Toronto, ON – August 4, 2026 – The Royal Conservatory of Music’s 18th concert season at Koerner Hall begins with James Ehnes’s 50th Birthday Tour on October 2, accompanied by Andrew Armstrong. Ehnes’s ninth Koerner Hall appearance features works by Brahms and Bartók, along with a Toronto premiere of Imaginal, a new piece co-commissioned by the RCM from acclaimed Canadian composer Carmen Braden. An Honorary Fellow of The Royal Conservatory and a favourite guest at the world’s most celebrated concert halls, Ehnes is gifted with a rare combination of stunning virtuosity, serene lyricism, and an unfaltering musicality.
Generously supported by an anonymous donor
Generous additional support provided from The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for Classical Programming
Often referred to as “The Hendrix of the Sahara,” Vieux Farka Touréshares an evening on October 3 with the winner of the first season of Balageru (Ethiopian Idol), Melat Mengesha.
Presented in partnership with Batuki Music Society
Generously supported by an anonymous donor
On October 29, mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska and guitarist Sean Shibe craft a genre‑defying program that intersperses passages from Virginia Woolf’s Orlando with songs by Schubert, Bob Dylan, Laurie Anderson, and others. Nikolovska, who studied violin at The Taylor Academy before studying voice with Helga Tucker, is celebrated for her “focused, rich, and velvety” (The Times) voice, while Shibecontinues to prove himself a truly original mind at the frontier of contemporary classical music.
Generous support provided from The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for Classical Programming
First Prize winner of the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition 2021 in Warsaw, Bruce Liu returns to Koerner Hall for the fourth time on October 30 to perform works by Beethoven, Chopin, Ravel, Debussy, Liszt, and other composers.
Generously sponsored by Alexanian Flooring
Generous additional support provided from The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for Classical Programming
Media sponsor: Fairchild Radio
As part of the “Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage” series, international fado superstar Mariza returns to Koerner Hall for the fourth time on October 31, bringing her unmistakable voice and magnetic stage presence. As the Rolling Stone Magazine stated, “Mariza is remaking fado’s ancient sadness into a majestic modern sound.”
Generously supported In Memory of Robert Calvin
Royal Conservatory Orchestra concert on October 9 will be conducted by Laura Jackson. The program includes Samuel Barber’s Overture to The School for Scandal, Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, and violist Shyler Macaggi, winner of the 2026 Robert W. and G Ann Corcoran Concerto Competition, in Bartók’s Viola Concerto.
Part of the Temerty Orchestral Program
Other student and faculty concert highlights include the Mazzoleni Masters series with the RCM’s own ARC Ensemble on October 4and Susan Hoeppner and Kelly Zimba Lukić on October 18; Joaquin Valdepeñas Conducts on September 20 as part of the Discovery Series; and a free Taylor Academy Showcase Concert on October 24.
Find more information at www.rcmusic.com
