TORONTO MASS CHOIR INC.

What TORONTO MASS CHOIR INC. does

Toronto Mass Choir Inc. (TMC) is a not-for-profit gospel choir founded in 1988 and co-led by Artistic Director Karen Burke (also Professor and Chair of Music at York University) and Business Manager/Executive Producer Oswald Burke. The organization operates a 40-member adult choir drawn from various GTA church denominations, supported by a five-piece live band, performing traditional gospel, contemporary gospel, and Caribbean-influenced styles. Its core product is live performance - 10-15 engagements per year at churches, festivals, award shows, and community events across Canada and internationally (10+ countries toured including USA, UK, and the Caribbean).

The business generates revenue across six streams: (1) concert and performance booking fees for 15-90 minute sets, (2) album and music sales through a Square-powered e-commerce store, (3) streaming royalties across seven platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, Slacker Radio), (4) workshop registration fees for the annual PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop at York University (tiered $99-$159), (5) donations via CanadaHelps supporting mission trips and a youth scholarship fund ($300-$500 awards), and (6) grants from Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Creates. The choir has released 15 albums over its history, including the Juno Award-winning Instrument of Praise (2003), and earned multiple Covenant, Shai, Vibe, and Maja Awards.

Beyond performances, TMC operates the annual PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop (paused in 2025 after 20 consecutive years), a music mission trip program, and a youth scholarship fund. Distribution relies on direct booking, streaming platforms, an e-commerce store, and the York University academic partnership. Brand credentials include the 2003 Juno Award, a 2012 GMAC Lifetime Achievement Award, and appearances alongside artists such as Tramaine Hawkins, Take 6, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Name

TORONTO MASS CHOIR INC.

Legal name

Toronto Mass Choir Inc.

Website

https://tmc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Toronto Mass Choir Inc. is a Juno Award-winning not-for-profit gospel choir in Toronto, performing 10-15 concerts annually, releasing albums, and hosting the PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop for religious communities, festivals, and music students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gospel Music Performance and Recording

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Record Production and Distribution (51225), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAB

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMANAC

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Music Education (Instrumental & Vocal)

SECONDARYMPAJAHAE

Worship & Liturgy Publishing (Liturgical Texts, Missals, Service Books, Hymnals)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Religious & Spiritual Publishing

Keywords

• Gospel choir performances
• Live music entertainment
• Gospel music recordings
• Music workshop services
• Choral event booking

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Concert and Performance Fees: Revenue from booking the choir for concerts, festivals, church services, fundraisers, conferences, and other events. Set durations available include 15, 30, 60, and 90 minute performances.
2. Album and Music Sales: Revenue from CD sales through their online store, digital downloads, and sheet music/arrangements. Includes accompaniment tracks and songbooks.
3. Streaming Royalties: Music available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, and Slacker Radio platforms.
4. Workshop Registration Fees: PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop generates revenue through conference registration. Pricing tiers include early bird ($139), regular ($159), group ($139 for 5+), and student ($99 with ID).
5. Donations and Support: Donations support music mission trips, youth scholarship fund, PowerUp Gospel Workshop, and ongoing music ministry programs.
6. Sponsorships: Support from Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Creates for programs both locally and internationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Toronto Mass Choir Inc. is a not-for-profit gospel choir that delivers live choral performances (40-member ensemble plus five-piece band) at booked events such as concerts, church services, festivals, and conferences. The organization also produces and sells gospel music recordings (15 albums), runs the annual PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop at York University, and operates a music store selling sheet music and accompaniment tracks.

Product overview

Toronto Mass Choir Inc. operates as a not-for-profit gospel music organization offering a unified portfolio centered on its Juno Award-winning 40-member choir with five-piece band. The core product is live gospel music performances and recordings, with the main offerings being the Toronto Mass Choir ensemble itself, the annual PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop conference, a catalog of 15 studio and live albums, and supplementary programs including music mission trips, a youth scholarship fund, and sheet music store. All offerings are distributed through music streaming platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal) and a Square-powered online store for physical products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop: Annual gospel music workshop conference presented by Toronto Mass Choir in cooperation with York University, featuring workshops in musicianship, vocal technique, and ensemble opportunities.

Products and services

• Toronto Mass Choir Live Performances
• PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
• Hymns Alive (Album)
• Celebration Live! (Album)
• Concert Booking Services
• Youth Scholarship Fund
• Music Mission Trips

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 years of continuous operation with 37th season underway
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• York UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop hosted at York University's School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design. Karen Burke serves as Chair of York University's Music Department. The partnership provides venue, academic credibility, and student engagement opportunities.
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott Toronto VaughanminorOthersHotel partner providing discounted conference pricing for PowerUp Gospel workshop attendees. Room rate includes complimentary breakfast, WiFi, and self-parking.
• Schulich Executive Learning Centre HotelminorOthersYork University-affiliated hotel offering discounted rates for PowerUp Gospel conference attendees with King-size bed and continental breakfast included.
• Micah Communications Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGospel music production, live events, and publishing company co-founded by Karen and Oswald Burke. Released TMC's debut album 'Great Is Thy Glory' in 1988 and continues to produce and distribute their recordings.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir is a six-time Grammy-winning, multi-ethnic gospel choir based at a single congregation in Brooklyn, with extensive recordings, international touring, and televised broadcasts. Like TMC, it combines a standing ensemble, large catalog, broadcast presence, and faith-rooted mission into a nonprofit performance and recording operation.
• London Community Gospel Choir: London Community Gospel Choir is a UK-based gospel choir built from members of various local churches, offering concerts, recordings, workshops, and corporate event bookings. Its community/multi-denominational membership structure, performance-plus-education model, and festival/television profile parallel TMC's operating model almost one-for-one.
• Soweto Gospel Choir: Soweto Gospel Choir is a South African gospel ensemble that performs a similarly broad mix of traditional, contemporary, and culturally-rooted gospel music and tours internationally. It is directly comparable to TMC in mission (gospel performance, cross-cultural fusion), operating model (multi-denominational adult choir), and revenue mix (concerts, recordings, international tours, education).
• Chicago Mass Choir: Chicago Mass Choir is a long-running American urban gospel mass choir that records albums, tours, and ministers through live performances. It mirrors TMC's "mass choir" identity, adult volunteer model, recording-driven catalog strategy, and focus on traditional/contemporary gospel crossover.
• LA Mass Choir: LA Mass Choir is a Los Angeles-based gospel mass choir that records albums, performs at churches and festivals, and conducts gospel music workshops. The choir operates a virtually identical business model to TMC: adult volunteer ensemble, recording catalog, live bookings, and education events.

Broad incumbents

• Bethel Music: Bethel Music is an established worship-music label and artist collective affiliated with Bethel Church, producing high-volume recordings, tours, conferences, and worship-leading training. It overlaps TMC on gospel/worship recordings, conferences (analogous to PowerUp Gospel), and global touring, but at substantially larger scale and as part of a multi-label portfolio.
• Gaither Music: Gaither Music (Bill Gaither) is a long-running American gospel music organization with a deep catalog of recordings, branded concert tours (Gaither Homecoming), and a multi-decade brand similar in longevity to TMC's 37 years. Comparable on catalog depth, awards history, and touring business, though operating at a much larger US-centric scale.

Emerging players

• Maverick City Music: Maverick City Music is a contemporary gospel collective and recording label known for genre-blending worship music, large collaborative recordings, and digital streaming success. While not a choir in the traditional sense, it competes for the same gospel listenership, festival bookings, and worship-music sync placements that TMC targets, and represents a more modern, digitally-native model of the same underlying gospel-music economy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/GospelProf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toronto-mass-choir-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TORONTO MASS CHOIR INC.