Up from the subway entrances, off streetcars and bikes, hundreds of musicians converged on Yonge Dundas Square with their instruments under their arms or strapped to their backs. They came there to play together outdoors in the square. Canadian composer John Oswald rescored his composition Spectre for 1000 strings for this one performance on September 5, 2015. Under his direction even beginner musicians  were able to participate with virtuosos because the piece is simply structured – the point is  the volume of sound collectively created.

To begin, the composer gave his instructions and everyone listened.
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Producer Carol Gimbel, of Music in the Barns, helped direct the musicians to their instrument area. There everyone prepared and tuned up.  Hundreds of strings all hitting their A’s harmoniously.
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A practice, then a performance. The square resonated with hundreds of instruments in unison. A transcendent aural spectacle.
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Ephemeral as is all performance, it was over too soon. But we revelled in that moment…

and talked and rehashed and compared notes in the afterglow.
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– Schuster Gindin
Photos by Schuster Gindin

You can listen to the performance via YouTube.

This article can be found in WHAT’S HERE in the section The City.

Comments:

I wish I had know about this wonderful event, sorry to have missed it..
Susan O’Neill, Toronto

I just saw the great article and photos about #1000strings in Dundas square.
It was my young son’s first concert.
Kerri McGonigle, Toronto

This is awesome!
@TorontoSymphony

Great photos! And inspiring in these troubled times.
Pat Saul, Toronto