88 Strings Musicians

Ali Razmi is a gifted Tar & Setar player who obtained his Master’s Degree in music from The Art University of Tehran in 2006. Since his arrival to Canada in 2007 he is a roster member of the Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra and has done workshops and concerts with well known musicians from all around the world. He has toured 29 cities in Italy with Orchestra Familia, appeared at the Jahan e Khusrau music festival in New Delhi with Rumi Ensemble. He has performed with Abida Parveen, Saaz o Raaz Ensemble (Indian Persian fusion), Ali Razmi Persian Jazz ensemble, Vashhan ensemble (folk), Qalandar ensemble (Arabic and Persian jazz), and solo playing at The Art Museum of Dallas, as well as Sufi music with whirling dervishes at The Agha Khan Museum in Toronto.

Dailin Hsieh graduated from Taiwan’s National Tainan University of the Arts and received a Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology from National Taiwan Normal University. Aside from receiving numerous awards for her artistry, she has premiered numerous groundbreaking works by Taiwanese and Canadian composers to critical acclaim. Dailin has performed as a soloist with the Turning Point Ensemble, Allegra Chamber Orchestra, Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (Taiwan & European/China/Canada tours), and the Taipei Municipal Chinese Orchestra. Dailin is a member of the JUNO nominated Orchid Ensemble, Naadaleela Ensemble, Sound of Dragon Ensemble, BC Chinese Music Ensemble, Sounds Global Ensemble, and the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra. Dailin’s solo CD Zheng Image (2014) featured original Taiwanese compositions.

John Oliver is an award-winning composer and guitarist. He studied classical guitar at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and music composition at UBC and McGill University (D.Mus., 1992). Since winning the Grand Prize at the 8th CBC National Young Composers' Competition at the age of 30, Oliver has been a full-time composer, while continuing to perform as a chamber musician on classical and electric guitar. He has appeared as guest performer with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver New Music, Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble, Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (Taiwan), and others. He works frequently in duos, exploring a range of music from around the world, from traditional to experimental music with electronics. His music appears on over 40 recordings.

Dr. Joy Yeh is the Professor and Chair of the Harp Division at the Vancouver Academy of Music. She is also a distinguished judge at international music competitions and festivals, including the Canadian Music Competition, the Camac Prize International Harp Competition, and the USA International Music Competition. Joy maintains an active performing career alongside her teaching commitments. She has been featured as a soloist with renowned orchestras such as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, and the UBC Symphony Orchestra. Her performances have taken her to prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, Kozertberlin, World Harp Congress (Canada and Hong Kong), and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in Germany. Dr. Yeh's music can be heard on CBC Radio2, and she has been interviewed by various media outlets, including Fairchild Radio FM96.1, CFJC Midday TV, Talentivision TV, Evening News, Richmond Review, and Taste of Life Magazine.