I am a composer, improviser, vocalist and cellist who grew up in northern China and has studied and worked in the US for seven years. My works span classical, folk, jazz, improvisation, multimedia, poetry, dance, environmental studies, and studies of psychiatry and trauma. I usually found my voice in the ocean of historical gaps, and I aim to create narratives that reveal and reflect on what has been hidden or forgotten by our society.

I have also dedicated myself to environmental activism and education through working with scientists at the White Mountains and NOAA on translating environmental data, sounds from acoustic monitoring devices, and recordings into music and multimedia performances using acoustic and digital instruments. These interdisciplinary collaborations stimulate a more organic musical language that can speak to more diverse audiences and younger generations.

As a performer, I enjoy playing and learning musical traditions such as indigenous and folk music in Southern/Southwestern China, Kabuki Theater, African drum and dance, jazz and improvisation, and more. I have played with musicians from North and South America, West Africa, Asia, and Europe and embraced the energy, rhythms, and history of diverse countries and cultures, which constantly nurtures my intellectual and emotional strength.

Recipient of Walter and Estelle Painter Endowment.

Ekaterina is a versatile singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist skilled in percussion, guitar, zhaleika, and recorder. Her voice ranges from Eastern European ritual singing to Western classical and contemporary alternative genres. A York University BFA Honours graduate, she explored Balkan, East Slavic, and Near Eastern music, which shapes her work with ensembles like Blisk, Polky, and Meden Glas.

She’s performed at major festivals including Winnipeg, Calgary, and Canmore Folk Festivals, APAP in New York, Ireland’s "Your Roots Are Showing," and Folk Alliance.

Ekaterina also composes for theatre, film, and animation. Her work appears in Birdbone Theatre’s Broomdance (2024) and films like Motherly (2021), VRDLK (2022), and In the Heat (2023).

Her latest project, Vedmah, blends dark electronic music with folklore and witchcraft traditions, crafting a dystopian sonic world where ancient rituals meet modern metal, mythology, and immersive storytelling.

Recipient of Michael Davies Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Gelareh Pour’s music carries the weight of centuries and the breath of something entirely new. An Iranian-Australian musician, she moves deftly between tradition and innovation, her voice and the sounds of her Persian Kamancheh and Qeychak Alto weaving together the intricate threads of a shared musical heritage and the raw spontaneity of the contemporary. Hers is a music that bridges worlds—not just sonically, but in the profound connections it forges between cultures, stories, and people.

Her journey began in Iran, where she immersed herself in the roots of Persian music, earning a Bachelor’s degree. Years later, in Australia, she expanded her exploration with a Master’s in Ethnomusicology at the University of Melbourne, her thesis, The Lives of Iranian Women Singers in Diaspora, uncovering the quiet power and adaptability of women navigating identity through music.

For over three decades, Gelareh’s career has flourished. From her duo ZÖJ with drummer Brian O’Dwyer to collaborations with leading ensembles, her improvisational brilliance and emotive performances have graced festivals and stages across the globe.

In 2024, she was honoured with the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship, recognising her singular voice as a performer, composer, and storyteller. 

Through her work, Gelareh opens doors—between cultures, histories, and hearts.

Recipient of Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Based in Montreal/Tio'tia:ke, Mexican-Colombian singer, performer, composer and sound artist Valentina Plata (b. 1997) conjures sound worlds through improvisation and her voice in relation to her field recording practice. Her work explores themes of magical idealism, movement and personal narratives. 

Her passion for collaboration is reflected in her project Vaiu, in the multidisciplinary collective Esse and in her work with composer Sandeep Bhagwati. 

She is currently completing a bachelor's degree in Electroacoustic Studies at Concordia University and is the recipient of the Undergraduate Fellowship Award with LePARC (Milieux Institute).

Recipient of Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Brian O’Dwyer is an Australian-based drummer and composer whose practice focuses on experimentation, improvisation, and sonic exploration. His work challenges conventional drumming by integrating extended techniques, unconventional instruments, and percussive textures to create dynamic, immersive soundscapes. Rooted in both structured composition and free improvisation, his approach prioritises spontaneity and responsiveness, allowing rhythm and sound to evolve organically.

Brian’s practice extends beyond traditional performance, incorporating interdisciplinary collaborations with artists across music, film, theatre, and visual art. He is particularly interested in the intersection of percussion and space, using live performance to engage with acoustics and audience perception. His solo and collaborative projects often explore the physicality of drumming, the relationship between rhythm and movement, and the boundaries between noise and music.

Deeply engaged in the experimental and contemporary music communities, Brian’s work reflects an ongoing commitment to pushing the limits of percussive expression. Whether through live performance, recording, or composition, his practice remains centred on the constant redefinition of what drumming can be, embracing both traditional and unconventional sounds in the pursuit of new musical possibilities.

Recipient of Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1993, Julian Maple-Oliveira holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition and Electroacoustic Music from São Paulo State University (Unesp) and a Master's Degree in Composition with specialization in Sonology from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. His current compositional focus lies in composing and producing experimental songs, contemporary classical ensemble and solo pieces, often combined with electronic elements. Julian's music is characterized by a high level of instrumental virtuosity, playfulness, speed, optimism, and sonic clarity. In addition to composing, Julian is an instrument creator and a robotics teacher, applying his knowledge of electronics and engineering to develop innovative electromechanical gadgets and instruments.

Recipient of Michael Davies Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Cikwes is a nehiyaw ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ soul singer songwriter and Juno nominee from Bigstone Cree Nation. Her music explores her Cree language, nêhiyawêwin ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ and nehiyaw ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ musical methods that include the hand drum, chanting cahkasinahikanak ᒐᐦᑲᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ also known as spirit markers or syllabics. Her intimate performances are accompanied with heartfelt stories and laughter. Using percussive breath and the Cree syllabics, she invokes a feeling of comfort similar to that of a wepisowin, a traditional baby swing. A matriarch for the revitalization of the Cree language and Nehiyaw musical methods, her nehiyaw ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ song writing and voice are an emblem of hope and beauty for the continuation of nêhiyawêwin ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ.  Her unique blend of Nehiyaw music, jazz, soul, pop, folk, blues has garnered her music awards and nominations internationally, including a Grammy consideration.

Recipient of Marshall M. Williams Endowment.

Sangah Lee is a professional pansori artist, specializing in the Korean storytelling vocal tradition, and is currently based in Canada. Beginning her international performance career at the age of 15, she has toured major cities such as Tokyo, New York, Chicago, and Honolulu, passionately promoting Korean traditional music on the global stage. Lee holds a degree in Korean Music from Ewha Womans University and has received the prestigious Minister’s Award at the National Pansori Competition.

After immigrating to Canada in 2017 to pursue a PhD in Ethnomusicology at the University of Toronto, Lee has become a dynamic contributor to intercultural dialogues. Her growing presence in Toronto’s music scene is marked by recent performances at high-profile events such as ROM After Dark, the Aga Khan Museum Pop-Up Series, the Toronto Korea Festival, and the Canadian Opera Company Showcase Series.

Lee is the founder and artistic director of the Canada Pansori Center and serves as a vocalist for Toronto-based fusion ensembles Haneum and Baejjang-e. Her diverse collaborations include performing with Nagata Shachu Taiko, contributing vocals to Robert Lee’s jazz album Forbidden West, and curating interdisciplinary partnerships with dancers and musicians at her debut pansori concert in Canada, Pan:Sori.

Recipient of Banff Centre Artists' Awards.