Begins with the Oboe: A History of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has been a part of the arts scene in Toronto for eighty years. Richard Warren, the orchestra’s archivist since 1976, uncovers taped interviews and other documentation of the orchestra’s musicians, visiting artists, music directors, and administrative personnel, to present an insider’s view of the orchestra, and by doing so makes the history of this great cultural institution come alive.

In describing the challenges, achievements, and trials of the orchestra, Warren includes the stories of artists who performed with the orchestra and who then went on to become outstanding performers on the world stage, including Seiji Ozawa, Sir Andrew Davis, Jon Vickers, Lois Marshall, Maureen Forrester, Zara Nelsova, and Ben Heppner, among many others. He also recounts the orchestra’s tours through China, the United States, Britain, Japan, Australia, and Europe, and their performances in the renowned theatres of London, New York, Sydney, Vienna, and Berlin. The symphony has become an icon of Canadian culture and enriched the lives of Torontonians and all Canadians as an important part of our heritage.