The Tallis Scholars program by TO.Live

George

The Tallis Scholars

Director, Peter Phillips

December 14, 2025

Photo credit: Hugo Glendinning

About TO Live

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Welcome letter from TO Live

Welcome to the George Weston Recital Hall, and thank you for joining us for this very special performance by The Tallis Scholars. For more than fifty years, the ensemble has set the global standard for Renaissance polyphony, illuminating centuries-old music with extraordinary clarity, precision, and emotional depth. Their artistry transforms this hall into a space of resonance and reflection, and we are honoured to share this afternoon with you.

At TO Live, our mission is to bring world-class artistry to audiences across Toronto, and this afternoon’s performance is a beautiful expression of that commitment. The George Weston Recital Hall has long been a home for exceptional music, and we are delighted to continue that tradition with performances that span genres, cultures, and creative visions.

As you enjoy today’s concert, I invite you to return for more outstanding TO Live Presents events coming to this venue in the months ahead. From acclaimed chamber ensembles and global vocal traditions to boundary-pushing contemporary performance, our upcoming season offers a rich range of experiences designed to inspire and uplift. Visit tolive.com for all the exciting details.

Thank you for being part of our community and for supporting live performance in Toronto. We hope this afternoon’s performance by The Tallis Scholars stays with you long after the final note fades.

Max Rubino Director of Programming TO Live

Tallis Scholars program notes: Mother & Child

Tallis

Missa Puer natus - Gloria

Byrd

Votive Mass of the Virgin Ave maris stella

Rorate Caeli

Tollite portas

Ave Maria

Ecce virgo concipiet

Matthew Martin

Salve Regina

---interval---

Tallis

Missa Puer natus - Sanctus and Agnus

Britten

A Hymn to the Virgin Taverner

Mater Christi

Nesbett

Magnificat

One of the most common types of Orthodox icon features the Theotokos, the ‘Godbearer’, and depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary, usually with the Christchild on her lap (or, occasionally, mystically represented in her womb). This programme likewise focusses on the heavenly duo of Mother and Child, with music in honour of the Virgin Mary interspersed with a grand mass celebrating the birth of her child, Jesus.

In fact, it was not only the birth of the Christ being celebrated in Thomas Tallis’ mass, but the expectation of another child King. In 1554, Queen Mary had recently married Philip of Spain, in a union designed to strengthen England’s newly restored bond to Roman Catholicism (after the Protestant dalliances of her brother’s short reign). In addition, Mary seemed to most observers to be pregnant. Accordingly, there is a sense of jubilance in Thomas Tallis’s grand, seven-voice mass, which was likely first performed at this time. It is based on the plainsong ‘Puer natus est nobis’ – ‘A boy is born to us, and a son is given to us whose government shall be upon his shoulders’. Even though the text of the chant is not used, the allusion encoded into the DNA of the music would have been picked up by those who heard it. It was an

expression of hope, that the throne of Catholic England might be granted the security of a male heir.

The unusual original scoring of the work – seven voices at low pitch – can probably be attributed to the presence of Philip’s Capilla Flamenca, or ‘Flemish Chapel Choir’, who would have accompanied their King to England. It is conceivable that the mass was envisaged for joint performance by the two royal choirs together. Philip’s choir also contained composers of considerable repute, including Philippe de Monte. It’s not inconceivable that Tallis saw an occasion to demonstrate the virtues of English music to his continental rival.

The English composer rose to the challenge, demonstrating virtuosic skill in the assembly of the mass. The plainchant is slowed down and runs in long notes in the tenor voice. The composer juxtaposes this (by this time somewhat old-fashioned) technique with more modern features which were associated with ‘continental’ composition, such as close imitation between the other voices. This allows him to maintain musical interest whilst the chant is deployed in such long notes (in the Agnus Dei, one such note sounds for a nearly unbroken stretch of thirty-one bars!). An unusual, even experimental work, the mass must surely have impressed those who heard it, in its skilful composition and fervour.

Around fifty years later, Tallis’ colleague William Byrd embarked on a monumental project: a complete set of compositions for use in the ceremonies of the Catholic Church. The following selection of motets, drawn from the Gradualia collection, mostly belong to the celebration of a Votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin. The strophic, intimate Ave maris stella is for only three voices, providing an immediate textural contrast with Tallis’ mass. Rorate caeli, featuring the powerful imagery of the heavens coming down to earth and raining righteousness upon it finds a match in Byrd’s fervent setting. Ever alive to the nuance of the words, the composer

Photo credit: Peter Adamik

characterises each section carefully, leading to a doxology of awesome solidity. Tollite portas is notable for its frequent rising melodic phrases to musically depict the lifting up of the gates, while Ecce virgo concipiet builds towards ringing repetitions of the name by which the child shall be called: Emmanuel.

For A Hymn to the Virgin, the youthful Benjamin Britten turned to a macaronic carol – that is, one in which the text is in both Latin and the vernacular – originally dating from the 13th-century. In an early example of the astonishing compositional fecundity, he was to display throughout his life, the eighteen-year-old composer divides the choir, allocating the Latin exclamations to a semi-chorus, as if in an angelic, hieratic commentary on the earthly Incarnation.

Such hymns to the Virgin Mary have a long history. When John Taverner was employed at the new Cardinal College in the early sixteenth century, its statutes included a direction that antiphons to her be sung daily. Mater Christi sanctissima is a confident work of polyphony, making full use of the five-voice texture by alternating statements for upper and lower voices. In this case, the opening invocation to Mary is really a sort of preamble to the true prayer. In the first part, Mary is asked to pray her son to listen to our pleas. This done, in the second part we may pray directly to Jesus for the gift of grace and his Holy Spirit.

Of John Nesbett’s life we know little, save that he worked for a time at Canterbury Cathedral. His Magnificat, an attractive and useful setting, is found in the Eton Choirbook, one of the most important sources of early Tudor polyphony to have survived. The piece alternates chanted verses of the canticle with full polyphony, exhibiting the unhurried and virtuosic style common to the pieces in this collection, and concludes with a ringing final ‘Amen’.

The Tallis Scholars: texts & translations

Programme: ‘Mother & Child’

Tallis: Missa Puer natus - Gloria

Byrd: Votive Mass of the Virgin Ave maris stella

Rorate Caeli

Tollite portas

Ave Maria

Ecce virgo concipiet

Matthew Martin: Salve Regina ---interval---

Tallis: Missa Puer natus - Sanctus and Agnus

Britten: A Hymn to the Virgin Taverner: Mater Christi

Nesbett: Magnificat

Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585): Missa Puer natus est nobis - Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te; benedicimus te; adoramus te; glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe; Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram; qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus; tu solus Dominus; tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, goodwill towards men. We praise thee; we bless thee; we worship thee; we glorify thee. We give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly king, God the Father almighty.

O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us; thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For thou only art Holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art Most High in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

William Byrd (c.1540-1623): Votive Mass of the Virgin

Ave, maris stella, Dei Mater alma, Atque semper Virgo, Felix caeli porta.

Hail, star of the sea, loving Mother of God, and also always a virgin, Happy gate of heaven.

Sumens illud Ave

Gabrielis ore, Funda nos in pace, Mutans Evae nomen.

Solve vincla reis, Profer lumen caecis, Mala nostra pelle, Bona cuncta posce

Monstra te esse matrem Sumat per te preces, Qui pro nobis natus Tulit esse tuus.

Virgo singularis, Inter omnes mitis, Nos culpis solutos, Mites fac et castos.

Vitam praesta puram, Iter para tutum, Ut videntes Jesum, Semper collaetemur.

Sit laus Deo Patri, Summo Christo decus Spiritui Sancto, Tribus honor unus. Amen.

Receiving that Ave from Gabriel’s mouth confirm us in peace, Reversing Eva’s name.

Break the chains of sinners, Bring light to the blind, Drive away our evils, Ask for all good.

Show yourself to be a mother, May he accept prayers through you, he who, born for us, Chose to be yours.

O unique virgin, Meek above all, Make us, absolved from sin, Gentle and chaste.

Keep life pure, Make the journey safe, So that, seeing Jesus, We may always rejoice together.

Let there be praise to God the Father, Glory to Christ in the highest, To the Holy Spirit, One honor to all three. Amen.

Rorate caeli

Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant justum: aperiatur terra, et germinet salvatorem.

Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Jacob. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Drop down ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: Let the earth open and bring forth a Saviour.

Lord, thou hast blessed thy land: Thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Tollite portas

Tollite portas, principes, vestras, et elevamini, portæ æternales,et introibit rex gloriæ.

Quis ascendet in montem Domini? Aut quis stabit in loco sancto eius? Innocens manibus et mundo corde. Alleluia.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in.

Who shall ascend into the mount of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. Allelu.

Ave Maria

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui. Alleluia.

Ecce virgo

Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel. Alleluia.

Matthew Martin (b.1976): Salve Regina Salve Regina mater misericordiae

vita dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis

Virgo Maria.

---INTERVAL---

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Alleluia.

Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. Alleluia

Hail, Queen, mother of pity; our life, sweetness, and hope, hail. To thee we cry, the exiled sons of Eve. To thee we sigh, lamenting and weeping in this vale of tears. Therefore, our advocate, turn thy pitiful eyes upon us. And, show us this exile, Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb. O merciful, O holy, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585): Missa Puer natus est nobis – Sanctus, Benedictus & Agnus

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.

Blessed is he that cometh in name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976): A Hymn to the Virgin

Velut maris stella, [Like a star of the sea]

Parens et puella: [Both mother and maiden]

Tam pia, [so pure]

Maria! [Mary]

Eva peccatrice, [because of Eve, a sinner]

De te genetrice. [through you, his mother]

Salutis; [of salvation]

Virtutis. [of virtue]

Rosa sine spina, [Rose without thorn]

Gratia divina: [by divine grace]

Electa: [chosen] es effecta. [you are made]

John Taverner (1490-1545): Mater Christi

Of one who is so fair and bright Brighter than the day is light, I cry to thee, thou see to me, Lady, pray thy Son for me, That I may come to thee.

All this world was forlorn, Till our Lord was yborn, With ave it went away, Darkest night, and comes the day The well springeth out of thee.

Lady, flower of everything, Thou bare Jesu, heaven’s king, Of all thou bearest the prize, Lady, queen of paradise Maid mild, mother

Mater Christi sanctissima, Virgo sacrata Maria, tuis orationibus benignum redde Filium, unica spes nostra Maria; nam precibus nitentes tuis rogare audemus Filium. Ergo, Fili, decus Patris, Jesu, fons fecundissime a quo vivae fluunt aquae rigantes fida pectora, O Jesu, vitalis cibus te pure manducantibus, salutari potu et cibo pavisti nostra corpora. Tua pasce animam gratia; tibi consecratos Spiritu tuo fove munere. Quin et nostras, Jesu bone, mentes illustra gratia, et nos pie fac vivere ut dulci ambrosia tuo vescamur in palatio. Amen.

Most holy Mother of Christ, blessed Virgin Mary, through you prayers move your Son to kindness, Mary, our only hope, for, depending on your prayers, we dare to entreat your Son. Therefore O Son, the Father’s glory, Jesus, most plenteous fountain from which flow living waters refreshing the hearts of the faithful, O Jesus, food of life for those who purely feed on you,

you have nourished our bodies with the food and drink that brings salvation. Nourish the soul with your grace, support with your gift those who are consecrated to you by the Spirit. Even more, good Jesus, illuminate our minds with grace, and make us live so piously that we may feast upon the sweet food of heaven in your palace. Amen.

John Nesbett (? - c.1488): Magnificat

Magnificat anima mea Dominum

Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.

Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ: ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.

Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius.

Et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.

Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.

Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles.

Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes, Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordiæ suæ, Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in sæcula.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto: Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum.

Amen.

My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty has done wondrous things for me, and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations. He has shown the strength of his arm: he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble and meek.

He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent empty away.

He has sustained his servant, Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, which he promised to our forefathers,, Abraham and his seed, forever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Tallis Scholars

Director

Peter Phillips

Soprano

Amy Haworth

Daisy Walford

Sumei Bao-Smith

Alto

Elisabeth Paul

Anna Semple

Simon Ponsford

Tenor

Steven Harrold

Tom Castle

Bass

Tim Scott Whiteley

Ben Davies

General management

Lucy Rice

James Brown Management

Operations manager

Louisa Stanway

Exclusive North American management

Alliance Artist Management

Photo credit: Peter Adamik

The Tallis Scholars

Founded in 1973 by director Peter Phillips, The Tallis Scholars have become the world’s leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music through their acclaimed recordings and concert performances. Phillips has shaped the ensemble’s signature sound—valued for its purity, clarity, and beauty— making the group renowned worldwide.

In 2013, The Tallis Scholars marked their 40th anniversary with a global tour of 99 concerts in 80 venues across 16 countries. Seven years later, Gimell Records celebrated 40 years of recording the ensemble with a remastered release of their landmark 1980 recording of Allegri’s Miserere. As they celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2023/24, demand for the group remained as strong as ever, with over 2,500 concerts performed to date. Highlights of the 2024/25 season include tours to Japan, the U.S.A., East Asia, and Europe, alongside multiple appearances in London.

The ensemble’s recordings have earned major international awards. Their 2020 release of Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie completed a nine-album project to record all of Josquin’s masses before the 500th anniversary of the composer’s death, winning both the BBC Music Magazine recording of the year and the Gramophone Early Music Award in 2021. Their most recent Gimell release, featuring music by Robert Fayrfax (November 2024), was named editor’s choice in Gramophone.

Photo credit: Rodrigo Pérez

Peter Phillips, Director

Peter Phillips has dedicated his career to the research and performance of Renaissance polyphony and to perfecting the art of choral sound. In 1973, he founded The Tallis Scholars, with whom he has performed in more than 2,500 concerts worldwide and recorded over 60 albums with Gimell Records. His work with the ensemble has been central in establishing Renaissance sacred vocal music as one of the great repertoires of Western classical tradition. Beyond The Tallis Scholars, Phillips conducts leading ensembles including the BBC Singers, Netherlands Chamber Choir, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Danish Radio Choir, and El León de Oro, and he serves as patron of the Chapel Choir of Merton College, Oxford.

In addition to his conducting career, Phillips is a respected writer and commentator. He contributed a music column to The Spectator for 33 years, is a regular reviewer for the London Review of Books, and since 1995 has been publisher of The Musical Times, the world’s oldest continuously published music journal. His books include English Sacred Music 1549–1649(1991) and What We Really Do (2013), and in 2018 BBC Radio 3 featured his series “The Glory of Polyphony.” Among his many honours, he was named Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in 2005, co-founded the Chapel Choir of Merton College in 2008 (where he is a Bodley fellow), and was elected an honorary fellow of St John’s College, Oxford in 2021.

Photo credit: Peter Adamik

Director Peter Phillips Talks About The Tallis Scholars And Their Toronto Concert

Courtesy of Ludwig Van. Article by Anya Wassenberg.

Britain’s The Tallis Scholars will perform a holiday concert titled The Mother and Child in Toronto on December 14. The program explores the Virgin Mary as a divine figure, including Renaissance as well as modern works.

Led by Director and founder Peter Phillips, The Tallis Scholars have become one of the world’s most respected and beloved keepers of the Renaissance polyphonic vocal tradition. They’ve been dubbed “the rock stars of Renaissance music” by The New York Times.

Along with touring internationally, the ensemble has accumulated an impressive discography as recording artists, including their 2021 recording of Josquin’s Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie, which garnered both BBC Music Magazine’s Recording of the Year and the Gramophone Early Music Award.

LV spoke to Director Peter Phillips about the ensemble and their Toronto concert.

Peter Phillips: The Interview

Peter Phillips formed The Tallis Scholars in 1973 with fellow music students at St. John’s College in Oxford. He invited members of chapel choirs from Oxford and Cambridge to form an amateur Renaissance vocal ensemble.

Did he have any idea, back when the Tallis Scholars began, that it would still be going strong in 2025?

“No, not at all,” says Phillips. “It was all highly experimental and fun. We were all undergraduates.”

Popularity was something that came with time. “No one came to the concerts,” he recalls. Undeterred, he continued. “Basically, nobody stopped me,” he laughs.

As he points out, a vocal group doesn’t cost a lot of money to put together. And so, they persisted. After about a decade of concerts, the amateur group turned professional, and their reputation grew. The ensemble won a Gramophone Award in 1987, cementing their international reputation.

Today, they tour the world, and have performed in about 70 countries each year, including stops in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

“We’ve just been in Australia,” he notes.

Scan this QR code to read the rest of the article at ludwig-van.com

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Miziwe Biik

Meridian

Power Corporation of Canada

Renokrew

TD Bank

Yorkville Education LP

Venue sponsors and partners

Arterra Wines Canada

Earth Group

Mark Anthony Group

Muskoka Brewery

SpotHero

In-kind supporters

Cheekbone

Federation of Black Canadians

GetWrapped

Imperial Coffee and Service

KI Electrical Solutions

Novotel Hotels

St. Joseph Media

Recognition list as of September 1, 2025.

TO Live staff and board

Board of directors

Lori DeGraw

Chair

Brian Astl

Robyn Citizen

Brett Hendrie

Michael Herrera

Sammy Lau

Gave Lindo

Wasifa Noshin

Sun Young Yoon

Councillor Lily Cheng

Vice Chair

Councillor Paula Fletcher

Councillor Chris Moise

Executive management

Clyde Wagner

President & CEO

Isabel Vicente Menanno

Director of the Office of the CEO & Board Relations

Development

Sandra Bellisario

Vice President of Philanthropy & Sponsorship

Madeleine Skoggard

Director of Philanthropy & Sponsorship

Nikita Patel

Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships

Halyna Polischuk

Senior Manager, Leadership Giving

Lucy Beale

Development Manager

Sahar Alamgir

Assistant Manager, Philanthropy & Sponsorship

Kira Rutledge

Development Coordinator

Finance and administration

William Milne

Vice President of Finance & Administration

Hayde Boccia

Director of Finance

Michael Johnson

Controller

Sabrina Li

Senior Financial Manager

Paul Gagnon

Dorian Barton

Client Settlement Services Manager

Gladys Torres

Payroll Manager

Nelum Dissanayake

Payroll Specialist

Haruna Yamada

Payroll Assistant

Fiona Liu

Accounting Assistant, Treasury

Analyst

Fiona Wan

Accounting Assistant, Financial Analyst

Nooshin Ashraf-Zadeh

Shole Feisbakhsh

Accounting Assistant

Charles Mayne

Office Clerk

Information technology

David McCracken

Director of Information Technology

Ali Irannezhadi

Network & Systems Administrator

Michael Cadiz

IT Support Technician

Scott Spence

IT Coordinator

Human resources

Michelle Carter

Vice President of Human Resources & Organizational Culture

Mohamed Othman

Director of Human Resources

Dawn T. Maracle

Director of Indigenous Affairs & Engagement

Melissa Creighton

HR Generalist

Marketing and communications

Jeff Rohrer

Vice President of Marketing & Communications

Stephanie Canarte

Director of Marketing

Grant Ramsay

Media Relations Officer

Stephen Crooks

Senior Digital Marketing Manager

Vanessa Grant

Senior Content Marketing Manager

Lauren Finateri

Marketing Manager, Promotions & Partnerships

Emma Forhan

Creative Content Producer

Shaun Lee

Graphic Designer

Jaya Arora

Social Media & Web Content

Coordinator

Joshua DeFreitas

Marketing Specialist

Catrina Byers

Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator

Box office

Tom Kerr

Director of Ticketing Services

Fran Holywell

Holly Merkur-Dance

Box Office Manager

Sandie Chui

Manager of Ticketing Services

Annaijah Dacres

Alexander Jackson

Jennifer Norman

Thomas Quinlan

Box Office Assistant Manager

Brittney Channer

Clayton Batson

Michelle Cruz

Zen Peterson

Box Office Duty Manager

Operations

Kristopher Dell

Vice President of Operations

Edward Delavari

Director of Capital Projects

Luke Belfontaine

Senior Project Manager

Bahram Aghakhan

Zane Elliott

Bruce Bennett

Project Manager

Kevin Anthonipillai

Project Administration Manager

Patron and event services

Sean Tasson

Director of Patron and Event Services

Andrew Fong

Executive Chef

Juliana Fay

Senior Manager, Food and Beverage Services

Lisa Lattanzio

Beverage Manager

Agnesa Voloshyna

Food & Beverage, Duty Manager

Rishik RB Buttan

Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage

Saba Resaei

Dave Harack

Akshar Patel

Food & Beverage Duty Manager

Tera Harnish-Christie

Duty Manager, Kitchen

Jai Bittles

Sous Chef

Natalie Ireland

Senior Manager, Events

Yuki Daloste

Events Manager

Fiona Alexander

Events Manager

Corey Palmer

Senior Manager, Patron Services

Amy Myers

Haley Watson

Lina Welch

Ryan AY Lambersky

Patron Services Manager

Corrine Engelbrecht

Assistant Patron Services Manager

Bruna Pisani

Hugo Ares-Gonzalez

Michelle Alderson

Tiffin Shing

Patron Services Duty Manager

Facilities

Abiodun Ojekunle

Director of Facilities

Jarryd Fish

Facilities Manager

Rab Nawaz Khan

Facilities Coordinator

Govind Krishnan

Summer Intern, Facilities

Evan Ramdin

Chief Building Operator

Robert MacLean

Roderick Padasdao

Building Operator

Hamid Rabbi

Electrical Operator

Ehsan Rahman

Ryan Nerona

Marciano Ramos

Junior Building Operator

Eduardo Costales

Everton Holt

Handyperson

Omar Nurse

Stage Door Security Supervisor

Colin Dyble

Henry Fernandes

Mohammad Amaan Vohra

Mohammed Shaikh

Pema Lakshey

Rayyan Shaikh

Reza Moradi

Sangay Lhamo

Tushar Somani

Yash Soni

Stage Door Security

Mohamed Zuhair

Maintenance Supervisor

Ahmed Akinpelu

Aturuchi Joshua

Ihsan Ismath

Mizrah Mohemed

Roger Alves

Robert Bischoff

Rosalina Silva

Rosa Victoria

Sibten Vhora

Vivian Hije

Maintenance

John Vickery

Housekeeping Supervisor

Alicia Surujbally

Andre O’Hare

Elliott Lewis

Harrison Eales-Estrada

Ian Romero

Jacob Jebadoss Asirvatham

Karrie Smith

Lauren Smith

Mabel Liwag

Mary Siroki

Housekeeping

Programming

Leslie Lester

Vice President, Executive Producer

Max Rubino

Director of Programming

Ariana Shaw

Zac Mansfield

Senior Producer

Kafi Pierre

Shannon Murtagh

Producer

Ayse Barut

Programming Coordinator

Alex Whitehead

Katie Uchimaru

Bookings Coordinator

John Kiggins

Programming Manager

Sierra da Silva-Canadien

Indigenous Cultural Curator

Corporate & Private Events

Scott North

Director Corporate & Private Events

Michaela Aguirre

Social Media Specialist

Thompson Michael

Administrative Assistant, Corporate Events

Communities and outreach

Tasneem Vahanvaty

Director of Communities & Outreach

Dani Lantier

Naomi Stokes

Communities & Outreach Coordinator

Production

Zoë Carpenter

Director of Production

Anthony (TJ) Shamata

Senior Production Manager

Peter Suchostawski

Manager, Theatre Systems and Special

Projects

Armand Baksh-Zarate

Charissa Wilcox

Chris Carlton

Paul Dolan

Susanne Lankin

Morgandy McKinnell

Production Manager

Emma Pressello

Production Coordinator

Meridian Hall stage crew

IATSE Local 58

Richard Karwat

Head Electrician

Steve McLean

Head Carpenter

Marcus Sirman

Head of Properties

Colton Stang

Lead Sound Technician

Michael Farkas

Lead Video Technician

David Baer

André Ouimet

Assistant Carpenter

Zsolt Kota

Assistant Sound Operator

Jason Urbanowicz

Assistant Electrician

Peter Cathers

Flyperson

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts

stage crew

IATSE Local 58

Wes Allen

Property Master, Bluma Appel Theatre

Jackson Sayliss

Head Carpenter, Bluma Appel Theatre

Jay Blencowe

Head Carpenter, Bluma Appel Theatre

Giulia D’Amanzo

Head Electrician, Bluma Appel

Theatre

Keijo Makela

Head Sound Technician, Bluma Appel Theatre

Benn Hough

Head Technician, Jane Mallet

IATSE Local 822

Susan Batchelor

Wardrobe Head, Bluma Appel Theatre

Meridian Arts Centre stage crew

IATSE Local 58

Aaron Dell

Head Technician, George Weston

Recital Hall

Finn Browne

Head Technician, Greenwin Theatre

Ian Parker

Head Technician Lyric Theatre

TO Live staff and board list as of September 2025. For the updated version, please visit tolive.com.

The TO Live Foundation is committed to creating a future where art engages and inspires all Torontonians. A future where all the creative voices of our diverse communities are heard and celebrated. A future where artists have the support they need to experiment and grow.

Visit tolivefoundation.com to learn more about how our Foundation is committed to building a better city through the arts.