Asian Heritage Month Concert 2026
“Songs of Belonging: An Asian Canadian Concert of Hope and Human Connection Against Hate”
Date: Thursday May 28, 2026, 7pm
Venue: Father Madden Hall, St. Michael’s College, 100 St. Joseph Street (Museum Subway Station) Map
FREE ADMISSION: Please register here.
Map: Father Madden Hall inside Carr Hall, St. Michael’s College, 100 St. Joseph Street
Artistic Directors: Professor Chan Ka Nin, Ms Alice Ping Yee Ho, Dr. Vania Chan
PROGRAMME
Program Notes prepared by Artistic Directors Professor Chan Ka Nin, Alice Ping Yee Ho and Vania Chan
MC: Dr. Vania Chan
Land Acknowledgement
O Canada
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love
in all of us command,
Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits,
God keep our land
glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada,
we stand on guard for thee.
Welcoming speech by Mr. Justin Poy
Chopsticks Dance from Mongolia 蒙古筷子舞
Jeffrey Chan, dancer
Seoljanggu
John Lee, Korean percussion
Seoljanggu is a solo performance on the janggu, the hourglass-shaped drum. The name originally referred to the lead janggu player in a folk music troupe. The performance was renamed Seoljanggu-nori to put that role (and the showmanship it demands) at the centre
Song from Uygur 达坂城之歌 – Dance
Jeffrey Chan, dancer
Toronto: A World in One City, a play by Arlene Chan
Matthew Li, grandpa; Vania Chan, grandchild; Hong-Da Chin, dizi
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg
Vania Chan, soprano; CHAN Ka Nin, guitar
Aunt Norma by Chan Ka Nin
Hong-Da Chin, dizi, Amely Zhou, erhu, Lynna Bao, piano
Aperture
Yvonne Ng 黄碧琬, Choreographer in artic collaboration with
Performers: Morgyn Aronyk-Schell, Amelia Brown, Rumi Jeraj, Yuichiro Inoue
Music: Nick Storring, Angélique Kidjo, Brandon Marsalis
Seed of Life
Silian Wong @ Adylla, voice
Xon Pon Aria from “Chinatown” Music: Alice Ho; Libretto: Madeleine Thien; Hoisanese co-writer; Paul Yee
Introduction by Paul Yee
Matthew Li, baritone; Alice Ho, piano
Duet for Xon Pon and Linda from “Chinatown”
Vania Chan, soprano; Matthew Li, baritone; Alice Ho, piano
Roa and Friends
Forest
Gayageum Sanjo: Sanjo is a form of Korean traditional instrumental solo music. Rooted in the rhythmic structures of Korean classical tradition, it is distinguished by a gradual progression from slow to fast, a sustained journey from stillness into motion.
This unfolding is expressed in the classical Korean phrase 정에서 동으로— from stillness to movement, from rest to becoming.
Run Together Korean Traditional Sanjo Music
Hong-Da Chin, dizi; Roa Hyunyoung Lee, Gayageum; Amely Zhou, erhu; John Lee, percussion
This piece draws its inspiration from Hwimori, a fast and exhilarating rhythm found in Korean traditional Sanjo music, while venturing into collaboration with instruments from diverse cultural backgrounds. Rooted in the lively spirit of Hwimori, the work showcases the distinct techniques and colors of each instrument, weaving them together into a vibrant musical tapestry. By transcending national and genre boundaries, the music unfolds like a celebratory festival.
Jazz Trio
Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies 海闊天空by Wong Ka Kui of the Beyond
What A Wonderful World Words and Music by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele
Hymn to Freedom by Oscar Peterson
Bernard Hui, piano; Malcolm Connor, bass; Sam Moorhouse, drums
Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies (海闊天空) is a timeless classic by Beyond, composed by the band’s lead vocalist Wong Ka Kui. Released in 1993, the song has become one of the most iconic anthems in Cantonese music.
Its lyrics speak of perseverance, freedom, and staying true to one’s dreams despite setbacks and struggles. With lines that reflect resilience and hope, the song captures a deeply emotional journey of chasing ideals in the face of adversity.
More than just a song, Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies embodies the spirit of Hong Kong, a city known for its determination, adaptability, and relentless pursuit of opportunity. It continues to resonate across generations, symbolizing courage, unity, and the belief that beyond every challenge lies an open horizon.
What a Wonderful World
Bob Thiele, George David Weiss
What a Wonderful World is a beloved classic written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. It became world-famous through the unforgettable interpretation of Louis Armstrong in 1967, whose warm, distinctive voice brought the song to life and helped turn it into a timeless standard.
The song reflects a simple yet profound appreciation for everyday beauty, from nature and friendship to love and human connection. Its gentle lyrics remind us to pause and notice the goodness in the world, even during difficult times, offering a message of hope, gratitude, and quiet optimism.
Hymn to Freedom
Oscar Peterson
Hymn to Freedom is a powerful jazz piece composed by Oscar Peterson in 1962, with later lyricsadded by Harriette Hamilton. First performed by the Oscar Peterson Trio, the piece has since become an enduring symbol of hope and human rights.
Originally an instrumental, the music conveys a deep sense of dignity, struggle, and triumph, reflecting the universal longing for freedom and equality. When lyrics were later added, the song took on an even clearer message of unity and justice, resonating with movements for civil rights and social change. Today, “Hymn to Freedom” remains a moving reminder of resilience, compassion, and the shared pursuit of a better world.
Finale: 明天會更好 Tomorrow Will Be Better by Luo Da You 羅大佑
Vania Chan, soprano; Matthew Li, baritone; Silian Wong @ Adylla, Hong-Da Chin, Han Mei Shan, singers; Bernard Hui, Alice Ho, piano; Chan Ka Nin, guitar; Samuel Moorhouse, drums; Amely Zhou, erhu; Roa Lee, Gayageum; John Lee, percussion
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Artistic Directors
Artistic Director | Chan Ka Nin
Twice winner of Juno Awards for Best Classical Composition, University of Toronto Professor CHAN Ka Nin’s works have been performed by ensembles and artists nationally and internationally. Among his recent works, his “Welcoming Spring” was premiered by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in January 2023. His second full-length opera, “Dragon’s Tale,” premiered during the Luminato Festival in June 2023.. In the same month, Chan’s trio, “Among Friends,” was presented by the Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center in New York. His Harp Concerto was premiered by the Chamber Orchestra Hong Kong with harpist Teresa Suen-Campbell in April 2025. This work was recorded by Sinfonia Toronto and is set to be released in 2025.
Artistic Director | Alice Ping Yee Ho
Photo by Bo Hung
Alice Ping Yee Ho 何水頤 is a distinguished Chinese Canadian composer recognized for her versatile, innovative, and emotionally compelling body of work. Her music spans opera, orchestral, chamber, choral, dance, theatre, and electroacoustic genres, and is noted for its originality, narrative power, and cross-cultural sensibility. Drawing on her Chinese heritage while engaging contemporary Western techniques, Ho has developed a distinctive artistic voice that resonates internationally.
Ho has received numerous honors, including the 2024 Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music, the 2022 Symphony Nova Scotia Maria Anna Mozart Award, and the 2022 Barlow Endowment Commissioning Award. She is also the recipient of the 2019 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize and the 2013 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Original Opera for The Lesson of Da Ji.
Her works have been performed by ensembles such as the China National Symphony, Shanghai Philharmonic, Taiwan National Symphony, Finnish Lapland Chamber Orchestra, and Luxembourg Sinfonietta. A three-time JUNO Award nominee, Ho has released more than twelve solo albums encompassing chamber music, solo instrumental works, operas, vocal and choral music, and electronic ballet. Selected recordings include Ming (percussion), Glistening Pianos (two pianos), The Lesson of Da Ji and CHINATOWN (opera), Venom of Love (electronic ballet), A Woman’s Voice (vocal), and Dark Tales (chamber cycle for violin and piano). She is based in Toronto.
Website: www.alicepyho.com
Artistic Director | Vania Chan
Photo by Helen Tansey
Vania Lizbeth Chan is a versatile artist, active in the fields of vocal performance, academia and education. She enjoys collaborating with fellow artists to create new and exciting projects that inspire and educate a wide ranging audience.
A lyric coloratura soprano, Vania sings in a variety of styles, her voice described as “gently shimmering” by Opera News, NY. She made her Carnegie Hall debut, claiming first prize in the Barry Alexander International Competition, NY.
Vania received her PhD from York University, and her Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music, New York.
Her doctoral dissertation explored the topics of Mindfulness and Self-Regulation. She continues to expand her research through her interview series “When Music Meets Mindfulness”, released on her YouTube channel – Vania Chan Music, and published in The WholeNote Magazine. She will present a lecture at the International Congress of Voice Teachers, coming up this summer.
Vania is grateful to continue working as co-artistic director with composers Ka Nin Chan and Alice Ho, organizing, hosting and performing in the annual Asian Heritage Month Concert in Toronto.
Her 2025/2026 performance season includes projects with Little Pear Garden Theatre, Soundstreams, and the Rezonance Baroque Ensemble.
Click here for Vania Chan’s complete bio.
Artists
Lynna Bao | pianist
Toronto-based pianist Lynna Bao holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto, where she studied with Lydia Wong, and a Master of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music under Daniel Shapiro. Praised for her “intelligent, musically sophisticated playing” and “a nice blend of heart and mind” (Steven Philcox), she has performed extensively as both a soloist and chamber musician. Her recital appearances include the Steinway & Sons Gallery in Shanghai, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, and the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto. Recent highlights include her performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with the Todi Ensemble under Francesco D’Ovidi in Todi, Italy.
Since moving to Canada at 16, Lynna has earned multiple top prizes at the Canadian Music Competition and the Kiwanis Festival, and has performed in masterclasses with leading artists including André Laplante, John Perry, Ronan O’Hora, Gabriela Montero, and Michail Lifits.
Outside of performance, Lynna is passionate about the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and is the founder of the University of Toronto Tolkien Club. She recently completed an original soundtrack for a stage production of The Silmarillion, premiering in July 2026.
Arlene Chan | Writer and storyteller
Photo by Silvia Hardy
Arlene Chan has written seven books and contributed to numerous publications about the history, culture, and traditions of the Chinese in Canada. Her work has been recognized with several awards. She serves as an advisor for the Chinese Canadian Archive at the Toronto Reference Library and as the president of the Jean Lumb Foundation.
Jeffrey Chan | choreographer and dance performer
Jeffrey Chan is the founder of the Wu Ming Dance Project whose goal is to express Asian philosophies and contemporary social identities through modern dance. Chan started dance training in Hong Kong with Chinese classical and folk dance. In Canada and England, he expanded his training to include modern techniques: Graham, Cunningham, Limon, and Horton. He has also studied Tai Chi and Baguazhang. His original modern dance works have been presented at various dance festivals in Canada and China. His full-evening works Eight Tones (2000), Nanking Monologue (2005) and The Lord of Death (2012) were presented to critical acclaim. From 2007 to 2017 Chan went to China six times to further his advanced study of Chinese folk dance with support from the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. He was a summer school faculty member for the National Ballet School of Canada from 2008 to 2014.
Bernard Hui | Piano
Bernard Hui is a versatile pianist and the creative mind behind Lionrock Piano Covers, a platform where he shares high-quality piano arrangements and easy-to- follow tutorials. He’s especially known for his thoughtfully crafted covers of Asian pop songs, transforming well-loved tracks into expressive solo piano versions that stay true to the heart of the original music while bringing out the unique voice of the piano.
Before building his online presence, Bernard was deeply involved in Hong Kong’s vibrant jazz scene. As a trained jazz musician, he spent years developing his skills in improvisation and harmony, performing in one of Asia’s most dynamic music environments. His formal training and hands-on experience continue to shape the musical depth and polish of his work today.
Bernard Hui’s Group
Malcolm Connor \ Bass
Malcolm Connor has established himself as a sought after bassist in Toronto’s vibrant music scene. Malcolm has been recorded on multiple albums ranging from modern jazz, to indie/singer/songwriter and hip-hop.
Performing regularly as a freelance sideman and band leader, the bassist can be heard in a variety of contexts, including “The Toronto Jazz Orchestra”, the improvisational hip-hop collective “Czyphor”, and with Juno Award winner “Michael Kaeshammer”.
Samuel Moorhouse | Drums
Arthur Samuel Moorhouse is a Toronto based drummer/artist originally from Parry Sound, Ontario. Currently attending the Humber College music program, he has been dedicated to honing his craft and exploring the diverse musical landscape of the city.
While most at home within the indie music realm, he is equally passionate about other genres such as Jazz, rock, pop, country, and folk. He values every opportunity to collaborate with fellow musicians and continues to grow within Canada’s vibrant music community.
John Lee | percussion
John (Taewook) Lee is a Korean-Canadian musician and photographer who plays traditional percussion and daegeum. He began learning samulnori at seven years old and continued studying under Samulnori Canada’s Chris Baek after immigrating to Canada in 2000. Over the years, John has toured and performed with a range of ensembles and multidisciplinary projects across Canada.
Now serving as President of the Korean Traditional Music Association of Canada and leader of the fusion band Haneum, John’s work primarily reflects his identity and experience growing up between cultures. Rooted in Korean traditional rhythms and shaped by the uniquely diverse musical environment of Toronto, his artistic focus is on blending tradition with western influences to resonate with a wider audience while staying true to his heritage.
Artists in John Lee’s group
Hong-Da Chin | Dazi
Rao Hyunyoung Le | gayageum
Amely Zhou | erhu
Yvonne Ng | Choreographer
Yvonne Ng| 黄碧琬 is a Singapore-born, Toronto-based choreographer, performer, arts educator, curator, and producer. She is the Artistic Director of tiger princess dance projects and founding curator of dance: made in / fait au canada Festival, a national platform for contemporary dance in Canada.
Ng’s practice spans creation, performance, community-engaged arts, and cultural leadership. Her choreographic work is shaped by embodiment, memory, migration, and cultural intersectionality, often exploring how identity, perception, and human connection emerge through movement. Drawing from improvisation, relational systems, and Open Source Forms, her work is known for its physical precision, emotional intelligence, and nuanced attention to the space between bodies.
Performers in Yvonne Ng’s Dance
Morgyn Aronyk-Schell (she/they) | performer
Morgyn Aronyk-Schell (she/they) (Performer) is a Dora award-winning contemporary dance artist and an arts educator for youth and seniors. They have curated and hosted workshops with a movement-focused, queer-centred and multidisciplinary lens with the Toronto Community Love-In, and as a co-creator of “blank space’. Through another community-engaged project, The Dance Share Series, she has worked to make cultural dance practices accessible in Toronto. Originally from Edmonton, AB, they moved to Toronto to study at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, graduating in 2019. Since then, they have worked with many Toronto-based dance companies and collaborators. She creates, teaches, organizes, and performs to foster community and to inspire others to live creatively. She believes art-making is powerful, political, and an essential part of the human experience that everyone should have access to.
Amelia Brown | performer
Amelia Brown (Performer) is a Toronto-based artist of Indian and European settler heritage. She is a graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (now known as Dance Arts Institute). Upon graduating, she had the pleasure of joining the cast of All That Is Between, Yvonne Ng’s Dora-nominated work for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble and Outstanding Original Choreography. Amelia has also had the opportunity to collaborate on several works in process and showings with tiger princess dance projects, Roughhouse Dance, Charlotte Cain, and Maxine Hepner. Amelia has participated in Festivals such as Guelph Dance, Dance Ontario, SummerWorks, Common Ground Dance Festival, Jamii Wayo, The Garage, and the IBPOC touring network, performing other notable works by Julia Aplin, Emily Duckett, Mairead Filgate, Steph Harkness, Ellen Moore, and Colleen Snell. She would like to give thanks to The Pia Bouman School for Ballet and Creative Movement and Etobicoke School of the Arts for fostering her artistic practice and always being a home to return to.
Yuichiro Inoue | performer
Yuichiro Inoue (Performer) is a choreographer, dancer and teacher. Who performed as a member of the Toronto Dance Theatre for 18 years. Born in Japan, Yuichiro moved to Germany at the age of 15 to study at the John Cranko Ballet School in Stuttgart, Germany. He spent nine years as a member of the Staatstheater Braunschweig, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, and Staatstheater in Saarbruecken. In 2004, he moved to Toronto and completed RAD certification and the Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School before joining TDT under the direction of Christopher House. Yuichiro received the Hiroshima International Dance Competition choreography award, multiple Dora award nominations, and a nomination for the Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Award. Yuichiro has taught at many of Canada’s and Japan’s foremost dance institutions, including Toronto Dance Theatre, Ballet Company- Ballet Jörgen, School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Canada’s National Ballet School, Kobe College( Japan), Quinte Ballet School, Claude Watson Arts Program Dance Arts Institute. He currently teaches at York University and George Brown College. Pia Bouman Ballet School. His students have gone on to be accepted into prestigious post-secondary programs and companies, such as the Netherlands Dance Theatre and the National Ballet of Canada.
A co-founder of 3+ Dance Collective with Pulga Muchochoma and Naishi Wang, Yuichiro’s choreographic work has included commissions for Toronto Dance Theatre, George Brown College, Dance Arts Institute, Dusk Dances, and Guelph Dance Festival. Nagata Shachu, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Claude Watson Arts Program, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, Matsuoka Ballet (Japan), award-winning film, international festivals, and competitions.
Rumi Jeraj | performer
Rumi Jeraj (Performer) is an Ismailli muslim hailing from Sherwood Park Alberta (the world’s largest hamlet). A Graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University Rumi has worked for dance artists including Hannah Kiel, Daryl Tracy, Heidi Strauss, Maxine Hepner and Eilish Shin-Culhane. He has presented his work at Dusk Dances, the Hamilton Fringe Festival, Citadel Compagnie’s Night Shift, Interaccess Gallery and Common Ground Dance Festival. Notable projects include Nature Boy a collaboration with Purawai Vyas (a Bharatanatyam dancer) which saw the pair exchange over rhythm and culture and Space and Spectra a collaboration with drummer Aidan McConnell which brought together contemporary dancers and free improvised musicians. Rumi just completed a season as guest curator for Dance Makers exploring what the tap shoe of the future might look like. Shoe Dreams brought together dancers, shoe makers and designers to collectively dream up this shoe. He is currently interested in bringing together his Tap and Contemporary dance practices to create a body percussion work on dancers and musicians of various forms and traditions. He aspires to create and be a part of work which mixes forms in order to better tell stories. He believes there is a perfect balance between words, music, and movement which can communicate intellectually, emotionally and viscerally all at once. He aspires to find this state on stage.
Amely Zhou | erhu
Amely Zhou is a dedicated and multifaceted musician, specializing in erhu and guzheng performance, adjudication, and conducting. She graduated from York University with a Specialized Honours B.A. in Music in 2014 and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology in 2023. As a soloist, Amely has achieved significant recognition, including winning the concerto competition at York University where she performed “Red Plum Capriccio” with the York University Symphony Orchestra. She was also invited to perform with the Canadian Sinfonietta. Amely has performed numerous new works composed for her by international composers and has contributed to over twenty albums, helping to promote global appreciation for Chinese music.
Event co-organizers: Asian Heritage Month—Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture (Central Ontario) Inc.; Toronto Public Library; Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto; Richard Charles Lee Canada Hong Kong Library, University of Toronto; Chinese Canadian Photography Society of Toronto; Social Services Network; Cambridge Food and Wine Society
Asian Heritage Month Festival is partially funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Asian Canadian Artists in Digital Age is funded by Canada Council for the Arts Digital Strategy Fund