New Canadian Global Music Orchestra Members Announced

A major new initiative by The Royal Conservatory of Music, which celebrates the cultural diversity and pluralism of our great country as it turns 150, is the formation of the New Canadian Global Music Orchestra. This project, conceived by Mervon Mehta, Executive Director of Performing Arts, is led by Artistic Director David Buchbinder, the Juno Award-winning trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and cultural inventor. There has been an overwhelming interest in this project - more than 100 Canadians hailing from 47 countries applied to be in the orchestra.

Today, as the first rehearsal is about to start, The Conservatory is happy to announce the 12 members of the New CanadianGlobal Music Orchestra, who have been chosen after three rounds of auditions. They are:

Padideh Ahrarnejad (Iran) on tar

Sasha Boychouk (Ukraine) on woodwinds and ethnic Ukrainian flutes

Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk (Canada - Métis) on violin, viola, jaw harp, spoons, and vocals

Luis Deniz (Cuba) on saxophone

Anwar Khurshid (Pakistan) on sitar, flute, esraj, tabla, vocals, and harmonium

Lasso (Salif Sanou) (Burkina Faso) on Fulani flute, kambélé n'goni, tamanin (talking drum), balafon, djembe, doum-doum, and vocals

Paco Luviano (Mexico) on bass

Aline Morales (Brazil) on Brazilian percussion and vocals

Demetrios Petsalakis (Greece) on oud, guitar, lyra, bouzouki, riq, and Greek baglama

Matias Recharte (Peru) on drums, percussion, cajón, conga, and timbales

Dorjee Tsering (Tibet) on dranyen, flute, piwang, yang chin (dulcimer), and traditional Tibetan vocals

Dora Wang (China) on bamboo flute, flute, hulusi, xiao, panpipe, and ocarina

These artists of the New Canadian Global Music Orchestra will be in residence at The Conservatory through the 2016-17 concert season: they will collaborate on new musical compositions, rehearse and participate in educational activities, play in other venues throughout the GTA, and finally come together for a special concert in Koerner Hall on June 2, 2017 in celebration of Canada's sesquicentennial. For those not able to attend the concert, it will be broadcast live and for free on The Conservatory's website at rcmusic.ca/livestream.

The New Canadian Global Music Orchestra is presented by The Royal Conservatory of Music in partnership with: Aga Khan Museum, Batuki Music Society, CBC Music, Diasporic Genius, Lula Music and Arts Centre, Small World Music, York University Department of Music, and 918 Bathurst Centre.

Government Supporters for our 2016-2017 season: Government of Canada, Canada Arts Presentation Fund and Canada 150 Fund-Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, Toronto Arts Council

New Canadian Global Music Orchestra

Friday, June 2, 2017 at 8pm

Koerner Hall

$45-$90

Tickets and subscriptions to all concerts are available online at www.performance.rcmusic.ca,

by calling 416.408.0208, or in person at the Weston Family Box Office

Become a Royal Subscriber: select any 4-6 concerts and save 10%;

select any 7+ concerts and save 15%; both levels receive special subscriber benefits

A limited number of $10 BMO Rush Tickets are available starting 90 minutes before all performances presented by The Royal Conservatory.

All concerts take place at The Royal Conservatory of Music

TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto

(Photo Credit: Royal Conservatory Facebook)