# @toronto_archives on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd30Wm_l8g0
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70986005-toronto-archives-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/bf330214b5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-29T13:02:59.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** City of Toronto Archives (@toronto_archives) — https://gondola.cc/toronto_archives

## Caption

Opened in 1999, the Toronto Music Garden is a fascinating waterfront space inspired by the music of Bach. 

In the late 1990s, internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma collaborated with a number of artists to produce "Inspired by Bach" – a six part film series. 

For the first film in the series, The Music Garden, Mr. Ma worked with landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy to interpret in nature the music of Bach’s first suite. This resulted in the creation of the park we know today -  dance movement in the suite corresponds to a different section in the garden.

Two Canadian artists created special features for the Music Garden. Tom Tollefson, architectural blacksmith, fabricated the Music Pavilion, and the late Anne Roberts of Feir Mill Desing Inc., designed the Maypole.

1. Marina Quay West and Queens Quay west of Spadina, looking north, ca. late 1990s. Series 1465, File 145, Item 37.
and
Marina Quay West and Music Garden from south, aerial views of Toronto, 2010.Series 2311, File 3084, Item 366. 

2. Marina Quay West (Spadina Marina), ca. 1985. Fonds 279, Series 1300, Subseries 2, File 149.

3. Queens Quay west of Spadina at Marina Quay West, looking east, mid-1980s. Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 145, Item 79.

4. Park on Queen Quay west of foot of Spadina, looking east, mid-1980s, Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 145, Item 28.

5. TVO Signal magazine, featuring Yo-Yo Ma and the "Inspired by Bach" film series. Fonds 1047, Series 1822, File 395. 

6. Music garden pamphlet, 1998/1999. Fonds 1047, Series 1822, File 395.

7. Waterfront: Toronto Music Garden, 2002, Fonds 219, Series 2311, File 1548, Item 5.

8. Toronto Music Garden, Harbourfront Centre, between 2006 and 2012, Fonds 330, Series 2574, Item 87. 

#TOhistory #TorontoArchives

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