Oscar Peterson’s 100th birthday celebrated in 2025-26 Royal Conservatory concert season

A special three-day celebration to mark Oscar Peterson’s 100th birthday tops an impressive list of concerts planned for The Royal Conservatory’s 2025-26 season. Tickets are now on sale for subscribers and donors, new subscriptions go on sale June 13, and all tickets go on sale to the general public on June 17 at 10 a.m. ET. The season kicks off with crossover artist Sofiane Pamart, making his Koerner Hall debut on September 13. Pamart, one of the top 10 most streamed classical music artists in the world, straddles the line between classical music and hip- hop.

The celebration of piano icon Oscar Peterson includes free master classes, along with performances from Benny Green, Christian McBride, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, along with numerous other top pianists.

"The Royal Conservatory’s 2025-26 concert season is a vibrant celebration of musical excellence, presented across our three stages – Koerner Hall, Mazzoleni Concert Hall, and Temerty Theatre,” said Alexander Brose, Michael and Sonja Koerner President & CEO. “This year, we are especially proud to honour the 100th birthday of legendary jazz pianist and RCM alumnus Oscar Peterson with special programming that celebrates his enduring legacy. We are also extremely excited to launch our new Orchestrated series that showcases our Glenn Gould School students side-by-side with genre-bending performers. From internationally acclaimed artists to emerging voices, our carefully curated season reflects The Royal Conservatory’s deep commitment to transformative cultural experiences that inspire and connect us all."

New for the 2025-26 season, the Orchestrated series offers unique concert experiences that extend well beyond the onstage performances. Audiences will enjoy specialty cocktails and meet-ups at pre-concert receptions. They will experience new sounds from three avant garde artists—Cory Wong, Kishi Bashi and Dragonette with Tiny Sun—each accompanied by members of the Royal Conservatory Orchestra in Koerner Hall. The festivities will carry on after the show with after parties featuring Toronto’s top DJs.
 

A world-acclaimed soprano, and generational talent, Renée Fleming makes her Koerner Hall debut on November 1 for a gala concert featuring her new project, Voices of Nature: The Anthropocene Concert. Inspired by her 2023 Grammy Award-winning album and accompanied by the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, she will perform a breathtaking program exploring the deep and evolving relationship between music and nature. Ticket holders will also be invited to a post-concert champagne reception. There are also a limited number of exclusive tickets available for a pre-show gala, which includes a cocktails and an exquisite dinner.

“As we embark on our 17th season of presenting great artists for a discerning audience, I am struck by how many supremely talented artists are eager to play in our magnificent Koerner Hall,” said Mervon Mehta, Executive Director, Performing Arts. “It allows us to confirm a singular truth that, as a species, we will always have the need to gather for shared experiences. Studies show that experiencing music, or art or sports or religion, as a group is a vastly different and more satisfying experience than watching alone on a screen. In short, it creates community."