Music at Mount Pleasant

Join us for the 16th season of our summer concert series, Music at Mount Pleasant! This year we present a relaxing afternoon of outdoor music every Sunday in July and August from 3:30-4:30pm at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Since 2009, we’ve had the privilege of hosting exceptional musical talent from across the Greater Toronto Area, including artists from the renowned Royal Conservatory of Music. This year, we’re proud to continue that tradition on the historic and serene grounds of Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

This year’s concert series will be held outdoors in the green space behind the cemetery office. Please note that while seating will not be provided, you are welcome to bring picnic blankets and outdoor chairs. This is a family-friendly event.

		Sunday, July 6 Toronto String Quartet Michelle Odorico - violin Valerie Gordon - violin Woosol Cho - viola Kevin Odorico - cello Since 2021, the Toronto String Quartet (TSQ) has become one of the pre-eminent multi-genre string ensembles in the GTA. Formed by siblings Kevin and Michelle Odorico, the quartet performs for numerous special events. The musicians also perform regularly with other local groups such as Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Sinfonia Toronto. It is TSQ's passion to oﬀer a diverse musical experience by covering all genres of music from classical to top-40. Their vast repertoire and unique arrangements allow for a thrilling and emotional concert program with familiar favourites. www.torontostringquartet.com

		Sunday, July 13 The Winds of Whimsy Tim Crouch - flute Anthony Thompson - clarinet Kevin Harris - bassoon The Winds of Whimsy are excited to present a program of music by North American composers. The afternoon features works by American composers Valerie Coleman, Stella Sung, and Walter Piston, and culminates with Canadian Kevin Lau’s Postcards from a Blue Planet, a work that the composer describes as a “love letter to our home planet”, and “an invitation to view our astonishing habitat as a precious gift, worth caring for and attending to.” The Winds of Whimsy is a trio of graduates of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School, with flautist Timothy Crouch, clarinetist Anthony Thompson, and bassoonist Kevin Harris.

		Sunday, July 20 Venuti String Quartet Rebekah Wolkstein - violin Drew Jurecka - violin Shannon Knights - viola Amahl Arulanandam - cello The Venuti String Quartet is made up of some of the most sought after freelance musicians in Toronto. This versatile group performs the great classical repertoire, plus jazz, contemporary, K-pop, hip hop, tango, disco and more. They have worked with artists and ensembles including Quartetto Gelato, Payadora Tango Ensemble, Jill Barber and The Art of Time Ensemble. The Venuti String Quartet can be heard frequently as recording artists for film and other projects including Royal Wood's, Donovan Wood's and Justin Gray's most recent records. Upcoming shows include performances at Massey Hall, National Arts Centre and the Toronto Music Garden Summer Concert Series.

		Sunday, July 27 Odin Quartet Alex Toskov - violin Tanya Charles - violin Matthew Antal - viola Samuel Bisson - cello Established in 2015, the Odin Quartet is a testament to the diverse talents and backgrounds of its members. Alex Toskov, a violinist and multi-instrumentalist, brings forth his Serbian heritage and musical depth from Belgrade. Tanya Charles, a violinist and dedicated educator, channels her heritage from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines into her performances. Matthew Antal, a violist with a keen ear for audio engineering, blends his Italian and Hungarian heritage into the quartet's fabric. Samuel Bisson, a cellist and composer of French-Canadian descent, revitalizes the ensemble with his artistic vision and profound understanding of the cello's voice. Their performances have graced festivals and concerts including Music Toronto, Music Niagara, Luminato Festival and Ottawa Valley Music Festival.

		Sunday, Aug 3 Inkloosiv Voices Inkloosiv Voices is Toronto’s first and only queer-led, queer-friendly gospel and R’n’B choir. Founded by Jacen Duncan in 2020, Inkloosiv’s mission is to create a space for singers from all walks of life to explore and improve their craft in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination, while producing high quality choral music. Inkloosiv has grown exponentially over their first five years and has sung in collaboration with the Toronto Marlies, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the ROM, the Ace Hotel and others. Inkloosiv values the importance of using song and harmony as a means of resistance against all forms of oppression.

		Sunday, August 10 Ziyan Hossain, Snow Wauna & Friends Ziyan Hossain, Snow Wauna & Friends present an immersive set of experimental music, part ambient, part industrial, and part cinematic, fusing electric guitar, gongs, voice, and textured electronics, rooted in both global and regional musical lineages. Ziyan Hossain is a guitarist, composer, and multidisciplinary designer whose work blends immersive experiences, systems thinking, and speculative storytelling. His sonic practice spans ambient, doom metal, and experimental genres, shaped by field recordings, scientific metaphors, and extended-range guitar techniques. As co-founder of the Space for Grief art installation series, Ziyan has led the creation of large-format public artworks exploring collective memory and the emotional undercurrents of social systems. He has exhibited and performed internationally and collaborated with artists including Plini, Kurt Swinghammer, Sandy Hudson, Ashiq Tulu, and Henry Reinach. As part of Eventide Audio’s beta team, he has contributed factory presets and sound design insights for their flagship H9 and H90 pedals. An endorsed artist with Strandberg Guitars and Ollo Audio, Ziyan’s work has been featured at Nuit Blanche Toronto, the Good Mourning Festival, and Evergreen Brickworks. Snow Wauna is a vocalist and guitarist known for her dynamic stage presence and genre-spanning collaborations. Her sound combines ethereal vocal textures with raw, heavy guitar work—balancing fragility with force. She has performed widely across Toronto, including at Indie Week, Canadian Music Week, and the Ceol Kids concert series, and has shared the stage with acts such as The White Swan and Sons of Otis.

		Sunday, August 17 Elixir Baroque Ensemble with special guest Jeffrey Thompson Jeffrey Thompson - voice Valerie Gordon - violin Michelle Odorico - violin Felix Deak- cello Sara-Ann Churchill - harpsichord Since its foundation in 2010, Elixir Baroque Ensemble has strived to bring new life to music by serving up intoxicating programs that combine the lyrical with the virtuosic, and the well-known with the newly discovered. Elixir is a major proponent of historical performance practice in the GTA. As mentors to the younger generation, Elixir hopes to instill in young minds a curiosity for gut strings, pointy bows, harpsichords and history. After being named one of the five finalists in the Early Music America Baroque Performance Competition, Elixir went through some updates and additions to their personnel. Elixir now operates as a varied baroque ensemble, performing with local and international musicians. They will be joined by award-winning tenor, Jeffrey Thompson. Rochester-born tenor, Jeffrey Thompson, completed his studies at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati with William McGraw. In 2001, he was awarded First Prize in the Concours International de Chant Baroque de Chimay, Belgium under the jurisdiction of William Christie and selected to participate in the first edition of Jardin Des Voix with the French baroque ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, in a concert tour of Europe’s prestigious theaters. This resulted in a series of performances with Les Arts Florissants including Hercules and Acis & Galatea (Handel), Charpentier’s Messe des morts and Te Deum (recorded for Virgin Classics) and was the tenor soloist in the DVD recording of In Convertendo (Rameau). After spending twenty years living in Paris, France, Mr.Thompson decided to relocate back to Rochester, New York but continues to perform and record internationally.

		Sunday, August 24 KUNÉ Join six talented members of Kuné, Canada's Global Orchestra, for an unforgettable evening of music that transcends borders and cultures. Their new album, Universal Echoes, addresses the pressing issue of climate change, from deforestation in Brazil to desertification in the Middle East. Each composition is a testament to the power of cross-cultural collaboration and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of global crises. Recently awarded the Oliver Schoer Pushing the Boundaries award at the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Kuné's performance promises to be a transformative experience, blending traditional sounds with contemporary messages of hope and action.

Please don't forget to:

1. Stay Hydrated and Use Sunscreen
Outdoor events can be hot and sunny. Stay hydrated by bringing a refillable water bottle and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Remember to use sunscreen to protect your skin.

2. Bring Essential Items
This event will be on the grass. While seating will not be provided, we welcome you to bring picnic blankets and/or outdoor folding chairs for your enjoyment of the event. Sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, refillable water bottles and parasols will also come in handy.

3. Dress Comfortably
July and August can get hot in Toronto. Please make sure to wear comfortable shoes and light clothing. Don't forget to check the weather forecast and dress accordingly.