Orchestra Toronto

Begun in 1953 as the Bennington Heights Community Orchestra, which gave its first concert in 1955 under Assen Kresteff (succeeded by Albert Aylward in 1957). It became the East York Community Orchestra in 1965 and then East York Symphony Orchestra in 1967. The 72 members have been drawn from among Toronto amateur players and music students. It premiered Somers'Little Suite for Strings under Kresteff in 1956, Glick's Elegy for Orchestra in 1965, and Watson Henderson's Theme, Variations and Fugue in 1989. Resident conductors have included Milton Barnes, Orval Ries, Harvey Sachs, David Gray, Clifford Poole, and David Ford, with guest conductors for the 1990-1 season. Douglas Sanford became conductor in 1991. The orchestra presented four concerts at the Ontario Science Centre Auditorium in the 1989-90 season. In 1997/1998, it was renamed to Orchestra Toronto.