Calling all young detectives! Someone has silenced the Composer, and now it’s up to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (and your whole family of sneaky sleuths) to crack the case with the interactive whodunit “The Composer Is Dead”! In this hilarious musical mystery, there are many suspects throughout the orchestra… was it the shifty string section or the flighty flutes, or maybe it was the bombastic bassoons, or even the treacherous trombones? Any instrument could be the culprit!
“The Composer Is Dead” is recommended for families with kids aged 8 and up, and for everyone who loves a good mystery! Part of the TSO‘s Young People’s Concert Series, Roy Thomson Hall becomes an interrogation room, where each section of the orchestra gets their opportunity to testify and plead their innocence. As the audience helps solve the case of the missing Composer, this concert also gives kids a playful introduction to how all the different types of instruments create music.
At the TSO, the Mystery is Afoot with “The Composer Is Dead”!
Join the TSO for some musical intrigue where you can enlist your budding sleuths to help find out who did the composer in! With music by Nathaniel Stookey, plus the signature darkly funny storytelling of Lemony Snicket (best known for his children’s book series A Series of Unfortunate Events), “The Composer Is Dead” turns the entire orchestra into a lineup of musical suspects!
Conducted by RBC Resident Conductor & TSYO Conductor Nicholas Sharma, and featuring Karen Kobayashi on flute, “The Composer Is Dead” is an engaging blend of theatre and symphonic music that is perfect for first-time concertgoers and curious minds alike.
Accompanying the Toronto Symphony Orchestra live on stage is guest narrator Arwen Humphreys, from the hit CBC series Murdoch Mysteries. The mystery unfolds as she narrates and guides the investigation with every musical note deepening the suspense, from ominous musical clues to bold instrumental “confessions”. This detective tale is a hilarious whodunit with clever wordplay, making it a memorable family-friendly concert that can spark a lifelong love of music and storytelling.
Enjoy Free Pre-Concert Lobby Activities Before the Show!
Don’t miss any of the fun with TSO‘s pre-concert lobby activities, which take place before many of the Young People’s Concert Series concerts. Beginning an hour before the show, families can start their musical adventure early with free activities in the Roy Thomson Hall lobby.
Join the Toronto Symphony Orchestra before both performances of “The Composer Is Dead”, where families can hang out at the Music Playground and try out instruments at the Instrument Discovery Zone. Then, enjoy a lively performance by Brampton’s Youth Orchestra, the Rosebuds! Shows take place in the North Lobby, at 1:00 PM – 1:20 PM for the 1:30 PM performance, and at 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM for the 4:00pm show.
This musical investigation is a show filled with laughs, suspense, and unforgettable sounds, so grab your tickets quick here!
Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO): “The Composer Is Dead”
Date: November 16, 2025
Time: Sunday 1:30 PM & 4:00 PM
Venue: Roy Thomson Hall
Address: 60 Simcoe Street, Toronto
Website: www.tso.ca
Take a seat at our list of Concerts & Shows in Toronto here!
