Volume 31 Issue 2 - November & December 2025

November and December combined for the first time in our history, with January and February likewise joined at the hip up next. Window-shop the 2025/26 Blue Pages (ten new members since last issue). "Critical mass" is the flavour of the issue, with "A Mass for the Endangered" leading the way, and a feast of Music Theatre, serious and not, close behind. Choral Scene looks at choirs augmenting their year-ending offerings with instrumental forces, and orchestras likewise augmenting their offerings with massed human voice. And masses of new recordings to discover and listen to. ALL THIS AND MORE.

● Dec 07 7:00:

● Dec 07 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo ChamberMusic Society. Luke Welch, Piano. KefferMemorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.; (st).Monday December 8● Dec 08 8:00: Live Nation. The Tenors:Joy to the World Tour. Roy Thomson Hall,60 Simcoe St. www.ticketmaster.ca/the-tenors-joy-to-the-world-torontoontario-12-08-2025/event.From .Tuesday December 9● Dec 09 12:00 noon: City of St. Catharines.35th Annual Civic Carol Concert. St. Thomas’sAnglican Church (St. Catharines), 99 OntarioSt., St. Catharines. . . All proceeds to CommunityCare. Contact info?● Dec 09 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.Lunchtime Chamber Music: XuanHe, Piano. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church(Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 orwww.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donationswelcome.● Dec 09 8:00: Hamilton PhilharmonicOrchestra. Andrea Bocelli with HamiltonPhilharmonic Orchestra. TD Coliseum,101 York Blvd., Hamilton. Visit Ticketmasterfor information on Platinum tickets. NOTE:Standard tickets for this performance aresold out. Official Platinum tickets can still bepurchased through Ticketmaster. HPO cannotprovide box office support for this event.Wednesday December 10●LIVE OR ONLINE | Nov 1 to Jan 7, 2024Dec 10 12:15: St. Andrew’s PresbyterianElmerIselerSingersChurch (Kitchener). Douglas Haas LegacyConcerts. 54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430. Free. Lunch available for purchaseat 11:30am or bring your own.● Dec 10 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.TSO Holiday Pops. Roy Thomson Hall,60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375.Call or visit website for ticket information.Also Dec 10(7:30pm), 11(2pm & 7:30pm).● Dec 10 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.TSO Holiday Pops. Roy Thomson Hall,60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375.Call or visit website for ticket information.Also Dec 10(2pm), 11(2pm & 7:30pm).Thursday December 11● Dec 11 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.TSO Holiday Pops. Roy Thomson Hall,60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375.Call or visit website for ticket information.Also Dec 10(2pm & 7:30pm), 11(7:30pm).● Dec 11 7:30: Sinfonia Toronto. Baroqueand Beyond - Holiday Treats. Trinity St.Paul’s United Church. Jeanne Lamon Hall,427 Bloor St. W. www.sinfoniatoronto.com.; (ages 60+); (st). Single ticketson sale Jun 1.● Dec 11 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.TSO Holiday Pops. Roy Thomson Hall,60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375.Call or visit website for ticket information.Also Dec 10(2pm & 7:30pm), 11(2pm).Friday December 12● Dec 12 7:00: Canadian Sinfonietta. CanadianSinfonietta Youth Orchestra WinterConcert. Agricola Finnish Lutheran Church,Lydia Adams, ConductorFri. Dec 12, 2025 at 7:30 pmYorkminster Park Baptist Church25 Old York Mills Rd. www.canadiansinfonietta.com.; (ages 45 and up);(ages 6-17).● Dec 12 7:00: St. Michael’s Choir School.REJOICE! Jubilee Celebration – 60 Years atMassey Hall - Annual Christmas Concert.Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.com/7112/7191. . Also Dec 13.● Dec 12 7:30: Diapente Renaissance VocalQuintet. The Diapente Book of Carols 3.St. Thomas’s Anglican Church (Toronto),383 Huron St. 514-378-2558 or www.event-brite.ca/e/the-diapente-book-of-carols-3-tickets-1501663398649. (Regular);(Discounted). Also Dec 6(5pm) at GraceUnited Church, Niagara-on-the-Lake.● Dec 12 7:30: Elmer Iseler Singers. Handel’sMessiah. Yorkminster Park BaptistChurch (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. www.elmeriselersingers.com/events/handelsmessiah-2025or 416-217-0537. ; (sr);(under 30).● Dec 12 7:30: Music at St. Andrew’s. OnThis Shining Night: An Evening of Music forthe Soul. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church(Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x220or www.standrewstoronto.org. . Availablethrough Eventbrite or at the door.● Dec 12 8:00: Brampton On Stage. ThisIs Brampton - Afrobeats: Motion & Vibes.Rose Theatre, The (Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln.,Brampton. 905-874-2800 https://tickets.brampton.ca. .Saturday December 13● Dec 13 2:30: Live!@WestPlains. The BarrelBoys - Bluegrass Christmas. West PlainsUnited Church (Burlington), 549 Plains Rd.G.F. HANDELW., Burlington. 905-320-4989 or westplainsconcerts@gmail.comor www.westplains.ca/events. (VIP Front Pew); /(adv);(ages 16 & under); (Livestream video).Ticket includes access to concert video for 14days following the concert.● Dec 13 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo ChamberMusic Society. Flavius Wagner, Guitar.Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. ; (st).● Dec 13 7:00: Univox Choir. Where theStars Meet the Snow. East End/EastminsterHandel’s MessiahLydia Adams, ConductorTHE CHOIR OF ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL WITH THE CHAPELCHOIR OF TRINITY COLLEGE, Uof T, AND ORCHESTRAWith Amadeus Choir, VIVA Chamber Singers,Leslie Fagan, Catherine Wyn-Rogers,Colin Ainsworth, andDoug MacNaughtonSATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 20257:30 P.M.416-217-0537 elmeriselersingers.comSCAN HERE:EARLY BIRD& REGULARTICKETSAVAILABLELOCATION: ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL106 KING ST E, TORONTODETAILS: stjamescathedral.ca/messiah202534 | November & December 2025 thewholenote.com

Sunnndaaayyy, Deec 114 | :0000 ppmmmUnited Church (Toronto), 310 Danforth Ave.www.universe.com/starsmeetsnow or www.voxchoirs.com. From with a donationto the choir.● Dec 13 7:00: St. Michael’s Choir School.REJOICE! Jubilee Celebration – 60 Years atMassey Hall - Annual Christmas Concert.Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.com/7112/7191. From . Also Dec 12.● Dec 13 7:30: Aurora Cultural Centre. AllisonLupton’s Celtic Christmas. Aurora TownSquare - Davide De Simone Performance Hall,50 Victoria St., Aurora. 365-500-3313 orwww.auroraculturalcentre.ca. ; (st).● Dec 13 7:30: Brampton On Stage. TheRose Orchestra: Winter Carnival. Rose Theatre,The (Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.905-874-2800 https://tickets.brampton.ca. From .● Dec 13 7:30: Hamilton PhilharmonicOrchestra. ‘Tis the Season. FirstOntario ConcertHall (Hamilton), 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton.www.hpo.org/event/tis-the-season.From . 6:30pm: Pre-concert talks.● Dec 13 7:30: St. James Cathedral. Messiahby G. F. Handel. Cathedral Church of St.James (Toronto), 106 King St. E. 416-364-7865or www.stjamescathedral.ca/messiah2025.; (Early Bird pricing until Nov 1).● Dec 13 7:30: Stratford Symphony Orchestra.Special Event: Messiah. Avondale UnitedChurch (Stratford), 194 Avondale Ave., Stratford.519-271-0990 or www.stratfordsymphony.ca.From . Also Dec 14(3pm).● Dec 13 7:30: The Annex Singers. RadiantDawn. Grace Church on-the-Hill,300 Lonsdale Rd. www.annexsingers.com.RADIANT DAWNFrom . LIVE & STREAMED.● Dec 13 8:00: Alliance Française deToronto. Éphémère. Alliance Français deToronto - Spadina Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd.www.alliance-francaise.ca. ; /sr/st);(AFT loyalty card); (ages 5-12); Free(ages under 5).Sunday December 14● Dec 14 2:00: HCA Dance + Theatre. PerformingArts Sunday Series (PASS): SeilerTrio: Celebrating the Holidays, Together.Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts - BlackBox Theatre, 126 James St. S., Hamilton. 905-528-4020 or www.hcadancetheatre.com.From .● Dec 14 2:00: Toronto Children’s Chorus.Songs of the Season: Nostalgic MovieMoments. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 SimcoeSt. 416-872-4255 or www.torontochildrenschorus.com.From .30. Come at 1:15pmfor carols in the lobby before the concert.● Dec 14 2:30: North Wind Concerts/Toronto Silent Film Festival. Evergreen:Renaissance Music for the Longest Nights.Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.bemusednetwork.com/events/detail/1061.; (st/arts workers); (ages 12 &under).Flute StreetFlute StreetTORONTO’SPROFESSIONALFLUTE CHOIRPRESENTSPRESENTSChestnuts,Candy Canesand CarolsSUN DEC 14, 4PMSUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 4PMDirector Peter PhillipsTHE TALLIS SCHOLARSDECEMBER 14Buy tickets attolive.comLead partnersMeridian Arts CentreGeorge Weston Recital Hall“One of the UK’s greatestcultural exports."—BBC Radio 3Songs ofthe SeasonoofSoongswith theToronto Children’s ChorusNostalgic Movie Momentsthee SeeasonToooorrroooonntoooo CChhildrrrenn’ss CChhoooorrrussDECEMBER 13, 2025AT 7:30 PMANNEXSINGERS.COMwww.flutestreet.caNEW VENUESt Andrew’s United Church,117 Bloor Street EastINFO: 416-462-9498www.flutestreet.caffffrrrrrrooooommmm mooviiiesss ccllaassssssiiicc .hoolliiidaay A ccooooonnnncceeeeerrrrrrtttt ffffooooorrrrrr tttthhheeeee wwhhhooooollleeeee ffffaaaaammmmiiiilllyy !Ennnnjoooooyy ffffaaaaammmmiiiillliiiiaaaaarrrrrr hhheeeeeaaaaarrrrrrtttt-wwaaaaarrrrrrmmmmiiiinnnng ttttunnnneeeeestthhhCaaarooooolllss innn tthhhee Looooobbbbyyy | 11:115 ppmmmRoooooyyy Thhhooooommmssooooonnn Haaallllllwwwwwwwww.ttooooorrrooooonnttoooooccchhildrrrennssccchhooooorrruss .cccooooomthewholenote.com November & December 2025 | 35