Your Gift at Work

The Kingston Symphony Association enriches the life of our community through shared experiences of live music and provides innovative programs for the enjoyment and education of audiences throughout our region. We are dedicated to the development and showcasing of Canadian artists and composers.

Your support enables us to:

Share the Joy of Live Music

We are proud to offer exhilarating musical experiences provided by seasoned musicians, right here on your doorstep. Our concerts are attended by over 10,000 people each season!

Sustain Kingston as a Vibrant Cultural Community

When our musicians are not on stage in the Kingston Symphony, they are actively making music in the community. This brings cultural vibrancy to Kingston well beyond our concerts, making Kingston attractive to businesses, residents, and other artists.

Develop New Musicians

Kingston Symphony musicians teach hundreds of students, building the next generation of performers and music lovers. Through the Kingston Youth Orchestra, Youth Strings, and A-Strings, young musicians share and enhance their love of playing. Our Symphony Education Partnership enables approximately 2,000 grade four students and their teachers to experience a live concert each season. We also partner with organizations such as Sistema Kingston for our Share the Music program, which provides complimentary tickets to children and families who otherwise could not afford to attend a concert.

Innovate the Future of Classical Music

Under the direction of Maestro Evan Mitchell, the Kingston Symphony is blending tradition with innovation. We are taking classical music where it has never been before in ways such as creating a children’s video series called Harmon in Space, partnering with the Women in Musical Leadership program, and showcasing new music by leading Canadian composers.

Looking Ahead to 2024-2025

Our 2024-2025 concert season is set to be our most exciting year yet! Here are just a few of the performances to look forward to in the coming months:

  • Our Concertmaster Katyla Poplyansky will premiere a new violin concerto by Canadian composer (and Kingston resident!) John Burge.
  • Showcasing record-holding speedrunners completing Cuphead and Celeste, with all of the game’s music performed live on stage!
  • A brand new orchestral arrangement of Hindemith’s famous flute sonata, featuring our own Principal Flute Amelia Lyon.
  • Collaborating with the dazzling Quartetto Gelato in a concert that will feature their newest and freshest tunes.
  • Welcoming Jonathan Mak, the winner of the inaugural Bader and Overton Canadian Piano Competition, to perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2.
  • Celebrating the best music of the sci-fi genre, including themes from Star Trek, Back to the Future, Battlestar Galactia, and more!
  • Capping off the season in a concert celebrating the music of Maurice Ravel, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Avan Yu.

Our Achievements

In the 2023-2024 season, we had a fantastic year featuring thirteen regular concerts and four Symphony Education Partnership concerts. Here are just a few highlights:

  • Our concerts were attended by over 8,000 audience members in-person.
  • Approximately 2,000 students and teachers from Kingston and the surrounding region experienced the joy of live music through our Symphony Education Partnership concerts.
  • Over 150 free tickets were provided to low-income families and newcomers to Canada through our Share the Music program.
  • We premiered two new works by Canadian composers: Breath Alone by Cecilia Livingston and Domestic Divertimento by John Estacio.
  • We welcomed incredible guest soloists including Rachel Mercer, Matt Herskowitz, Sarah Slean, and Leo Pellegrino.
  • We partnered with the Women in Musical Leadership program to host Dora Award winning conductor Jennifer Tung.