Di Zhang is a performer-scholar active in both Canada’s music scene and academic circles. She has performed at major venues including the Toronto Music Garden, Wilfrid Laurier University, York University, and the University of Toronto. Her lecture performances have been featured at institutions such as the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. 

Her work spans performance, ethnomusicology, improvisation, and composition, with projects including York University’s Global Improvisation Lab and World Music Ensemble. Her album The Path to Contemporary explores the intersection of traditional Chinese music with jazz and contemporary practices. 

Di’s research examines the cultural history of the yangqin, improvisation pedagogy, and the influence of historical trade routes and political change on musical development. Her current work explores the relationship between music and wellbeing, with a focus on aging and community engagement.

Amir Amiri, a master santur player from Tehran, blends ancient inspiration with bold creativity. Since moving to Canada in 1996, he has formed innovative ensembles such as the Amir Amiri Ensemble and Ensemble Kimya, blending diverse musical traditions. His collaborations, including with Richard Moody and Jean Félix Mailloux, have been praised for merging Eastern and Western sensibilities. Awarded the 2003 CBC Artist of the Year, Amiri continues to enchant audiences worldwide with his profound musical connection. Recent performances include Festival Vares Classics in Bosnia and Détours de Babel in France. 

Elham Manouchehri is a dynamic musician thriving in Montreal’s vibrant music scene. As a co-founder of the DIBA collective upon her arrival in Montreal in 2014, she has immersed herself in the city’s cultural fabric and cultivated her musical talents. Her musical journey commenced in her teenage years, enriched by the tutelage of eminent  Iranian masters such as Ali Ghamsari, Arshad Tahmassbi, and the Tar virtuoso Hossein  Alizadeh. A skilled multi-instrumentalist, she’s mastered traditional Persian instruments like  Tar, Setar, Shourangiz, and Robab. 

Passionate about singing since childhood, Elham has overcome obstacles to express her voice, finally finding freedom in Canada. She has participated in over 150 concerts across  Canada, collaborating with musicians of diverse nationalities. One of her notable  collaborations was a concert at the Montreal Symphony House, as part of the OSM’s  programming, featuring a repertoire dedicated to Persian culture titled “Journey to the East,  from Scheherazade to Simorgh.”  

She has also performed at various prestigious festivals in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto,  sharing her music and passion with a wide audience. Supported by the Conseil des arts de  Montréal and the Canada Council for the Arts, she has undertaken several touring series in  Montreal and beyond, showcasing her dynamic presence in the music scene. Simultaneously, her studies in cultural organization management at HEC Montreal University reflect her commitment to developing her artistic career in an informed manner. 

ZiWen Cynthia Qin, B. A., graduated from the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing; her excellent and mature Performance is well-known in the Greater Toronto Area. She combined her talent with hard work as she started to practice the zither when she was 7 years old. After studying for more than twenty years, Cynthia Qin has successfully developed her own distinctive performance style. Her performance is skillful, timbre is soft and brilliant, and expression is exquisite. For both music with traditional flavour and modern music with complicated skills, she can always perform and deliver the exact message of the original music feature to her audiences. Her relentless persistence also brought her a lot of honours:  performed in the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, acted as the demonstrators of CCTV’s show. After she immigrated to Canada, she was invited to participate in the performance of “Lesson of Da Ji”, a production from famous Canadian composer Alice Ho. she has got a valuable opportunity to join Ron Korb, a well-known flute player, in the CD recording process for initial publishing in the GTA area. She actively performs in many significant events and provides an impressive image to all audiences and students.