Serenity in the Heart of Toronto

A Photo Tour of the Toronto Music Garden

Photos by Sharlene Fernandes

I came across the Toronto Music Garden one day while walking around on my lunch break. I needed a break from all the hustle and bustle going on at work and in and around my building. Everywhere I looked I could see construction, cars, trucks, and hordes of people smoking, talking, rushing about. Working right on Front Street across from the Metro Convention centre does not exactly afford a person the time for quite reflection. What did I expect? It's downtown Toronto.

Lucky for me I stumbled across the Toronto Music Garden - a place of solitude and tranquility amidst the downtown chaos. This garden is a unique piece of work; each section of the garden's design is inspired by a different piece of music by Bach. I believe this garden was originally slated to be created in Chicago, but ended up in dear old Toronto. Aren't we special! Well, we certainly are, considering that internationally reknowned cellist Yo Yo Ma was the brains behind the design in collaboration with landscape designer Julie Messservy.

Below is a map of the layout of the garden spanning three acres of land in downtown Toronto. Personally, I'm amazed (and oh so grateful) that the land didn't become the construction site for new waterfront condos!

From the map, you can see that the Music Garden consists of distinct areas, named after the various types of dances described by the music from Bach's Suite No. 1 in G Major for unaccompanied cello, BWV 1007.

The Prelude

Inspiration: The music and the physical design describes a flowing river, lined with rocks along the water's edge.

Features: Long, curvy paths, strewn with rocks and plants along the edges.

The Allemande

Inspiration: The music represents an ancient German dance.

Features: A swirling path leads to this elevated area with large, beautiful boulders; the area is bordered by tall grasses that are meant to rustle in the breeze in tune with the music's rhythm; these grasses are punctuated by gorgeous dawn redwoods, which were previously thought to be an extinct species of tree.

The Courante

Inspiration: The music represents an Italian and French dance.

Features: To enter the area, you have to pass through tall grasses that line the swirling path on either side. During the summer, this area is also filled with vibrant flowers. The path itself is a pale red stone, which sets it apart from the rest of the paths in the garden.

Features of The Courante, continued: At the top of the grassy paths, lies a representation of a Maypole, which is a large wooden pole that people dance around with ribbons during European festivals.

The Sarabande

Inspirartion: The music represents an ancient Spancish dance.

Features: Consists of a little area that serves as a stage for poetry readings. The poet usually sits on the stone depicted here, which contains a pool of water that trickles down the side of the pool and really adds to the tranquility of the place. The area is bordered by large boulders, which serve as the seats for the audience of the poetry readings.

In the summer, The Sarabande is usually closed off from view by the dense vegetation that lines the winding stone path into this quiet little corner. This makes the poetry readings all the more intimate and profound.

The Menuett
Inspiration: The music represents a contemporary French dance from Bach's time.
Features: This amazing iron structure, called The Music Pavillion was created by architectural blacksmith Tom Tollefson. It serves as a stage for concerts and other performances.

Just beyond the Music Pavillion is a stretch of grass and trees, lined with beautifully-crafted, curved benches where people can sit and enjoy the music.


The Gigue
Inspiration: The music represents an English dance, the jig.
Features: Another stage for concerts exists under this majestic weeping willow tree in the form of large stones. In front of this stage are wide, curved steps that sweep across the entire grassy space and form the area where audience members can bring along their folding chairs and watch many-a-free concerts during the summer. To the south, the breeze flows off the water over the audience, and adds to the grace of the performances.


The Toronto Music Garden is the perfect place to get a little piece of mind and experience nature in all its natural beauty, even in the midst of downtown Toronto.