Erez Sussman is a stylistic innovator, combining diverse genres and influences into a beautiful, creative, and appetizing feast of sounds. Sussman is a composer, performer, and recording artist in many styles and has received numerous awards and grants including a National Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music, The Toronto Guitar Society’s President’s Award, arts grants, and a Master’s degree in Performance from the University of Toronto.  

Andrew Kay is an acclaimed musician and composer from Toronto, Canada, writing and performing music ranging from Indo-Jazz, World Music, and Indian Classical Raga Music to Contemporary Jazz and Improvised Music. He is among one of the first musicians in the world to perform Indian Classical music on the Alto Saxophone after spending more than a decade living and studying in the traditional Guru-Shishya parampara system with his Guru in Kolkata, India. He has also pioneered a unique set of tuned Himalayan Singing Bowls that he performs with, as well as using tuning forks, various woodwinds, and hand percussion. He is a seasoned performer with dozens of feature concerts around the globe with world-renowned maestros and is the co-leader of many successful creative musical projects. 

In the vibrant world of contemporary music, few artists can claim the ability to fuse cultures, genres, and eras as seamlessly as Brazilian-Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JER. Drawing from the psychedelic grooves of the late 1960s Tropicalia movement, the hypnotic rhythms of Northeast Brazil, and the distinctive flair of Canada’s indie music scene, JER has crafted an eclectic sound that challenges and expands the conventional boundaries of traditional Brazilian music. Her sonic palette is a tapestry of influences, woven with innovation and a deep respect for her cultural heritage, creating a blend that is as dynamic as it is soulful. 

Anne Lederman is a highly regarded fiddler, singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and storyteller who has been a driving force in the evolution and innovation of traditional and world music in Canada. She has made significant contributions across various genres, including Celtic-Canadian fiddle traditions, Indigenous fiddling, Klezmer, African-Canadian music, and more. A founding member of notable groups such as Muddy York, The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, LOKA, and Eh?!, Anne is also known for her solo performances, collaborations with Lederman/Bell, and her involvement in Portage, a new fiddle supergroup featuring musicians from across North America. Over the years, she has worked with a wide array of prominent Canadian artists, including Veronica Tennant and Holly Cole.

Joelle Crigger is an accomplished and versatile violinist and fiddler who has served as concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Within the past year, she has soloed with the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, the North York Concert Orchestra, the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. A past winner of the Canadian Open Junior Fiddle Championship, Crigger is well-versed in playing a variety of fiddle styles and has received the 2023 Stingray Rising Stars Award.

Joelle recently completed her studies in Violin Performance at the University of Toronto in the studio of Jonathan Crow. She will be starting her graduate studies this September as a full scholarship student at the Glenn Gould School of Music, where she will be studying with Paul Kantor and Barry Shiffman. 

Originally from Castro, Isla de Chiloé, Chile, classical guitarist Karla García is a Toronto-based musician and teacher.   
 
After years of playing classical music, García discovered her passion for music composition, production, and Latin American music. In her compositions, García blends modern and traditional rhythms such as Waltz and Cueca from Chile.  
 
As a performer, she has played a wide variety of musical genres, including contemporary, folk, fado, rock, classical, Celtic, Latin American, and more. She has also participated in many guitar festivals and concerts around South and North America. 

Although Iran has many beautiful and colourful dances, Persian Ballet was banned when Hourasa was born. Classes were held underground and taught by masters who had studied this art in international academies before the revolution. Hourasa was fortunate to study with a master of Iranian dance, who taught Persian Ballet and how to share it with the world. Hourasa practiced relentlessly, over and over, perfecting each movement with passion and determination. From childhood, Hourasa was determined to teach and promote this art globally. At 18, she began teaching in Iran, and after immigrating to Canada, she continued teaching, performing at venues like the Aga Khan Museum, ROM, TIDF, and more. 

Amin, an Iranian traditional musician, began his music journey at age 10, captivated by the santoor. He honed his skills at the University of Tehran, studying under notable musicians and performing at various festivals. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 2000, he founded Aref Music School and taught for 20 years before moving to Canada.  

In Toronto, he collaborated with musicians like Naser Masoudi and Sepideh Raissadate, performed with Sarv Ensemble, and founded Navak Ensemble in 2018 to showcase his compositions and traditional music. Amin remains a dedicated teacher of santoor and Iranian music. 

 Brian Katz  (guitar) and Martin van de Ven (clarinets) draw their inspiration primarily from Klezmer, embracing tradition but emphasizing new approaches to this vibrant music! 

The internationally acclaimed duo brings together a variety of musical traditions and influences informed by the diversity within the Klezmer world and by their own rich musical backgrounds. Jazz, Classical, New Music, Bulgarian, Middle Eastern and African influences are integrated in ways that extend tradition and generate new musical understandings that speak to our time. “The audience was spellbound… They ‘play’ the ‘stars’ down from heaven” Dagblad van het Noorden, Holland. 

Gentle Weep was formed in Toronto by three Brazilian musicians who share a passion for “rodas de choro,” informal musical gatherings where musicians play a musical genre called “choro,” often around a table full of food and drinks. The name “choro”–which means weep in Portuguese–is attributed to the overly sentimental way popular musicians in 19th century Rio de Janeiro would interpret melodies brought from Europe, mixing them with indigenous and Afro-diasporic elements of their culture. In a “roda,” it’s expected that the musicians can accompany by ear whatever a singer or soloist throws at them, involving a lot of improvisation and leaving plenty of room for puns and jokes–musical and otherwise. 

The group was formed in mid-2023 and has played several venues in the city, such as the University of Toronto’s Hart House, Lula Lounge, Drom Taberna, and the Big Fam Sessions at Kensington Sound, always presenting music that, in its richness and rhythmic liveness, touches the heart, the body and the mind in equal proportions. Gentle Weep is thus a nod to the different cultures that gave birth to the joy of playing music and the varied music formed on the whole American continent. 

Marichka is a well-known Ukrainian-Canadian singer, folklorist, activist and musician (Balaklava Blues, Lemon Bucket Orkestra). She is the only Ukrainian singer in North America who truthfully and deeply represents the original authentic tradition of folk singing. Marichka’s creator’s work and performances has won numerous international awards. Marichka is also teaching Ukrainian traditional old songs to get a taste or learn deeply a special vocal technique of Ukrainian polyphony called “open voice.” Marichka performed in in the legendary Barbican Centre in London, UK (2022) and Carnegie Hall (2022). In 2023 Marichka joined the Ukrainian Army Forces as a volunteer combat medic and a journalist in a war zone in Eastern Ukraine. 

Accompanying Marichka will be Zoë Santo. Zoë wields the viola with finesse as an artist whose journey has been profoundly influenced by global folk music. With a distinguished background, she has trained under renowned classical pedagogues, as well as with members of acclaimed international ensembles such as Ensemble Made in Canada (recent Juno winners), Afiara Quartet, Linden Quartet, and Harlem Quartet. Zoë has skillfully channeled her talents to cross geographical and cultural boundaries. 

Her musical journey spans a wide range of genres, from the evocative melodies of the Balkans to the ethereal enchantment of Celtic harmonies and the soul-stirring resonance of Klezmer. Each note she plays reflects her deep appreciation for the diverse and vibrant traditions of folk music from around the world. 

Ali Rajan is an instrumentalist who plays the Rubab (رباب), a Central Asian stringed instrument. Born and raised in Toronto, he became inspired to play the Rubab in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. He has composed and arranged a variety of pieces in collaboration with other artists and has performed for audiences consisting of government and community leadership.  

Ali was nominated to represent Canada in the Global Encounters Festival 2025 as the Champion in Instrumental Music for the Illume National Arts and Sports Festival. He continues to be featured in venues such as The Living Sea — Fragile Beauty exhibition’s Canadian debut. 

Subhadra Vijaykumar is a Mississauga-based award-winning Carnatic (South Indian) classical violinist. Her mission is to earn recognition for the Carnatic style of playing the Western violin.

She has performed to a diverse audience across the GTA and abroad. She recently rendered the National Anthems of Canada and the USA at the Raptors game at the Scotiabank Arena. She is a faculty member at the Oscar Peterson School of Music of the Royal Conservatory of Music. 

With over 30 years of experience under his fingers, Nicolas Hernandez’s style has evolved into a distinctive, modern “voice” in the flamenco genre. His debut CD “Buscando mi voz” won a Just Plain Folks Award for Best Flamenco Album in 2009 and his second CD “Rupakerias” was released in 2018. Nicolas was the musical director for the Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company for over 20 years and toured the world with the Jesse Cook band for 16 years. Nicolas is presently involved in various projects throughout the flamenco community in Toronto. 

Ferhan Dogmusoz is a multi-instrumentalist (oud and jumbush) and composer originally from Türkiye who was born into a musical family. Dogmusoz has appeared in some of the most popular radio programs and TV shows as an oud player along with various well-known musicians. After graduating as an engineer from Hacettepe University, his adventure le him to Russia where he released several studio albums and performed with many ensembles and musicians from all over the world. His style combines older traditions with contemporary innovations rooted in a deep knowledge of the art of improvisation. 

Anuja Panditrao is an eclectic vocalist based in Toronto. She began her vocal musical training in North Indian Classical music. She currently studies under the tutorship of Shri. Narendra Datar. In 2009, Panditrao received the Ontario Arts Council’s Chalmers Professional Development Grant to complete a one-year intensive study of classical music in India. She has performed with various artists on stages across Canada, the U.S., Australia, and India. In recent years, Panditrao has dabbled in composing Bandish, Taranna and Khyal. In collaboration with New York-based Indian Raga fellowship recipients, Panditrao released a cross-collaborative composition called “Highlights.” Her goal and musical journey aims to nurture and preserve the soundscapes of Indian music in North America. 

Erez Sussman is a stylistic innovator, combining diverse genres and influences into a beautiful, creative, and appetizing feast of sounds. Sussman is a composer, performer, and recording artist in many styles and has received numerous awards and grants including a National Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music, The Toronto Guitar Society’s President’s Award, arts grants, and a Master’s degree in Performance from the University of Toronto.  

Kiyaan Lavji is a 16 year old student in an all French IB program. Kiyaan has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to be part of the Jubilee Arts and Illume initiative and participated in both the Regional and National Festival, and will be Representing Canada in Dubai 2025.  He performed for the Right Honorable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada in 2018.  Kiyaan continues to collaborate with other artists locally and nationally while creating classical compositions to improve his craft.

He established “Kiyaan’s School of Tabla” which held its first tabla workshop in August 2019. In August 2020 Kiyaan ranked 3rd in a National India Classical Tabla Competition. Kiyaan has collaborated with renowned artists on the song Deedar E Khuda which was released by Merchant Records. Most recently Kiyaan performed for Prince Amyn at the ground breaking ceremonies for generations Canada and performed our rendition of the song child of the ocean in the presence of Prince Hussain as a gift to him. He aspires to inspire others to follow their passion. 

Fusing Spanish, Celtic, and Slavic music on classical guitar, Kyler Mackenzie’s musical journey began in Toronto and has since taken him worldwide. He has performed his take on the Modern Folk Fusion in Eastern Europe, France, and Portugal.

Marta Solek is a multi-instrumentalist from Poland. She graduated from the Krakow Academy of Music, specializing in cello and Polish/World knee fiddles. She is the first musician in the world to hold a master’s degree in suka from bilgoray and plock fiddle-unique traditional instruments from the XVII Century. She has performed worldwide with classical orchestras, jazz, pop, rock, and world music bands, recorded 14 CDs, and composed music for music for TV shows, games and theatre.

Graeme Jonez is singer-songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario. A storyteller at heart, Jonez’s lyrics are the foundation of his music, heavily influenced by old American folk and blues. His sound straddles outlaw country, alt-folk, blues, and indie rock. 
 
Jonez’s debut album, “Creatures & Criminals,” was released in 2023. In March of 2024, his single “The Flood!” reached #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown and earned him a 2024 Merilainen Music Award for Single of the Year. He is an alumnus of Manitoba Music’s Indigenous Music Residency and a member of the Sheguiandah Ojibwe First Nation (Manitoulin Island, ON).

Suzette Vidale is an innovative artist with roots in Trinidad and St. Lucia. As an ambassador of the steelpan, her greatest moments are using it as a wellness tool to educate, entertain, and inspire. Vidale hopes that the instrument will act as a tool to provide a safe space to foster curiosity and creativity and encourage others to learn more about Caribbean arts and culture. 
 
Vidale has performed at the Viola Desmond Awards, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and the Lieutenant Governor’s New Year’s Levee.

Violinist and music producer, Tina Sol, blends classical finesse with contemporary cadence. Despite her rigorous training at the Royal Conservatory of Music, her radical creative journey was ignited by the sonics of 90s and 2000s Hip-Hop and R&B. From being a session violinist skilled in multiple genres and creating elegant string arrangements to performing on concert and festival stages, her rebellious artistry echoes a daring invitation: to explore, embrace, and reimagine the symphony of your craft.

Rahaf is a singer, social worker, and community builder from Syria. Since arriving in Canada in 2016, she has actively participated in programs with various organizations in the GTA. She founded the Haneen Women Choir, she has completed herMA in Humanities York University, Rahaf is a choir member at the Canadian Arabic Orchestra. She is always striving to unite people through food, music, and culture.

Gurprabh Sandhu, an alumni of MS university in Vadodara India, is renowned for her Sufi -infused Indian classical Vocals, drawing inspiration from legends like Abida Parveen, Shubh Upadhyay has been playing the keyboard/piano for 10+ years. Shubh is also RCM 4 certified in Piano.

The Harana Kwartet is a modern OPM (Original Pilipino Music) group that interprets traditional and popular Filipino music, as well as original material. They combine musical elements of the R&B, jazz, and pop music scene along with their influence of Filipino music to create a fresh contemporary sound.

Joseph Funk | Trumpet

Matthew Zachary Tenedero | Guitar

Carlo Sto Domingo | Bass

Marcus Jereza | Drums

Originally from Edmonton, Simon Williams is a Toronto-based composer, producer, synthesist and pianist. Williams grew up studying classical piano before apprenticing under Joel Gray in the Littlebirds program. Since then, he has played in Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, and Toronto, notably at Massey Hall and Koerner Hall. Most recently, Simon was a fellow in the 2023 Intercultural and Creative Music Fellowship, which culminated in the creation of the band Carmine, and the release of their EP; Something is Awake. Simon is currently a Bachelor of Music student at Humber in Toronto.

Following his graduation from the Berklee College of Music, George Crotty immersed himself in New York’s jazz and world music scenes, joining several ensembles such as the Brooklyn Raga Massive and the Detroit-based National Arab Orchestra, in addition to collaborating with Paquito D’Rivera, Anat Cohen, Simon Shaheen, and Darol Anger. Crotty leads The George Crotty Trio, whose latest album, Chronotope, showcases the Canadian cellist’s expressive fluidity and modal orientation. Crotty also served as cello chair on the North American tour of the Broadway musical, The Band’s Visit.

Rising singer-songwriter Shanaya Patel, from Mississauga, Ontario is on a passionate path of bringing her music to a worldwide audience. With lush, deep vocals filled with grit and nuance, Patel’s vocals and writing style draw inspiration from artists like Ariana Grande, H.E.R., and Julia Michaels.

A drummer and percussionist hailing from Portmore, Jamaica, Roshane Wright started playing percussion instruments at the age of six and has gone on to win numerous awards in his divisions. Wright fuses his musical Caribbean roots with jazz to create his own authentic sound. Roshane has been a freelance artist as well as a music educator, composer, arranger and band leader.

Ferhan Dogmusoz is a multi-instrumentalist (oud and jumbush) and composer originally from Türkiye who was born into a musical family. Dogmusoz has appeared in some of the most popular radio programs and TV shows as an oud player along with various well-known musicians. After graduating as an engineer from Hacettepe University, his adventure le him to Russia where he released several studio albums and performed with many ensembles and musicians from all over the world. His style combines older traditions with contemporary innovations rooted in a deep knowledge of the art of improvisation.