Symphony in the Barn is an eclectic performing arts venue located near the town of Durham, Ontario. Set on a fully working, biodynamic farm, with performances held in The Barn, this venue has hosted many of Canada's premier performers and rising stars since 1995. Michael Schmidt, farm owner and artistic director, has presented full-scale opera performances, jazz concerts, an annual film festival, native dance troupe performances, chamber and full orchestral classical performances, and more.

The Symphony in the Barn Chamber Orchestra is the resident ensemble of The Barn, which performs an annual summer gala festival and appears throughout the year in concerts in Southern Ontario. The Symphony in the Barn Chamber Orchestra is comprised of exceptional young artists who come together for a summer of inspired music making.

A typical concert at The Barn not only includes a full orchestral performance, but also is accompanied by the sounds of the birds in the rafters, a typical visit of one of the farm animals through the concert hall, a starlight reception, and farm-baked refreshments at intermission.

The objective of Symphony in the Barn is to nurture the development of a diverse cultural centre that promotes the exploration of the arts in the context of a working farm while engaging and educating young professionals through the development of meaningful performance opportunities in rural Ontario.

Since its founding in 1995, Symphony in the Barn has, for several weeks during the summer, transformed Glencolton Farm near Durham, Ontario into a cultural and agricultural experience for performers and audiences alike. The farm, in its role as catalyst for this unique summer festival, houses a full theatre stage, professional lighting, and seating for a potential audience of 500.

Symphony in the Barn has featured operas, orchestra concerts, chamber music, gypsy bands, barn dances, gourmet dinners, community fundraisers, concerts, and events, including weddings. A "Gourmet Opera", in collaboration with world-renowned Canadian chef, Michael Stadtlander, and a group of Toronto chefs who presented and served their dishes to live classical music. As a result, the Gourmet Opera is now broadcast on the Canadian Food Network. CBC Radio sponsored a Roots and Wings concert in the Barn, an event that was also entered in the International Radio Competition for Roots Music.

Famously, Canadian soloist, Anton Kuerti has even performed all five Beethoven Piano Concerti with us.

Haydn's Creation, the inaugural performance of Symphony in the Barn, was set in collaboration with First Nations artists to relate the creation story of both cultures. Similarily, Mozart's Magic Flute was also staged in a First Nations theme. It was for these performances that Symphony in the Barn received Community Arts Ontario's 2004 Best Practices Competition and Awards in the Equity and Diversity Achievement category.

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