complex arrangements. Unlike many others, they didn’t begin attending the TSO until after their retirement. Both worked as teachers for the Toronto District School Board. “I’ve enjoyed so many more performances than I ever thought possible,” says Gordon of their wide-ranging selections, including Steven Reineke’s ABBA tribute and Yuja Wang’s stunning concert this fall.
“You can’t help but become totally immersed in the experience,” agrees Joan. “Before you start, the conductor provides a beautiful introduction that sets the scene for what you’re going to hear. Then I just sit back, close my eyes, and let my imagination take over. It’s astonishing.” The pleasure they gain from the Orchestra is so great, in fact, that the Oakville couple chose to include the TSO in their will. “When you get to this point in your life,” explains Gordon, “you start thinking about all the good things you’ve been able to enjoy and how very satisfying it would be to ensure that future generations may enjoy the same privileges.” For Joan, it’s a simple matter of giving back to the country they’ve called home since 1967. “We’ve had such joy from living in Canada, which is a wonderful country made even more exceptional by organizations like the TSO.” The Stevensons also hope their legacy gift sends a message about the benefits of music and the importance of private support. “Music is for everyone,” says Joan. “It can change your mood, give you hope, and make you feel that you can make a difference, no matter how large or small. Our world is a challenging place right now, and we have to stop and think—what would happen if we didn’t have our Symphony?”
“ Our gift is about contributing towards maintaining the TSO in perpetuity.” 5
DONORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE With the support of donors like you, the TSO is reaching bigger audiences—and in exciting new ways! 1
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THE TSO CHAMBER SOLOISTS
FREE CONCERT FOR TORONTONIANS
THE TSO AND BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE
1 On May 2, The TSO Chamber Soloists performed
2 On June 24, for the second consecutive year, the
3 In partnership with the Polaris Music Prize, the TSO
a special concert for veterans and palliative-care patients at Sunnybrook Hospital. Sunnybrook is the largest veterans’ care facility in Canada, offering long-term care to 475 veterans from the Second World War and the Korean War.
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TSO paid tribute to its most important stakeholder— the audience—in a free lunchtime concert for Torontonians. Under the batons of Music Director Peter Oundjian and RBC Resident Conductor Earl Lee, the Orchestra delighted the crowd of more than 1,800 with popular classical works.
welcomed Canadian icon Buffy Sainte-Marie— winner of the 2015 Polaris Music Prize for her latest album, Power in the Blood—to Roy Thomson Hall on June 30. Photo by Bronwen Sharp
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SUNDAY NIGHT WITH THE TSO
SOLD-OUT CONCERTS
4 This fall, Toronto’s #1 radio show in its timeslot is
5 On September 21, the TSO launched its 95th season 6 On October 26, one of our TSYO co-concertmasters,
back! TSO Principal Double Bass Jeffrey Beecher takes the microphone to bring you a musician’s perspective on the TSO season. Join Jeffrey and The New Classical FM’s Kathleen Kajioka each Sunday at 8:00pm to explore the hottest topics in classical music.
with a spectacular sold-out concert featuring the world’s most beloved soprano, Renée Fleming. This follows the exceptional attendance numbers of last season: we presented 44 sold-out concerts, welcomed almost 23,000 first-time attendees, and saw a total attendance of more than 268,000—the highest in five years. Photo by Dale Wilcox
TSYO IN THE COMMUNITY Diane (Dahyeon) Kim, performed a selection of music at the Ontario Science Centre’s RBC Innovators’ Ball. Part of a presentation by Dr. Glen Van Arsdell, head of cardiovascular surgery at SickKids, the performance illustrated the benefits of practice—a key part of a musician’s and a surgeon’s life. Photo by Ryan Emberley Photography
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2016/17 SCHOOL CONCERTS For three straight days, beginning October 18, there was a nearly constant stream of school buses along Simcoe Street as close to 9,700 students from grades 7 to 12, teachers, and chaperones experienced what, for many, was their first taste of the TSO. Each year, the Orchestra welcomes approximately 35,000 young students over three weeks of educational programming, designed by TSO education experts in partnership with music teachers from local school boards. “Students attend an orchestral concert that ties in educational concepts from the provincial curricula,” explains Rachel Malach, the TSO’s Vice-President, Orchestra Operations & Education.
This season, for example, students in grades 4 to 8 will enjoy Lights, Camera...Orchestra!, a film-themed concert featuring the World Première of an animated short film by Canadian filmmaker Kjell Boersma, commissioned by the TSO in partnership with TIFF, and presented as part of the TSO’s Canada Mosaic programming. DAM! The Story of Kit the Beaver features an orchestral score by Canadian composer Erica Procunier that will be performed live by the TSO. The unique program also includes an opportunity for students to join the TSO in performing a recorder play-along piece.
“Every year, the teacher resources get better and better!” says Hubert Brard, Instructional Coordinator— Arts Education (K–12) for the Peel District School Board. “This online resource is packed with relevant and useful information for our music teachers to further engage the students with what orchestral music is about, what the TSO is all about! Great job!” Ultimately, though, it’s the participating students who send the biggest message of impact. As one reported, “I felt musically empowered. It made me feel like, one day, I too could be fantastic.”
To help teachers use this experience to deliver the music curriculum, the TSO develops free resources, such as Study Guides and podcasts, all of which are available on the TSO’s website at TSO.CA/TeacherResources. The TSO also introduced its first French-language podcast this year, in addition to a fully translated Study Guide for Primary-level grades.
Lucas Waldin, conductor Tiffany Yeung, violin
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CORPORATE CHAMPION:
Dr. Basian
A LEGACY THROUGH MUSIC The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is pleased to welcome Accenture as its newest corporate partner, sponsoring TSO at the Movies. Accenture’s support enables the TSO to bring unforgettable concert and movie experiences to Toronto, which inspire, engage, and enhance the city. Accenture is a leading global professional-services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Working at the intersection of business and technology, Accenture helps clients transform their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. “Accenture is honoured to join the TSO as a corporate partner this season, bringing the films with live orchestra to Toronto,” said Bill Morris, Senior Managing Director and Canada President, Accenture. “We look forward to building a long-standing relationship with the TSO and bringing these great films to Toronto audiences.” Accenture is a well-known supporter of the arts worldwide, and recently commissioned an original symphony composed with creative input from both human musicians and artificial-intelligence software. Symphonologie, the Music of Business was recently performed by a 50-piece orchestra at the Louvre museum in Paris.
When Toronto vascular surgeon Dr. Herbert Basian turned 75, he raised his violin and played a concert for 60 of his closest family members and friends. He called it “Milestones,” and the intimate performance featured music representing the major moments in his life. It was fitting, then, when Herbert died 10 years later, in December 2015, that those same family and friends, and countless more, celebrated his life with gifts to the TSO. The response was so overwhelming, in fact, that the Orchestra felt it was appropriate to recognize the many generous donors, and dedicated one of last season’s concerts to Herbert and his love of music. “Music was always very special to Herby,” remembers Rhoda, his wife of 58 years. In fact, it was his first love. At the age of 17 or 18, Herbert performed with the TSO as a special-guest violinist, but his plans to become a professional musician were derailed by his father’s heart attack, and he decided to pursue medicine instead. He never completely gave up the violin, though, continuing to play in the doctor’s orchestra, off and on, right up until his sudden passing last year. He shared his delight in classical music with his four children and Rhoda, who grew to love the TSO’s performances, too. The couple attended as many as eight concerts a year, all hand-picked by Herbert. The Beethoven Eroica Symphony concert dedicated to his memory last June was a “perfect” choice and a fitting way to remember Herbert’s lifelong love affair with music, says Rhoda. “Herby was an exceptional person, a true Renaissance man, and I thought it was important that he be remembered for that. To do so at the TSO was wonderful.”
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MAESTRO’S CLUB BENEFITS
Maestro’s Club Fall Reception November 8, 2016 The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
In addition to access to the donor lounge at Roy Thomson Hall and invitations to TSO events, did you know that Maestro’s Club members also receive these privileges at the following venues?
Massey Hall If you are attending a performance at Massey Hall, please present your Maestro’s Club membership card to the staff at the far left side of the bar in Centuries Lounge for complimentary beverage service. Centuries Bar and Lounge is located on the lower level.
The University Club The University Club of Toronto is extending pre-concert dining privileges to members of the Maestro’s Club. Executive Chef Patrick Desmoulins will design a special weekly menu in addition to the à la carte offerings, which are available from 5:00pm. Please be sure to call ahead and make reservations (416.597.1336) to dine in the club’s beautiful Library, with its soaring columns and blazing fire, and a view over University Avenue. You are welcome to have pre-dinner drinks in the art-filled Lounge. The University Club is situated a short walk from Roy Thomson Hall, at 380 University Avenue, just south of Dundas on the west side (St. Patrick subway station). The first time you dine at the club, you will be asked to register your payment information at the front desk.
Maestro’s Club Hospitality Sponsor
Special Valet Parking rate of $15 per vehicle Present your Maestro’s Club membership card to the Valet. This offer does not apply to overnight parking. Music Director Peter Oundjian, Interim Chief Executive Officer Gary Hanson, and Board Chair Richard Phillips
Exclusive discount at TOCA Restaurant TOCA Restaurant offers Maestro’s Club members a 15% discount on its à la carte dinner menu. Please call TOCA at 416.572.8008, or visit tocarestaurant.com for details.
Exclusive offer at Spa My Blend by Clarins Receive 15% savings on Spa treatments from Monday to Friday, plus receive 10% savings on all Spa retail items any day of the week. Call 416.572.8000, or visit spamyblendtoronto.com.
Maestro’s Club Ambassadors David G. Hallman (Chair), Judy Dunn (Vice-Chair), Maymar Naman, Olga Fershaloff, and Bryan Graham (Missing: Michael Gnat and Donna Goldman)
Maestro’s Club preferred room rate Reserve your exclusive room rate for TSO Maestro’s Club members online with promotional code “6T6”. Call 416.585.2500, or visit ritzcarlton.com/toronto. Associate Principal Trombone Vanessa Fralick, Sibylle Otto, Earlaine Collins, and Ruth Watts-Gransden
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H. Thomas Beck AN DIE MUSIK (TO MUSIC)
It only took one visit to London’s Royal Albert Hall for Thomas Beck to get hooked on classical music when he was a high school student in the 1940s. The Hungarian-born engineer and founder of Noma Industries went on to become a lifelong supporter of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Besides being subscribers for nearly 60 years, Tom and his wife, Mary, accompanied the TSO on many tours, including one to the Arctic. Their enthusiasm went well beyond post-concert applause. Tom was a Board member for 22 years, and served as Chair from 1981 to 1983. Tom’s favourite memories of his years with the TSO were the Great Gathering gala, honouring the retirement of long-time Managing Director Walter Homburger in 1987, and a joint fundraising concert, which he envisioned, with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Zubin Mehta held in 1989. In 2008, when former Concertmaster Jacques Israelievitch retired, Tom and Mary Beck endowed the Concertmaster’s chair with a gift of $3.5 million. Tom’s love of music translated into a generosity aimed at making sure great classical music would continue to be heard for generations to come. As Tom said when he endowed the Concertmaster’s chair, “As a patron, I believe that money provides the opportunity for creativity, and creativity transforms institutions, achieving possibilities beyond expectations.” The 2016/17 season is dedicated to H. Thomas Beck in recognition of his vital and long-standing support of the TSO.
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CANADA MOSAIC
A SIGNATURE PROJECT OF CANADA 150
Ask Adrian Fung about the TSO’s plans to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, and his excitement is contagious. “It’s called Canada Mosaic, and it’s a celebration of Canada’s rich musical past, present, and future through education, innovation, and collaboration on a scale that’s never been done before,” explains the TSO’s Vice-President of Innovation. The project features 20 unique programs, including a flagship series of commissions called “Sesquies.” Forty orchestras—from coast to coast to coast— will partner with a local composer and début a two-minute fanfare, which the TSO will also perform at the top of one of their concerts in 2017. Adrian notes that the Sesquies will not only be a memorable experience for audiences across the country, but they will also grow the TSO’s Canadian content by an unprecedented 500% and leave a significant legacy for future generations. Among the other Canada Mosaic programs are a tribute to Glenn Gould, a performance by Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq, and a celebration of the Chinese New Year with award-winning composer Vincent Ho.
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Complete details of the project are available on the new Canada Mosaic website at TSO.CA/CanadaMosaic, where audiences will also be able to live stream some concerts using real-time camera angles of their choosing, for the best seat in the house. An innovative e-learning platform will also be added in 2017. Designed by the TSO’s educational experts, it will include 10 online lessons built around Canadian school-board curricula. “Canadian artists are already widely celebrated, but our ability to collaborate and celebrate our differences is the thing we want people to walk away with,” says Adrian. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
TSO VISUAL LISTENING GUIDES The TSO Visual Listening Guides—a series of graphic “maps” of major symphonic works created by TSO Managing Editor and Musicologist Dr. Hannah Chan-Hartley—recently gained considerable international attention and praise from industry professionals in the music and design fields, as well as the concert-going public at large. Part of the TSO’s program book, Key, since the beginning of the 2015/16 concert season, the guides were featured and heralded as “a deft mix of text and graphics” in the UK-based design periodical Creative Review, and as a “valuable tool to non-musicians who want to learn more about classical music...and a great teaching aid for young music students” by Classic FM. Most recently, the guides won a 2016 Kantar Information is Beautiful Award, which celebrates the excellence and beauty in data visualizations, infographics, and information art. A new way to discover a symphonic masterwork in a visually engaging and comprehensible manner, regardless of your musical background, the TSO Visual Listening Guides blend graphics, colour, and text to help you structure your listening—and thus enrich your understanding—of the music. Initially intended for TSO patrons to use during live performances, the guides may also be used for at-home listening or study with a recording. Due to public interest and demand for the TSO Visual Listening Guides, each of them will be made available, in digital, printable format, for purchase at the TSO online store. For more details, please visit TSO.CA/Store.
“ I thought this whole concept [of the TSO Visual Listening Guides] was brilliant and really achieves information design’s primary purpose—bringing clarity and engagement to a complex situation.” —DesignEdge Canada
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MEET YOUR 2016/17
DEVELOPMENT TEAM Mark J. Rittinger
Sarah Bullick
Marion York
Angela Nelson-Heesch
416.595.4294 mrittinger@TSO.CA
416.593.7769 X 344 sbullick@TSO.CA
416.593.7769 X 292 myork@TSO.CA
416.593.7769 X 259 anelson-heesch@TSO.CA
Catherine Laird
Adam Bailey
Steve Kwan
Yoomee Choo
Vice-President, Development
Stewardship Officer 416.593.7769 X 272 claird@TSO.CA
THE TSO WELCOMES
Gary Hanson
Associate Vice-President, Annual Giving
Manager of Annual Giving 416.593.7769 X 257 abailey@TSO.CA
Director of Philanthropy
Maestro’s Club Coordinator
Foundations Coordinator
416.593.7769 X 414 skwan@TSO.CA
In August, the TSO introduced Gary Hanson as its interim Chief Executive Officer. A Toronto native, Gary was chief executive of The Cleveland Orchestra until his retirement last year. Noteworthy caught up with the busy orchestra executive just a few weeks into his mandate: NW: What about this opportunity made it worth abandoning your retirement (at least temporarily)? GH: The opportunity was compelling because of my deeprooted emotional connection to the TSO. I remember members of the Symphony visiting my elementary school and then, later, I studied music with Orchestra members. I didn’t truly appreciate the depth of my connection, though, until I stood to sing “O Canada” at the Opening Night concert. It was a very moving experience. NW: What excites you most about the 2016/17 season? GH: It’s the diverse repertoire and creative collaborations that are most exciting to me. I was very excited Opening Night to hear how really good the hall sounds since its acoustic renovation. NW: By now you’ve met with some of the TSO’s supporters. What are you hearing about why they give?
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Director of Corporate & Foundation Partnerships
416.593.7769 X 215 ychoo@TSO.CA
GH: I’ve met with most of the members of the Board and a meaningful number of supporters already. The common theme is their love of the TSO, of music, and of their city. NW: What might our audience expect for the future of the TSO? GH: The community can expect lots more great concerts made possible, in part, through their support and generosity. Philanthropy has and will continue to play a very significant role in the way we are able to serve our community. NW: What can you share about the search for the TSO’s new music director? GH: It’s an ongoing process, and I’m honoured to be asked to be a part of it. This will be the single most important musical leadership decision in our community for at least the next decade. NW: What would our patrons be most surprised to learn about you? GH: Growing up in Toronto, I didn’t just attend the TSO, I also went to rock concerts—the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, and the 1969 Toronto Rock and Roll Revival. I was a bit of a groupie!
UPCOMING EVENTS OPEN REHEARSALS
BRAVO TO OUR PARTNERS SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
Experience the fascinating steps the Orchestra takes to prepare for a performance. Messiah Fri, Dec 16, 2016 7:30–10:00pm Beethoven Symphony 6 Tue, Mar 21, 2017 10:00am–12:30pm
PLATINUM PARTNERS
OFFICIAL AIRLINE
POPS SERIES PRESENTING PARTNER
GOLD PARTNERS
BACKSTAGE EXPERIENCES SILVER PARTNERS
Join TSO Production Manager Chris Walroth and Principal Librarian Gary Corrin for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience at Roy Thomson Hall. For Brass-level donors and above ($325+). Limited space available. Tour dates subject to change. RSVP early. TORONTO SYMPHONY VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE
Backstage Tour #2 Tue, Apr 4, 2017 7:00–9:00pm
RSVP We look forward to seeing you. To RSVP for an event, please contact Patron Services at 416.598.3375 or friends@TSO.CA.
CORPORATE SUPPORT Barclays Capital Canada Inc Bennett Jones LLP Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP BMO Capital Markets Canadian Tire CBC Radio 2 CIBC Deloitte Foundation Canada
Divine Furniture Rental EY Grano HSBC Bank Canada Intact Financial Corporation IFDS (International Financial Data Services) John Novak Manulife
Maroline Distributing Inc Quince Flowers RBC Capital Markets Scotiabank TD Securities Inc. The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall Torys LLP
MEDIA & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
*List reflects sponsors as of July 1, 2016–June 30, 2017.
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On behalf of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the many talented artists, students, and citizens who benefit from your gift, Thank you for your support.
212 King Street West, 1st Floor Toronto, ON M5H 1K5
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
IN HONOUR OF H. THOMAS BECK SEASON PATRON
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