Founding Artistic Directors

 Patty Chan is a second generation Chinese Canadian Erhu musician/ Educator/Author who is passionate about creating cultural connections through music. As an erhu musician, Patty has collaborated with many ensembles and organizations, including the Strings of St. John’s, Red Snow Collective, the Toronto Masque Theatre, and the Canadian Children’s Opera Company. She has performed in world premieres of theatre/opera productions such as Red Snow (2012)The Lesson of Da Ji (2013), Comfort (2016), and The Monkiest King (2018). Patty’s composition, Redemption: The Chan Kol Nidre (2015) for erhu and viola da gamba has been added to the archives at the Beit Hatfutsot in Tel Aviv, a museum for the Jewish people. Patty has taught erhu and Chinese music at York University, Ryerson University, and Carleton University. She is the Music Director of the Toronto Chinese Orchestra (TCO), and has led and participated in music exchanges and tours to Vancouver, Edmonton, Hong Kong, Beijing, Henan, Xi’an, and Taiwan. Patty published “Playing Erhu – Bridging the Gap” (2011), the world’s first erhu instruction book in English which has been sold in over 30 countries. Sharing the beauty of traditional and contemporary music to a new generation and a new audience has always been her passion.

 Sanya Eng is one of Canada’s most sought-after harpists, equally celebrated as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician. A dynamic and sensitive performer, she has been described as “an outstanding musical talent” (Jerusalem Post), “remarkably polished” (Globe and Mail) and “dazzling with her delicate and intense command of the harp” (Musical Toronto). She has been a featured soloist in many festivals and concert series throughout North America, Europe, Israel, Asia, and Africa. As an active chamber and orchestral musician, she performs regularly with ensembles such as the Canadian Opera Company, The National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra, New Music Concerts, Soundstreams, Continuum, the Manitoba chamber Orchestra, the St. Michael’s Boys’ Choir, the Toronto Children’s Chorus, and the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus. In addition, Sanya is passionately dedicated to New Music and has personally commissioned and premiered countless works by both Canadian and international composers. She has recorded for Naxos, Centrediscs, CBC Records, Canadian Art Song Project, hatART, ClassXdiscs, and Orange Mountain Music.