The poem, All Rivers at Once written by Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, is the inspiration for the performance of the Israeli-Iranian Musical Initiative at Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum.

Nine-member ensemble of Israeli, Iranian, American and Canadian musicians was founded in Toronto in 2013 by two composers, Iranian Parisa Sabet and Israeli Dan Deutsch.

At the concert (on the evening of November 25, 2017), which the Aga Khan Museum was presenting in partnership with the Ashkenaz Festival, the group was performing songs by Morteza Neydavoud, a Jewish-Iranian as well as Israeli and Jewish songs from the Middle East and Central Asia, including a Jewish wedding song from Azerbaijan and Ladino pieces with vocals by Aviva Chernick.

The ensemble’s original sound is created by a blend of Western and Middle Eastern instruments with jazz arrangements of some pieces.

A well attended concert brought together local members of Iranian and Jewish communities who enthusiastically received and appreciated the creative concept and the outstanding talent of the musicians.

Members of the ensemble:
Noam Lemish – piano
Pedram Khavarzamini – tombak, a Persian hand drum
Saeed Kamjoo – kamancheh, an Iranian bowed string instrument
Kianoush Khalilian – ney, a Persian flute
Jacob Gorzhaltsan – clarinet, saxophones
Derek Gray – drums and percussion
Justin Gray – bass
Amos Hoffman – oud and guitar
Aviva Chernick’s – vocals

Photos of All Rivers at Once by Atael Weissman

The New Canadian Global Music Orchestra, recently created by The Royal Conservatory of Toronto and masterminded by its Executive Director, Performing Art, Mervon Mehta, premiered the music they collectively created, on the evening of June 2 at Koerner Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. A rousing celebration of the cultural diversity and pluralism of our Canadian country as it turns 150 this year; the New Canadian Global Music Orchestra is a very special musical project, conceived in a very special moment in the history of humankind. When the negativism, irrationality and divisive forces seem to gain strength, the universality of music plays an extremely important role, bringing peace, unity and understanding to our increasingly small global village. We are one planet, one human race, with the same goals and the same destiny.

Twelve talented musicians from every corner of the world were selected to participate in this wonderful project, led by Artistic Director David Buchbinder. They were in residence at the Conservatory through the 2016-2017 season.

The New Canadian Global Music Orchestra’s members are:
Padideh Ahrarnejad (Iran) tar
Sasha Boychouk (Ukraine) woodwinds and ethnic Ukrainian flutes
Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk (Canada – Métis) violin, viola, jaw harp, spoons, and vocals
Luis Deniz (Cuba) saxophone
Anwar Khurshid (Pakistan) sitar, flute, esraj, tabla, vocals, and harmonium
Lasso (Salif Sanou) (Burkina Faso) Fulani flute, kambélé n’goni, tamanin (talking drum), balafon, djembe, doum-doum, and vocals
Paco Luviano (Mexico) bass
Aline Morales (Brazil) Brazilian percussion and vocals
Demetrios Petsalakis (Greece) oud, guitar, lyra, bouzouki, riq, and Greek baglama
Matias Recharte (Peru) drums, percussion, cajón, conga, and timbales
Dorjee Tsering (Tibet) dranyen, flute, piwang, yang chin (dulcimer), and traditional Tibetan vocals
Dora Wang (China) bamboo flute, flute, hulusi, xiao, panpipe, and ocarina
David Buchbinder (United States), Artistic Director

The program presented at Koerner Hall included twelve original compositions, one song by every member of the ensemble. The thirteenth composition in the program, Hymn to Freedom,  composed by Oscar Peterson, was certainly a tribute to one of the greatest Canadian pianists and jazz artists of all times. The New Canadian Global Music Orchestra, which reminds me of Yo-Yo Ma’s highly acclaimed Silk Road Ensemble, sounded magnificent on its first big performance. It was an amazing showcase of the talent and creativity of an inspired, true collective of artists who are shaping the new music of Canada. The NCGMO will be travelling within Canada presenting their music, culminating their journey next fall at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, where they will be recording an album.

1. Lahzeye Sokut (Moments of Silence) – Composed by Padideh Ahrarnejad and arranged by David Buchbinder.
2. Yaguza – Composed and arranged by Sasha Boychouk.
3. We Met in Tkaranto – Composed by Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk and arranged by David Buchbinder.
4. Canto a la Tierra – Composed by Luis Deniz and arranged by Hilario Durán.
5. No Maney; Rag Kirvani – Composed and arranged by Anwar Khurshid.
6. Obèso – Composed and arranged by Lasso.
7. Espere, Esperanto – Composed by Paco Luviano and Hannah Burgé; arranged by Hilario Durán.
8. Iémanja (part I), Iémanja (part II) – Composed by Aline Morales; part I arranged by David Arcus; part II arranged by David Buchbinder.
9. Montréal – Composed and arranged by Demetrios Petsalakis.
10. Lloqlla (Spirit of Rushing Water) – Composed and arranged by Matias recharte.
11. Tashi Delek – Composed by Dorjee Tsering; arranged by David Buchbinder. Dran-yen Dance – Composed and arranged by Dorjee Tsering.
12. Jasmine in Bamboo – Composed by Dora Wang, arranged by David Buchbinder.
13. Hymn to Freedom – Composed by Oscar Peterson, adapted and arranged by David Buchbinder, lyrics by Harriette Hamilton and French translation by Dominique Denis.

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

Photographs of The New Canadian Global Music Orchestra
by Lisa Sakulensky Photography

Protégé of Quincy Jones and David Foster, Andreas Varady is only 18 years old and has already made a name for himself in the world jazz circuit. Impressing critics and fans alike with his virtuosic musical skill, he has played some of the world’s top jazz festivals, including Bray Jazz Festival, Festival Django Reinhardt, Sligo Jazz Festival, Glasgow Jazz Festival, to name only a few.

Andreas Varady first picked up a guitar at four years old and began learning songs by ear. Since then he’s been unstoppable – from being the youngest headline performer (only 13 years old) at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, UK, to releasing his first solo album Questions in 2010. A true musical wunderkind he has often been compared to the great George Benson, a personal hero of his.

Andreas Varady quartet is a real family affair. His dad, Bandi Varady is playing the bass and his younger brother Adrian is an outstanding, beyond his years, drummer. The quartet includes top Slovakian saxophone player Radovan Tariska.

This exceptional concert presentation on April 29, 2016 at Flato Markham Theatre was the perfect way to close the Theatre’s outstanding 30th season.

Andreas Varady – Guitar
Ondrej “Bandi” Varady – Bass
Adrian Varady – Drums
Radovan Tariska – Sax

Photos of Andreas Varady Quartet by Atael Weissman

Andreas Varady was born in Slovakia into a Hungarian gypsy family. He began learning the guitar at the age of four under the direction of his father, Bandi. In 2007 Varady’s family moved to Limerick, Ireland and after two years of busking in Limerick and Cork he met Irish drummer and producer David Lyttle after writing to him on YouTube.Lyttle began featuring him in his band and in 2010 produced Varady’s debut album Questions for Lyte Records.The release of Questions and Varady’s growing presence on YouTube brought him to the attention of Martin Taylor, Louis Stewart, Tommy Emmanuel, and later Quincy Jones. In 2011, at thirteen years of age, Varady performed at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London, and historically is the club’s youngest headliner. He also appeared on the front cover of Guitar Player magazine and at festivals in France, the UK and the South Pacific. In 2012 Varady was invited by Claude Nobs to perform at Montreux Jazz Festival as part of Quincy Jones’s Global Gumbo, which Jones presented. Varady performed with the same group in New York and Los Angeles later in 2012, and signed to Jones’s management company in January 2013.

Andreas Varady signed a record deal with Verve Records in October 2013 and recorded his first album for the label in January 2014. The first album is self-titled “Andreas Varady” and was produced by David Paich, Jay Oliver and executive produced by Quincy Jones. The album was released on 5 August 2014.