Toronto Symphony Orchestra Brings Its Holiday Concert Online

TSO Holiday Pops Available December 18, 2020–January 3, 2021

One of Toronto’s most beloved holiday musical traditions, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s annual Holiday Pops concert, will be available from the safety and comfort of patrons’ homes this year. Cherished holiday music will be performed, including a cheery sing-along and poignant moments of reflection as the world marks a holiday season like no other. The Holiday Pops concert, part of the TSO On Demand series, will be available for online viewing December 18–January 3, and will go on sale on November 26, 2020.

Singer-songwriter Andrea Menard will perform, reflecting on the meaning of holiday traditions and her Métis heritage. Her long-time collaborator and guitarist, Robert Walsh, joins her and the Orchestra. TSO Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke hosts the concert remotely, and RBC Resident Conductor Simon Rivard will lead the Orchestra in seasonal favourites. 

“Being on stage with the exceptional musicians of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to perform the exquisitely beautiful music of the holidays has always been a highlight of my year. Now, more than ever, the spirit of joy, love, charity, and hope is so vital, and I’m delighted to be sharing this concert with audiences around the world,” said host Steven Reineke. 

CEO Matthew Loden said, “We’ve been very gratified by the response to our TSO On Demand series so far, and this very special Holiday Pops concert is meant to elevate and inspire during this wonderful time of year. We know that there is nothing like coming together in Roy Thomson Hall for the holidays, but I believe that this concert will evoke the magic and beauty of the season for audiences wherever they might be.”

Our Give One, Get One partner for Holiday Pops is CultureLink, a not-for-profit settlement-services organization dedicated to providing resources and support for newcomers to Canada. When you purchase a Give One, Get One pass for $40, the TSO will offer a complimentary Holiday Pops viewing as a “Welcome to Toronto” gift to one of CultureLink’s most newly arrived clients.

This concert is approximately 60 minutes in length and features 25 musicians from the Orchestra. Our TSO On Demand series is filmed in strict accordance with COVID-19 government restrictions for performing-arts venues, prioritizing the health and safety of artists and staff. Musicians are wearing masks, there are plexiglass barriers between brass and woodwind instruments, and all artists are two metres apart.

Tickets

Tickets for TSO On Demand: Holiday Pops go on sale Thursday, November 26, 2020, at 10:00am. Tickets are $20 (or $40 for Give One, Get One). Discounts are available to TSO subscribers and TSOUNDCHECK members. Go to TSO.CA/OnDemand/Holiday-Pops or call Patron Services at 416.598.3375 (Mon–Fri, 9:00am–5:00pm).

To share the joy of TSO On Demand: Holiday Pops this festive season, purchase a Gift Certificate and send it to a loved one to redeem for access to the concert.

In this holiday season like no other, the TSO is offering the concert for an extended viewing period, so it can be enjoyed as long as possible from December 18, 2020 to January 3, 2021.

Performance Details

For the full Holiday Pops program, please see TSO.CA/OnDemand/Holiday-Pops.

Performers

Simon Rivard, RBC Resident Conductor

Steven Reineke, host

Andrea Menard, vocalist

Robert Walsh, guitar 

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council.

The TSO Season Presenting Sponsor is BMO Financial Group.

The TSO acknowledges Mary Beck as the Musicians’ Patron in perpetuity for her generous and longstanding support.

Steven Reineke’s appearance is generously supported by Ross and Sarah Kerr.

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