A culture-crossing project unites instruments from China, Korea, Japan and Syria in new Canadian soundscapes.

Featuring Artists:

Amely Zhou
An expressive and dynamic figure on stage, Canadian Chinese musician, Amely Zhou, pursues a diverse career both as a conductor and an erhu soloist. As an established Erhu soloist, she frequently collaborates with different organizations including University of Toronto, Harbourfront Centre, Chinese Culture Centre, Canadian Music Centre and Small World Music Centre. Kiwanis, the largest music festival in GTA, invited Amely to adjudicate for Non-Western Strings categories in 2018 and 2020. Amely is currently the Artistic Director of the Canadian Chinese Orchestra, and the Music Director of the Ontario Multicultural Music Association.

Wendy Zhou
Wendy started learning the pipa at the age of five. She competed in the Youth Pipa Competition in Suzhou, China, and received great praise. She is currently a Pipa teacher and a well-renown Pipa virtuoso in Toronto performing, recording, and organizing for various well-established organizations such as Canadian Opera Company, Royal Ontario Museum, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto Chinese Orchestra, Small World Music, Project Room 217, Babel Chorus, Lau Family Foundation Gala for kids with disability, Centre for Music Innovation, DD community connector, Good Kind Production, Music Mondays, Emerging Young Artists, and many more.

Heidi Chan
Heidi Chan has been a Japanese taiko drummer and flute player for over 15 years, and has performed across Canada, Hong Kong, and the UK. She has collaborated and performed with numerous music ensembles and theatre companies, and has worked as a multi-instrumentalist, sound designer, composer, and arranger for music, theatre, dance, and film. She is currently principal flute player for Toronto-based Japanese folk ensemble Ten Ten, and produces solo electronic music under the name Bachelard.

Roa Lee
Roa (HyunYoung) Lee is a Gayageum musician from Korea, and she has studied music both of Asian traditions and Western. She won the Choon Hyang National Korean Music Competition, and performed as an Gayageum soloist with Daegu Municipal Korean Music Orchestra and Daejeon Municipal YeonJeong Korean Music Orchestra. She is passionate about World Fusion Music. Not being limited within a certain genre, she has been trying various styles of music.

Nour Kaadan
Nour Kaadan is a musician, percussionist, and community arts facilitator. Born is Syria and based in Toronto, she plays classical Middle Eastern percussion and Flamenco rhythms on Cajon. Nour facilitated workshops in Syrian refugee camps, using music as a therapeutic activity to help children in or from war zones to overcome their trauma.

Presented as a part of Small World Asian Music Series