Majd Sukar is a Syrian Canadian clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and educator whose artistry has left an indelible mark on Toronto’s vibrant music scene. Renowned for his groundbreaking fusion of Middle Eastern folk and classical traditions with jazz, Sukar’s distinctive sound continues to redefine cross-cultural music in transformative and innovative ways.

As a soloist and improviser, Sukar has brought his unique voice to Canada’s diverse music landscape, collaborating with acclaimed Canadian musicians such as Robi Botos, Drew Jurecka, and Rich Brown. His dedication and talent have made him a sought-after performer, leading to prominent collaborations with celebrated Toronto-based bands including Sultans of String, Romani Jazz, Moskitto Bar, and Moneka Arabic Jazz.

Dhaivat Jani is a Toronto-based drummer and tabla player and composer. A recent graduate from Humber College with a Bachelor of Music, Jani leads two of his own bands: Dhaivat Jani PLUS, a seven-piece contemporary jazz-fusion band, and Electrio, a three-piece experimental-electronic jazz trio. Jani also supports multiple artists and is an Artistic Associate at Spectrum Music, Canada. He has been awarded several scholarships and awards over the years, including the CCRT Scholarship from the Government of India, the International Student Award for Excellence, the Yamaha Music Canada Ltd. Award, and the Jazz.FM 91 Award.

Illarra Riyad is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who is deeply invested in folklore, traditional Arabian rhythms, and the soulfulness of Sufi music. He has been working on rearranging and reimagining those cultural songs to introduce these pieces to the local scene. Along with Peter Henry Holbrook, he founded the Hikaya project, a music project dedicated to that vision. Recently, he has explored a fusion of Arabic jazz and flamenco, blending these styles in harmony within Toronto’s diverse musical landscape. As a vocalist, he has performed on stages across the world, from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Elsa Hashemi is a Persian-Canadian visual artist whose practice primarily involves calligraphy, photography, video performance, and text art. Her work often explores recurring themes of dislocation, isolation, womanhood, and connection—examining how these states intersect and shape experience. She views her work as a mode of storytelling, believing that sharing narratives may be the only way we can collectively begin to make sense of our contemporary realities. She holds an MFA in Photography and has participated in several solo and group exhibitions. She has also delivered live calligraphy performances and conducted calligraphy workshops in various cities across Canada.

Professionally, Elsa has completed many projects with the City of Toronto, documenting murals, events, and workshops. Additionally, she has been documenting a wide range of artists’ work for over ten years. Most recently, Elsa has been the recipient of the RBC Access Fund, the Mentorship Award, and the Space Award, presented by the Ontario Arts Council.

Beth Silver is an award-winning chamber musician who thrives on intuition and creativity. She is active in many facets of Toronto’s music community and is admired for her expressive, compelling playing and her ability to paint in many colours through her instrument, connecting onstage with fellow musicians and audiences alike.

A versatile artist and lover of many genres, Beth feels equally at home in a traditional classical ensemble as she does in a band, arranging, improvising, and exploring new voices for the cello. Her performances with various projects have taken her to numerous festivals across Canada and around the world.

She has been presented nationally as part of the Ladom Ensemble, in a duo with pianist Jenna Richards, and is also the newest member of the Eastern European polyphonic singing group BLISK. Beth has become a leading cellist in the global klezmer music scene—her ongoing research in Jewish and Eastern European music has taken her repeatedly to Romania, where she has spent months working with traditional fiddle players throughout Transylvania.

Peter Henry Holbrook is a Toronto-based keyboardist, composer, and musical director. Originally from Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, he grew up playing classical piano before moving to the city to study at Humber Polytechnic and immersing himself in the traditions of jazz, funk, and folk music.

Peter’s sound is rooted in contemporary jazz and classical music, but his passion for listening and engaging with diverse musical approaches enables him to contribute to a wide range of projects and organizations within Toronto’s music scene, including the Canadian Arabic Orchestra, the Toronto Arab Orchestra, and Music Without Borders. He currently serves as the musical director of the Toronto-based Arabic fusion ensemble Hikaya and works as a project coordinator at Humber Polytechnic’s Centre for Creative Business Innovation.

Kareem El-Tyeb (he/him) is a percussionist, community builder, and booking agent based in Toronto. As a performer, you can usually find him sticking close to his Egyptian roots, sharing stages with some of Toronto’s biggest names in Arabic fusion, such as Kazdoura and Majd Sukar. Kareem also runs the Grand Arabic Jam, a curated monthly jam session that celebrates the music of the SWANA diaspora. As a graduate of Music Education from Western University and Arts Administration from Humber College, he’s passionate about seeing the Global music scene thrive.