A young violinist stands backstage, feeling the quiet weight of her bow poised at her side as the murmur of the audience swells from the hall. Around her, other musicians—a cellist adjusting his strings, a flutist taking a deep, centring breath—share the moment of anticipation. It’s the opening concert of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra’s season, and for these young artists, stepping onto the stage is the culmination of weeks of preparation and late-night practice, and a thrilling shared experience with their colleagues and the audience.
Where can young musicians perform at iconic venues, immerse themselves in an intensive camp retreat, compete in a concerto competition, and play alongside the Toronto Symphony Orchestra? For Canada’s most talented young musicians, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra offers these rare opportunities and more. Now in its 51st season, the TSYO stands as one of the country’s most robust orchestral training programs, guiding young musicians in the technical skill, discipline, and camaraderie that define life in an orchestra.
This season’s cohort includes 86 musicians selected from a record-breaking 300 applicants under age 22, with two-thirds joining as new members. The TSYO also welcomes TSO RBC Resident Conductor Trevor Wilson as its new leader. “One of the most gratifying parts of working with young people is seeing the progression from the beginning of the rehearsals to the concert,” says Wilson, “seeing them grow throughout that process and throughout the season, but also seeing their imagination and their wonderment at discovering all these new things for the first time, and the energy they bring to every performance.”
Through weekly rehearsals, sectionals, and various master classes with TSO coaches and guest artists, TSYO members sharpen their craft, learn how to perform under pressure, and build networks with industry professionals. This season also brings back the Tuned for Tomorrow workshops, where students dive into topics like performance preparation, physical and mental health, and community musicianship—non-performance aspects that are essential to thriving as a musician today.
Camp Weekend is a rite of passage for TSYO members. Held on November 1–3, this beloved tradition gave the group a chance to bond through rehearsals, team activities, and other shared experiences. “Camp Weekend was such a great experience for us to get to know one another and to build that strong connection that is very valuable to orchestral playing,” says TSYO Flute Eleanor Song. “Not just being able to know each other's tendencies, but also our personalities and how we can work together, it helps us create a more unified collective sound.”
Be prepared to step into the music with three thrilling 2024/25 performances: The season opens with High Spirits: Brahms, Borodin & Dvořák at the Meridian Arts Centre’s George Weston Recital Hall on November 24, 2024. This dynamic program of international classics features Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture, Borodin’s vibrant Polovtsian Dances, Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on Christmas Carols with the Toronto Children’s Chorus, and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8.
On February 15, 2025, at George Weston Recital Hall, May the Fifth Be with You: Beethoven & Star Wars pairs Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 5 with John Williams’s legendary Star Wars suite in an adventurous fusion of timeless and modern music. “The young players of the TSYO have long been eager to perform film music alongside their classical favourites,” remarks Wilson. “I’m very excited to tackle this new genre with them in performing the suite from Star Wars.”
The season culminates on April 26, 2025, at Roy Thomson Hall with Shostakovich’s Fifth, which, in addition to the powerful title symphony, includes Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps, a serene work echoing springtime, and features violist Angelina Sievers, a 2023/24 TSYO Concerto Competition winner, who will perform as a soloist.
The TSYO experience doesn’t stop there. The young musicians will also join their TSO counterparts for a special side-by-side performance of the Polovtsian Dances on November 27, 28, and 30 during Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker: Land of Sweets. For these bourgeoning artists, sharing the stage with TSO musicians is a chance to experience the intensity and teamwork required at the professional level. “Last year, I was lucky enough to play beside Jeffrey Beecher, the TSO’s Principal Double Bass,” says TSYO Double Bass Marcus Chan. “I learned so much from him, especially when it comes to body language and how to use it to communicate with your colleagues on stage during a performance.”
As we look forward to an exciting season of concerts and collaborations, we invite you to join us in celebrating these talented young artists as they take the stage and share their love of music.
Learn more about what’s in store for the TSYO this season at TSO.CA/TSYO.