Toronto Symphony Orchestra Unveils Ambitious 2026–2027 Season
September 27, 2026 – June 24, 2027
Roy Thomson Hall
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has announced its highly anticipated 2026–2027 season, offering a dynamic blend of classical masterworks, contemporary premieres, film scores, and family-friendly programming. Guided by Music Director Gustavo Gimeno, the season reflects both artistic ambition and accessibility, with performances designed to engage seasoned concertgoers and newcomers alike.
Running from September 2026 through mid-2027, the season brings internationally acclaimed soloists, celebrated composers, and innovative programming to Toronto’s concert stage. Subscriptions are now available, inviting audiences to experience a year of powerful live music in the world.
Below is the key performances, offering a quick guide to the breadth and excitement of the upcoming season.
Special Performances
Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert (FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA)
October 17 – 18, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/disney-tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-in-concert
Disney Tim Burton’s *The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert* presents the film with a live symphony performing Danny Elfman’s GRAMMY®-winning score. Jack Skellington tries to bring Christmas cheer, but his plan goes wrong, endangering Santa and turning the holiday into chaos.
Elf in Concert (FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA)
December 3 – 6, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/elf-in-concert
Buddy was accidentally sent to the North Pole as a toddler and raised among Santa’s elves. This season, he travels to New York with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as John Debney’s score plays live alongside the full film on the big screen.
Messiah
December 15 – 20, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/messiah
Toronto’s grand holiday tradition returns with soaring choruses and seasonal joy. The “Hallelujah” chorus lifts the hall to its feet as the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and radiant soloists fill the season with warmth, wonder, and festive celebration.
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert (FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA)
January 28 – 31, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/star-wars-a-new-hope-in-concert
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert features a screening of the film with John Williams’s Oscar®-winning score performed live. Since its release 50 years ago, it has had a seismic cultural impact, inspiring audiences with mythic storytelling, characters, effects, and iconic music.
Year of the Goat: A Lunar New Year Celebration
February 13, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/year-of-the-goat-a-lunar-new-year-celebration
Welcome the Year of the Goat with a joyful celebration of music and tradition featuring Dashan, Francesco Lecce-Chong, Sophia Liu, and the Inner Mongolian Art Theatre with your Toronto Symphony Orchestra, presenting vibrant works of creativity, harmony, and renewal.
Murdoch Mysteries in Concert: Celebrating 20 Years
April 24, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/murdoch-mysteries-in-concert-celebrating-20-years
Raise a glass to 20 years of mystery, intrigue and Canadian charm as CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries marks its anniversary with a special live concert hosted by Yannick Bisson and your TSO featuring music from the series, guests and surprise moments.
Hisaishi’s Piano
May 20 – 22, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/hisaishis-piano
Beloved composer Joe Hisaishi, whose music ranges from sweeping concert works to iconic film scores, leads the TSO in a concert of celebrated music, including a new piano concerto co-commissioned by TSO, written for and premiered by Alice Sara Ott.
Classics (Formally Masterworks):
Yuja Wang Plays Prokofiev
September 24 – 27, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/yuja-wang-plays-prokofiev
Yuja Wang brings dazzling flair to Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, while Debussy’s La mer shimmers alongside a world première by Linda Catlin Smith.
Petrushka & Passions of Spain
October 1 – 3, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/petrushka-and-passions-of-spain
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra marks Manuel de Falla’s 150th anniversary with El amor brujo, featuring María Toledo, alongside works by José González Granero and Stravinsky’s vibrant Petrushka.
Beethoven’s Fifth
October 8 – 10, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/beethovens-fifth
Jörg Widmann’s Con brio opens brightly, followed by Angela Hewitt in Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, and the iconic Fifth Symphony’s unforgettable opening motif.
Jan Lisiecki Plays Grieg
October 22 – 25, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/jan-lisiecki-plays-grieg
Jan Lisiecki returns with Grieg’s Piano Concerto, alongside Brahms’s Second Symphony and Kaija Saariaho’s Ciel d’hiver, a shimmering winter soundscape.
Shostakovich & Mozart
November 5 – 8, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/shostakovich-and-mozart
Gustavo Gimeno leads music by Sofia Gubaidulina and Dmitri Shostakovich, featuring Charles Richard-Hamelin, with Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 closing the programme.
Four Last Songs
November 12 – 14, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/four-last-songs
Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen performs Strauss’s Four Last Songs, meditating on love and acceptance. The programme begins with a Mahler miniature and concludes with Beethoven’s lively Fourth Symphony.
Mendelssohn’s Scottish
November 20 – 22, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/mendelssohns-scottish
Renaud Capuçon leads and performs Sohy’s Thème varié and Schumann’s Violin Concerto, with Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony closing in dramatic, travel-inspired style.
James Ehnes Plays Tchaikovsky
November 26 – 29, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/james-ehnes-plays-tchaikovsky
Celebrating his 50th, James Ehnes performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Connesson’s Maslenitsa opens, and Saint-Saëns’s “Organ Symphony” closes. Arrive early for a 1:45pm pre-concert by TSO Chamber Soloists.
Rhapsody in Blue
January 8 – 10, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/rhapsody-in-blue
Ring in 2027 with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, performed by Jeneba Kanneh-Mason. Berlioz and Bizet frame the programme, alongside a moving world première by Canadian composer Andrew James Clark.
Tchaikovsky’s Fourth
January 14 – 17, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/tchaikovskys-fourth
Javier Perianes performs López’s Ephemerae, a perfume-inspired concerto. Sibelius’s The Swan of Tuonela offers haunting stillness, while Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 concludes with powerful, emotional intensity.
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
January 21 – 23, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/rachmaninoff-piano-concerto-no-2
Isata Kanneh-Mason returns with Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, a virtuosic pinnacle. Conductor Tabita Berglund leads Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony from brooding opening to an electrifying, triumphant finale.
Beethoven’s Eroica
February 4 – 6, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/beethovens-eroica
Jonathan Crow performs Walton’s Violin Concerto, paired with Higdon’s reflective blue cathedral. Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony closes with bold, heroic themes of hope and triumph.
Ray Chen Returns
February 18 – 20, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/ray-chen-returns
Ray Chen returns with Sibelius’s Violin Concerto. Celebrating John Adams’s 80th, Harmonielehre surges with energy. Arrive early for a 6:15pm pre-concert by TSO Chamber Soloists.
Scheherazade
March 4 – 7, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/scheherazade
Maxim Emelyanychev leads Capperauld’s The Origin of Colour and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, before Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade spins tales of danger and desire.
Symphonic Cinema
March 11 – 13, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/symphonic-cinema
Renaud Capuçon leads an evening of iconic film scores, from An American in Paris to The Godfather. Arrive early for a 6:15pm pre-concert by TSO Chamber Soloists.
Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2
March 25 – 27, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/beethoven-symphonies-nos-1-and-2
A symphonic doubleheader pairs Beethoven’s First and Second Symphonies. TSO principals Joseph Johnson and Heidi Elise Bearcroft perform world premières by Kevin Lau and Emilie LeBel.
Beethoven’s Violin
April 8 – 11, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/202627-subscriptions/explore-the-202627-season
Isabelle Faust performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 brings Nordic intensity, alongside NextGen Composers’ world premières.
Mozart & Bruckner
April 15 – 17, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/mozart-and-bruckner
Angela Hewitt returns with Carter Johnson for Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos. Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony completes the programme, from Wagnerian adagio to soaring finale.
Wagner & R. Strauss
April 29 – 30, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/wagner-and-r-strauss
The TSO joins the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra for Wagner’s Die Meistersinger prelude. Wu Fei performs Tan Dun’s guzheng concerto, and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben brings a heroic finale.
Pictures at an Exhibition
May 13 – 16, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/pictures-at-an-exhibition
Peter Oundjian conducts Liam Ritz’s world première, Steven Banks performs Joan Tower’s Love Returns, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition concludes. Pre-concert by TSO Chamber Soloists at 1:45 pm.
Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique with the National Arts Centre Orchestra
May 28, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/tchaikovskys-pathetique-with-the-national-arts-centre-orchestra
John Storgårds joins Hilary Hahn for Eichberg’s Violin Concerto, framed by Assiginaak and Pärt. Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” anchors the programme with sweeping, emotional intensity.
Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
June 3 – 6, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/rachmaninoff-symphony-no-2
Xian Zhang conducts Jessie Montgomery’s Hymn for Everyone, Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with Pablo Sainz-Villegas, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, rich with sweeping, memorable melodies.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason Returns
June 10 – 12, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/sheku-kanneh-mason-returns
Sheku Kanneh-Mason returns with Elgar’s Cello Concerto. Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony offers poignant reflection, while Webern’s In zarter Bewegung unfolds as a delicate miniature for strings.
Mahler’s Eighth:
June 17 – 19, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/mahlers-eighth
Experience a landmark performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Gustavo Gimeno leads Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, a monumental, immersive series finale recorded live for release.
Pops:
The Music of Bond… James Bond
October 14 – 15, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/the-music-of-bond-james-bond
Raise a glass (shaken, not stirred) as the Pops Series opens with a salute to six decades of 007. From Connery to Craig, iconic Bond music comes alive at Roy Thomson Hall with Tony Award–winner Lena Hall and your TSO performing classics including Goldfinger, Skyfall, Diamonds Are Forever, and Live and Let Die.
TSO Holiday Pops: A Celtic Celebration
December 9 – 10, 2026
Roy Thomson Hall
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/tso-holiday-pops-a-celtic-celebration
Celebrate the season with a Celtic twist as your TSO welcomes Canadian fiddling icons Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy, and the MacMaster Leahy Family. Enjoy festive favourites and Celtic classics, from lively reels and jigs to beloved carols. Gather loved ones for toe-tapping cheer, joyful singalong moments, and holiday music that lifts spirits and warms hearts for the season ahead.
The Greatest Love of All: A Whitney Houston Tribute
February 24 – 25, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/the-greatest-love-of-all-a-whitney-houston-tribute
Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke, Broadway’s Aisha Jackson, and Avery Wilson, known from NBC’s The Voice, join forces for an uplifting symphonic salute to Whitney Houston. Featuring classics like “I Will Always Love You,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” and “How Will I Know,” the concert also honours her gospel roots with the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir.
Sci-Fi Throwdown
March 31 – April 1, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/sci-fi-throwdown
Phasers set to fun as your TSO blasts off with iconic sci-fi music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Star Trek, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, and more. Epic themes go head-to-head in a cosmic musical showdown filled with thrills, rivalry, and unforgettable orchestral power.
Swing is the Thing
May 26 – 27, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/swing-is-the-thing
Be transported to the vibrant 1940s and 1950s, when big bands ruled, and dance floors never stopped. Swing Is the Thing revives that vintage energy with champion swing dancers, Crystal Monee Hall’s sensational vocals, and timeless hits from Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Bill Haley and the Comets, and Jerry Lee Lewis in a high-voltage celebration of rhythm and dance.
Spotlight on Broadway: Cheyenne Jackson
June 23 – 24, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/spotlight-on-broadway-cheyenne-jackson
Broadway sensation Cheyenne Jackson (All Shook Up, Xanadu, Into the Woods, Oh, Mary!), and GRAMMY® and Emmy nominee known for 30 Rock, brings his soaring vocals and debonair flair to a program of musical theatre classics. From velvety croons and swoon-worthy ballads to showstopping 11 o’clock numbers, he lights up the TSO stage with the best of Broadway and beyond.
Young People's Concerts:
Symphony Spooktacular
November 1, 2026
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/symphony-spooktacular
Keep the fun going on Halloween weekend with a haunted house of sound filled with spooky symphonies, mysterious melodies, and hair-raising surprises. Be spellbound as the orchestra performs ghoulish favourites like Night on Bald Mountain and Danse macabre. Costumes are encouraged, dancing in your seat is welcome, and laughter is guaranteed throughout the night.
Sounds of Lunar New Year
February 7, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/sounds-of-lunar-new-year
Leap into the Year of the Goat with a joyful Lunar New Year celebration for all ages. Enjoy lion dances, festive melodies, and traditional and modern Asian instruments with the orchestra, including a reimagined Peter and the Wolf. Kids discover how music connects cultures, bringing luck, joy, and new beginnings in a vibrant “greatest of all time” celebration.
Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony
April 4, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/dan-browns-wild-symphony
Bestselling The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown trades secret codes for animal antics in a musical menagerie. From buzzing bees to stampeding elephants, each creature is brought to life by the orchestra. Families will experience every roar, flutter, and leap in this unforgettable, imaginative musical adventure for all ages.
Symphonic Singapalooza
May 2, 2027
www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/symphonic-singapalooza
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra and special guests present a fun-filled afternoon celebrating songs from around the world. From pop hits to folk favourites, the TSO turns up the volume as audiences sing, clap, dance, and enjoy a lively concert where “shhh” has no place.
Relaxed Performances
Relaxed Performances are designed for Neurodiverse and Disability communities and anyone who enjoys a more comfortable, inclusive concert setting created for ease and accessibility.
Mozart & Beethoven
November 14, 2026
https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/mozart-and-beethoven
Settle in for a relaxed musical journey featuring highlights from Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, offering bright energy, warmth, and lyrical charm for classical music lovers and curious listeners of all ages.
Sounds of Lunar New Year
February 7, 2027
https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/relaxed-sounds-of-lunar-new-year
Leap into the Year of the Goat with a Lunar New Year celebration for all ages, featuring lion dances, festive melodies, and traditional and modern Asian instruments alongside the orchestra, including a reimagined retelling of Prokofiev’s *Peter and the Wolf*. Kids will discover how music connects cultures in a joyful celebration of luck, joy, and new beginnings.
Symphonic Singapalooza
May 2, 2027
https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/relaxed-symphonic-singapalooza
Join us for a fun-filled afternoon with your Toronto Symphony Orchestra and special guests, celebrating the power of song from around the world. From pop hits to folk favourites, the TSO turns up the volume while you sing along, clap, and dance freely. It’s a high-energy concert where everyone is encouraged to let loose and raise their voice.
Why This Season Matters
Under Gimeno’s leadership, the TSO continues to evolve as one of Canada’s leading cultural institutions. The 2026–2027 season reflects a broader vision—one that celebrates diversity in music, fosters community connection, and highlights the shared experience of live performance.
As CEO Mark Williams notes, the season is about “shared moments” and the collective power of music, reinforcing the orchestra’s role at the heart of Toronto’s cultural life.
Plan Your Visit
With a rich mix of classical masterpieces, contemporary works, and popular programming, the TSO’s 2026–2027 season offers something for everyone. Whether attending a grand symphony or a film concert, audiences can expect world-class artistry throughout the year.
Concerts take place primarily at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, with subscription packages and single tickets available through the TSO website.