"Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here? Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is a man of many talents. He’s a phenomenal musician, of course, but he’s also a humanitarian, a television star, and a garden designer. The cello maestro can put “landscape architect” on his resume after having collaborated on the Toronto Music Garden with professional landscape architect Julie Moir Messervy. For the project, the duo physically interpreted and manifested Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, the first of the composer’s six suites for unaccompanied cello, as a garden, using the piece’s six dance movements (Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Menuet, and Gigue) to create different sections of the space. Any standout features or must-sees? At the center of the garden in Gigue (or Jig) section is a grassy amphitheater with a stage beneath a weeping willow tree where free classical music concerts are held each summer. Was it easy to get around? The garden is located in Toronto’s Harbourfront neighborhood, making it very accessible to tourists walking around downtown—and it has great views of the CN Tower. Within the garden itself, paved paths make navigation easy. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for? Even if you’re not a classical music fan, you can still enjoy the beauty of this urban garden. But those with a deeper appreciation for Bach might want to take the summertime guided tours are offered by volunteers to really immerse themselves in its genius." - Stefanie Waldek
