Our History

Founded in 1894

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is one of Canada’s oldest, largest, and best-known choral ensembles. Founded in 1894 by Augustus Vogt, the Choir presented its first concert in Massey Hall, as part of the hall’s inaugural season, on January 15, 1895. The Choir has flourished under the successive leadership of Herbert Fricker (1917-42), Sir Ernest MacMillan (1942-57), Frederick Silvester (1957-60) Walter Susskind (1960-64), Elmer Iseler (1964-97), Noel Edison (1997-2018), and now Jean-Sébastien Vallée. All of these Canadian conductors have been internationally renowned in their own right, and have successfully brought the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir to the world’s attention, through performances, recordings, and tours.

For a more lengthy history, go to Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

Our History

1894
1894
Founding of Toronto Mendelssohn Choir by Augustus Vogt.

Augustus Stephen Vogt

 

1895
1895
Massey Music Hall (now called Massey Hall) was built in the same year that the Choir was founded. TMC has performed at Massey Hall many times.

Massey Music Hall and TMC

1895
January 1895 – The Mendelssohn Choir of Toronto, under conductor Augustus Vogt, presents its first concert.

TMC’s first concert

1902
1902
First concert with symphony orchestra (Pittsburgh Orchestra); the first of several partnerships with major US orchestras
1906
1906
February 1906 – The Choir tours to the US and performs Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Pittsburgh Orchestra, receiving rave reviews.

Freude Freude

1910
1910
February 1910 – The Choir President receives flowery thanks from the choristers for a successful 1909-10 tour to Buffalo and Cleveland.

Chorister love expressed in illuminated calligraphy

1921
1921
TMC commissions composer Healey Willan. He composes An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts for the Choir.

Healey Willan – Dean of Canadian Composers

1926
1926
TMC makes its first recording singing under conductor Herbert A. Fricker. They recorded Palestrina’s Adoramus Te and Exultate Deo.

Hear TMC’s 1926 recording of Palestrina

1929
1929
April 1929. Memorial stained glass window to Augustus Vogt, the Choir’s founder and first conductor, is unveiled at St. Paul’s Bloor Street.

Vogt Memorial Stained Glass Window

1932
1932
December 1932. TMC’s first performance of Handel’s Messiah. The Choir has performed Messiah every year since and has recorded it a number of times.

Messiah – let us count the times

1936
1936
February 1936 – The TMC presented the Canadian premiere of Sir William Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast.

Belshazzar’s Feast Canadian Premiere

1942
1942
Sir Ernest MacMillan, Canada’s “Musical Knight,” becomes the TMC’s third conductor. He held the position until 1957.

Sir Ernest MacMillan, conductor

1947
1947
At the start of her career, when she was just 22, Lois Marshall was engaged by Sir Ernest MacMillan as a soprano soloist for the TMC’s Bach festival.

Soprano Lois Marshall

1952
1952
1952/3 Critically acclaimed recordings of the Messiah and St. Matthew Passion under Sir Ernest MacMillan
1964
1964
Conductor Elmer Iseler takes over the reins of the TMC. He was Artistic Director for 33 years, from 1964 to 1997.

Elmer Iseler, conductor

1965
1965
The TMC records the Godfrey Ridout arrangement of O Canada.

TMChoir sings O Canada

1972
1972
First tour to Europe, appearing in Paris, Lucerne, the Proms in London and the Edinburgh Festival
1973
1973
November 1973 – TMC performs Canadian composer André Prévost’s Missa de Profundis, commissioned for them by the CBC.

André Prévost Missa de Profundis

1976
1976
July 1976 – TMC performed as part of the Cultural programming at two Olympic Games – the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

TMC goes to the Olympics

1977
1977
Formation of the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir
1986
1986
Juno-nominated recording of Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Sir Andrew Davis
1993
1993
Recording of film score of Schindler’s List with composer John Williams
1995
1995
Receipt of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Arts
1998
1998
Recording of the Berlioz Requiem under Noel Edison for Naxos
1999
1999
September 1999- Singsation Saturdays, a popular TMC education program, is born.

Bringing singers together

2002
2002
Formation of the Mendelssohn Singers
2003
2003
Tour to Vienna and Salzburg, appearing with the Vienna Boys Choir
2006
2006
Recording of “A Festival of Carols” – Music for the Christmas season. Now available on Spotify and iTunes.
2007
2007
Performance of Oratorio Terezin by Canadian composer Ruth Fazal at Carnegie Hall
2008
2008
Inception of the TMC Apprentice program, replacing the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir program
2010
2010
Creation of the annual TMC Choral Conductors’ Symposium for emerging conductors, led by Noel Edison
2010
Participation in the 2010 Cultural Olympiad in connection with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC
2011
2011
Inception of the Associate Conductor position
2012
2012
January 2012- TMC concert webcasts begin, reaching choral music lovers across Canada and the world.

Singing to the world – TMC webcasts

2013
2013
March 2013 – TMC commissions Canadian composer Timothy Corlis. God so Loved the World for choir and solo cello is premiered at the TMC’s 2013 Sacred Music for a Sacred Space concert.

Timothy Corlis – God so Loved the World

2017
2017
TMC and Noel Edison nominated, alongside Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis, for a Grammy for Best Choral Performance for the TSO Recording of Messiah.
2018
2018
TMC’s 7th conductor, Noel Edison, resigns in April. He led the Choir for 21 years.
2019
2019
October 2019 – TMC commissions a work from Cree composer Andrew Balfour to mark the Choir’s 125th anniversary. Mamachimowin is premiered on October 20, 2019 at the 125th Gala Concert.

Mamachimowin – TMC 125th anniversary commission

2021
2021
May 31, 2021: TMC names Jean-Sébastien Vallée as Artistic Director, only the 8th AD in its history
Head and shoulders photo of Artistic Director Jean-Sebastien Vallee. He is wearing a black turtle neck and jacket and is looking directly at the camera.
2021
TMC wins JUNO Award for Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral with Toronto Symphony Orchestra for Massenet’s Thaïs
Juno Award: Classical Award of the Year