Community Celebration

With his unmistakable artistic signature, Daniel Raiskin has become one of the most recognized conductors of his generation and has developed a broad repertoire beyond the mainstream in his strikingly conceived programmes. A son of a prominent musicologist, Raiskin grew up in St. Petersburg. He attended the celebrated conservatory in his native city and continued his studies in Amsterdam and Freiburg. First focusing on viola, he was inspired to take up the baton as a result of an encounter with the distinguished teacher Lev Savich. In addition, he also took classes with Maestri such as Mariss Jansons, Neeme Järvi, Milan Horvat, Woldemar Nelson and Jorma Panula. Continue reading...

Paul is an internationally trained educator who started his career in the First Nations Education system. He is currently a Vice-Principal with the Winnipeg Division and holds a Masters degree in Education. Paul is also a local performing artist. He represented Canada twice internationally in the 2017 Watercube Cup in Beijing and the 2015 World Championship of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. In 2012, he was part of Canada’s Got Talent and was selected as the Hometown Hero. Continue reading…

Raymond Ding, age 16, is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. This past year alone, he was awarded three of the Winnipeg Music Festival’s highest achievements, including the Royal Conservatory of Music Alumni Association Trophy (Winnipeg Chapter) for the highest piano recognition, the Aikins Memorial Trophy for the highest instrumentalist recognition, and the Lieutenant Governor Trophy for the highest recognition of the entire 2023 Festival. Born in China, Raymond arrived in Canada in 2017. He studied with Jane Petroni for 5 years, and since September 2022, he has been studying with Shirley Elias. Raymond is currently in Grade 11, studying at J. H. Bruns Collegiate. In addition to his enthusiasm and commitment to solo piano, he enjoys accompanying choir, outdoor activities and mathematics.

Founded in the fall of 2019, the vision of The Manitoba Chinese Choir was to create a platform that would bring people together with a passion for singing while simultaneously enriching and promoting Chinese culture. The choir is supported by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of China, with connections to Manitoba Great Wall Performing Arts and the choir department of Sichuan Conservatory of Music. Continue reading…

One half of the award-winning husband and wife duo Burnstick, Jason Burnstick is a Plains-Cree guitarist, vocalist and film music composer.

The Sistema Winnipeg Beethoven Orchestra comprises students from Elwick Community School and King Edward Community School who are the most experienced students from grades 4-8 in Sistema Winnipeg. This orchestra meets and rehearses daily after school with the help of a team of Divisional music educators from Winnipeg and Seven Oaks School Divisions and are conducted by Sistema Music Director Monica Chen.

A native of Vancouver, Chen is one of the conducting fellows at the Orchestre Métropolitain, assisting Yannick Nézet-Séguin since the 2021/22 season. She was one of three finalists at Domaine Forget chosen to perform in concert with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec two years in a row. She is currently closely associated with Tapestry Opera, frequently working with orchestras across Canada. Continue reading…

Ray “Coco” Stevenson is a well-known Indigenous singer and drummer from Manitoba. He was first introduced to drumming and ceremonies over thirty years ago. His journey as an Indigenous artist started after that first introduction.

Walking Wolf Dancers & Singers perform traditional Aboriginal dances, sharing with audiences the stories and meanings behind them. The group’s performances include hoop dancers, jingle dancers, friendship dancers, drummers and chanters to captivate the audience.

The ancient Hoop Dance is a magical and captivating performance for audiences of all ages. Using up to 30 decorative hoops, the hoop dancer forms configurations representing stories of nature, such as the butterfly, the eagle, the moon and the snake. Continue reading…

Musica Singers is Manitoba’s newest vocal ensemble promoting Philippine music. It aims to showcase Philippine art, culture, and traditions in performances throughout the province. The group’s repertoire ranges from folk and the classics like the kundiman, a Philippine art song, to popular and sacred choral music by contemporary composers.

Musica Singers started in 2019 as an informal company of kundiman soloists. Late last year, the singers started exploring choral pieces and found a home at the Philippine-Canadian Centre of Manitoba. Since then, the ensemble’s more notable performances have been at the Community Celebration concert of the WSO and the Filipino Heritage Celebration of the Winnipeg Jets. Continue reading…

With thousands of collective streams to date of multiple singles on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music, among other streaming websites, Winnipeg singer, songwriter, and bandleader Olubunmi Oduntan – BunmiPraise has continued to work tirelessly to cement her place in the Canadian gospel and inspirational music landscape.

Having won the Musicianship and Best Performance Overall Award from Concert on Request, Manitoba, the “You are Great” singer has continued to organize several music concerts, live gigs, studio recordings, cross-cultural gatherings, dinners, award shows, and other places that showcase the pride and beauty of the sound of music. Continue reading...