News

Alumni Event and Fall Concert Scheduled for November 8 & 9

The TSYO story began when DeVilbiss High School student Joseph Henry gathered friends who loved music. By 1950, the group became the official Toledo Youth Orchestras under Cecile Vashaw, later led by Kenneth Holland and Michael Miller. A second ensemble, the Toledo Junior Youth Orchestra, was added in 1978 to support younger musicians. In 2011, the ensembles joined the Toledo Symphony and rebranded as the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras, now comprising the Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, and Concert Strings.

The Toledo Jazz Orchestra (TJO) launches the 2025–2026 Hartmann-Bogan Jazz Series with a concert featuring the incomparable Arturo Sandoval, one of the most celebrated jazz trumpeters of our time.  

A protégé of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval has become an international icon of jazz. Since defecting to the United States in 1990, Sandoval has earned 10 Grammy Awards, 6 Billboard Awards, and an Emmy. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 and was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2024. 

Toledo Symphony Once Again Among America’s Top Orchestras 

The Toledo Symphony has been formally admitted to the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM), the nation’s most prominent network of full-time orchestral musicians. This milestone marks a significant recognition of the Symphony’s artistic excellence, organizational strength, and national standing.

The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts announces it is rebranding as Live Arts Toledo, a bold new identity that reflects its role as the cultural heartbeat of the region. The new name embodies the energy, accessibility, and community impact that live performance brings to Toledo. With hundreds of events each year, from world-class productions to immersive educational programs, Live Arts Toledo will continue staging awe-inspiring experiences designed for everyone in the community, just under a new name.

Single Tickets for all 2025-2026 Toledo Symphony, Toledo Ballet, and Toledo Jazz Orchestra Performances On Sale JULY 29

The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts announces a major addition to its 2025-2026 season. Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience, a powerful concert combining Delta Blues, orchestral music, and cinematic storytelling, will take place on Thursday, October 30 at 8PM at The Peristyle.

The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) proudly announces a five-year contract extension for Eric Otto, who will continue his role as Artistic Director and Head of Curriculum for Toledo Ballet. The new contract begins July 1, 2025, and extends through June 2030.

Since joining the organization in 2022, Otto has led a vibrant artistic renaissance, expanding educational and performance opportunities while deepening collaborations between Toledo Ballet and the Toledo Symphony.

TOLEDO, OH – The Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) invites audiences to a powerful evening of music and milestones on Friday, May 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM at the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle. Part of the Rita Barbour Kern Masterworks Series, the concert will feature Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, “Titan,” and Ernest Bloch’s Schelomo, performed by internationally acclaimed cellist Julian Schwarz. The evening will also include a special celebration of three longtime TSO musicians: Concertmaster Kirk Toth, Principal Cellist Martha Reikow, and Third Horn Alan Taplin. Each retires from the orchestra after decades of dedicated service.

The Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Ballet, and Toledo Jazz Orchestra, together as the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts, announces their dynamic 2025–2026 performance season. Season subscriptions are now available, with exclusive subscriber benefits including discounted pricing, priority seating, and free concert exchanges. The deadline to subscribe and retain 2024–2025 seats and pricing is June 10, 2025. 

It is with deep sorrow that the Toledo Symphony and the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts mourn the passing of Robert “Bob” Bell, beloved colleague, visionary leader, master timpanist, and the heart and soul of our institution for nearly 70 years.

“Bob was the heart and soul of the Toledo Symphony for most of its existence and for most of his life,” shares TAPA Board Chair Marna Ramnath. “It is safe to say that his dedication to the music, the musicians, and the community never wavered. The gift of his life plays on in the orchestra that he loved.”

The Toledo Symphony has announced Matthew Shirey, Northwood Local Schools Band Director, as the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Music Educator Award. This is the sixth consecutive year the TSO has honored current, full-time, K-12 music educators who teach music in public and private schools in the Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan region.