Upcoming Concerts

Emma Rush is “widely regarded as one of Canada’s premier classical guitarists” (Vivascene Magazine) and her career has commanded world recognition. Touring highlights include the Altamira Shanghai International Guitar Festival (China), Festival de Guitarras Lagos de Moreno (Mexico), and Future Echoes Festival (Sweden), and performing on a cross-country train trip aboard The Canadian. In 2026 Rush will perform throughout Canada with appearances in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, and international performances will include the Iserlohn International Guitar Symposium in Germany and a U.K. tour. “Emma Rush has crafted a sound that transcends generations and speaks directly to the heart and soul.” (Too Much Love Magazine)

In 2025 Emma Rush released The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten, dedicated to the Victorian guitar icon and her circle. It contains many first recordings and was featured as the CBC In Concert Record of the Week. A Dream of Colour (2023) featured “exquisite additions to the contemporary Canadian guitar repertoire” (The WholeNote) that Rush commissioned. In 2020 Rush released Wake the Sigh, a collection of rare music written for guitar by women in the 19th century, almost none of which had ever been recorded before. Her earlier recordings are Canadiana and Folklórica.

Rush’s work has been heard on CBC’s In Concert and About Time, NPR’s Classical Guitar Alive!, and Radio France and she has been featured in Classical Guitar Magazine, Fretboard Journal, Record World, and Sweden’s Gitarr och Luta.

Rush is a guest lecturer at colleges and universities throughout North America. She was an Artist-in-Residence at the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University in the fall of 2016, has completed two artistic residencies at the Sointula Art Shed in remote British Columbia, and a research residency at GEDOK Schleswig-Holstein in Lübeck, Germany. She is active in presenting guitar events around the world and is Co-Director of GuitarFest West in Calgary (AB), Director of the Pigeon Lake Guitar Retreat (ON), Hamilton Guitar Day (ON), Nelson Guitar Festival (BC), and a collaborator with Wakefield Guitar Festival (QC).

Emma Rush has received three City of Hamilton Arts Awards, and has had her work supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Arts Nova Scotia, Hamilton City Enrichment Fund, and FACTOR. She completed her graduate studies at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold in Germany, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

Emma Rush is “widely regarded as one of Canada’s premier classical guitarists” (Vivascene Magazine) and her career has commanded world recognition. Touring highlights include the Altamira Shanghai International Guitar Festival (China), Festival de Guitarras Lagos de Moreno (Mexico), and Future Echoes Festival (Sweden), and performing on a cross-country train trip aboard The Canadian. In 2026 Rush will perform throughout Canada with appearances in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, and international performances will include the Iserlohn International Guitar Symposium in Germany and a U.K. tour. “Emma Rush has crafted a sound that transcends generations and speaks directly to the heart and soul.” (Too Much Love Magazine)

In 2025 Emma Rush released The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten, dedicated to the Victorian guitar icon and her circle. It contains many first recordings and was featured as the CBC In Concert Record of the Week. A Dream of Colour (2023) featured “exquisite additions to the contemporary Canadian guitar repertoire” (The WholeNote) that Rush commissioned. In 2020 Rush released Wake the Sigh, a collection of rare music written for guitar by women in the 19th century, almost none of which had ever been recorded before. Her earlier recordings are Canadiana and Folklórica.

Rush’s work has been heard on CBC’s In Concert and About Time, NPR’s Classical Guitar Alive!, and Radio France and she has been featured in Classical Guitar Magazine, Fretboard Journal, Record World, and Sweden’s Gitarr och Luta.

Rush is a guest lecturer at colleges and universities throughout North America. She was an Artist-in-Residence at the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University in the fall of 2016, has completed two artistic residencies at the Sointula Art Shed in remote British Columbia, and a research residency at GEDOK Schleswig-Holstein in Lübeck, Germany. She is active in presenting guitar events around the world and is Co-Director of GuitarFest West in Calgary (AB), Director of the Pigeon Lake Guitar Retreat (ON), Hamilton Guitar Day (ON), Nelson Guitar Festival (BC), and a collaborator with Wakefield Guitar Festival (QC).

Emma Rush has received three City of Hamilton Arts Awards, and has had her work supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Arts Nova Scotia, Hamilton City Enrichment Fund, and FACTOR. She completed her graduate studies at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold in Germany, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

Admission:  PWYC (Pay What You Can)

Suggested Donation: $40/person

All donations go to the expenses of the series and to the performer.

Neha Mahajan is a sitarist from the Beenkar Gharana, a renowned family tradition in Raga Music emerging from the stroking style of the B. She performs Raga, the melodic system at the heart of Indian music, in the Kharaj-Pancham Baaj style, which highlights deep, resonant tones. Trained by her father, Shri Vidur Mahajan, and currently under Ustad Zunain Khan, Neha blends classical tradition with creative innovation and expression. She has performed with Grammy-winning artist Ricky Martin and was awarded the Sitarvadak Yuva Puraskar (2025). With a Master’s in Philosophy, Neha invites audiences to explore the beauty, emotion, and timeless resonance of Raga Music.

Zaheer Abbas is a Toronto-based tabla player and student of Ustad Allarakha’s senior disciple, Shri Prafulla Athalye. He has performed across Canada in a variety of classical, semi-classical, and contemporary settings, and has accompanied many leading artists in the Canadian performing arts landscape. Zaheer-Abbas brings the tradition of tabla to new contexts through his diverse artistic collaborations and projects. 

Alex Ring is a local musician and composer, born in St. Catharines. He continues to live here with his young family, working as an elementary school teacher with the DSBN. His principal instrument is the violin, playing solo and with local collective The Northern Arm. As a solo artist, he primarily plays the violin with other sound sources, including sine-wave oscillators, guitar, etc. His recorded music involves manipulation of found sources, along with “traditional” instrumentation. Layering is a key component to his sound, resulting in everything from minimalist drone to dense soundscapes and “noise”.

Three words: Adventurous, nature-inspired compositions.

Program Description

Join us for a captivating concert with Folias Duo, the celebrated pairing of Michigan-based flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron. With over two decades of collaboration, they are renowned for their seamless fusion of classical, jazz, world music, and improvisation.

Their original compositions, inspired by life on the road and the beauty of the natural world, transport audiences with vivid storytelling through music. This performance will feature highlights from their newest works, including pieces inspired by the Great Lakes.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the artistry of two trailblazing musicians defining the flute and guitar ensemble!

Three words: Adventurous, nature-inspired compositions.

Program Description

Join us for a captivating concert with Folias Duo, the celebrated pairing of Michigan-based flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron. With over two decades of collaboration, they are renowned for their seamless fusion of classical, jazz, world music, and improvisation.

Their original compositions, inspired by life on the road and the beauty of the natural world, transport audiences with vivid storytelling through music. This performance will feature highlights from their newest works, including pieces inspired by the Great Lakes.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the artistry of two trailblazing musicians defining the flute and guitar ensemble!

Three words: Adventurous, nature-inspired compositions.

Program Description

Join us for a captivating concert with Folias Duo, the celebrated pairing of Michigan-based flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron. With over two decades of collaboration, they are renowned for their seamless fusion of classical, jazz, world music, and improvisation.

Their original compositions, inspired by life on the road and the beauty of the natural world, transport audiences with vivid storytelling through music. This performance will feature highlights from their newest works, including pieces inspired by the Great Lakes.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the artistry of two trailblazing musicians defining the flute and guitar ensemble!

Dr. Daniel Ramjattan has become an ambassador for the classical guitar in Canada, having premiered dozens of chamber and solo works for guitar. He has given recitals in Vienna, Austria, Italy, and various locations across Canada, the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Japan, and has received an array of top prizes in provincial and national solo guitar competitions. He has performed in festivals such as Koerner's 21C Festival, Open Ears, Waterloo, Guitar Alla Grande, INNERChamber, Ottawa Chamberfest, the Livorno Music Festival, Italy, the Alte Schmiede Kunstverein, Vienna’s Contemporary music series, Toronto Guitar Society’s Guitar Weekend, Vancouver Classical Guitar Festival, and many more. He also gave his concerto debut with Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez in 2023 with the Stratford Symphony.

Daniel’s past mentors have included Patrick Roux, Dr. Jeffrey McFadden, the late great Bruce Holzman, Lorenzo Micheli, and Jorge Caballero, and he has performed in masterclasses for world- class artists such as Sergio Assad, Judicael Perroy, Pavel Steidl, Fabio Zanon, and many others. He has taken first prize at competitions such as the Ottawa-Gatineau guitar competition and OMFA Provincial Guitar Competition open level in 2014 and 2016. He also placed second in the FCMF National Guitar Competition in 2016, and placed as a finalist in the Montreal and Hamilton International Guitar Competitions.

Jung Tsai

Based in Kitchener, Ontario, violinist Jung Tsai has performed extensively in the region where she serves as 2nd Associate Concertmaster in Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. Her other main appearances include performing as guest concertmaster and guest soloist with several local symphony orchestras in Ontario.

Jung received her Bachelor degree in Mannes The New School for Music (New York), Master Degree in DePaul School of Music (Chicago) and Artist Diploma in McGill School of Music (Montreal). During her stay in the United States she has won several prizes including winner of Mannes Community Concerto Competition, finalists of Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and Luminaries Fellowship winner of string category. Her past teachers include Nina Beilina, Ilya Kaler, Axel Strauss, Jonathan Crow and Denise Lupien.

Dr. Daniel Ramjattan has become an ambassador for the classical guitar in Canada, having premiered dozens of chamber and solo works for guitar. He has given recitals in Vienna, Austria, Italy, and various locations across Canada, the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Japan, and has received an array of top prizes in provincial and national solo guitar competitions. He has performed in festivals such as Koerner's 21C Festival, Open Ears, Waterloo, Guitar Alla Grande, INNERChamber, Ottawa Chamberfest, the Livorno Music Festival, Italy, the Alte Schmiede Kunstverein, Vienna’s Contemporary music series, Toronto Guitar Society’s Guitar Weekend, Vancouver Classical Guitar Festival, and many more. He also gave his concerto debut with Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez in 2023 with the Stratford Symphony.

Daniel’s past mentors have included Patrick Roux, Dr. Jeffrey McFadden, the late great Bruce Holzman, Lorenzo Micheli, and Jorge Caballero, and he has performed in masterclasses for world- class artists such as Sergio Assad, Judicael Perroy, Pavel Steidl, Fabio Zanon, and many others. He has taken first prize at competitions such as the Ottawa-Gatineau guitar competition and OMFA Provincial Guitar Competition open level in 2014 and 2016. He also placed second in the FCMF National Guitar Competition in 2016, and placed as a finalist in the Montreal and Hamilton International Guitar Competitions.

Jung Tsai

Based in Kitchener, Ontario, violinist Jung Tsai has performed extensively in the region where she serves as 2nd Associate Concertmaster in Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. Her other main appearances include performing as guest concertmaster and guest soloist with several local symphony orchestras in Ontario.

Jung received her Bachelor degree in Mannes The New School for Music (New York), Master Degree in DePaul School of Music (Chicago) and Artist Diploma in McGill School of Music (Montreal). During her stay in the United States she has won several prizes including winner of Mannes Community Concerto Competition, finalists of Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and Luminaries Fellowship winner of string category. Her past teachers include Nina Beilina, Ilya Kaler, Axel Strauss, Jonathan Crow and Denise Lupien.

Simon Farintosh is an award-winning guitarist, composer, and educator based in Victoria, BC. Named one of CBC’s ‘30 Under 30 Classical Musicians’ in 2023, he is known for his unconventional programming choices, connecting with audiences by integrating the classical guitar with more contemporary musical forms such as electronica and jazz. Simon is currently a music performance instructor at the University of Victoria, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate guitar students.

Simon studied with Dr. Alexander Dunn at the University of Victoria, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2018. Simon's musical pursuits later took him to Milwaukee, WI, where he completed a Master's Degree at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2020. Here, he was a student and teaching assistant to Rene Izquierdo, a renowned Cuban virtuoso and revered pedagogue. Currently, Simon is in the finishing stages of a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto, where he is a student of Jorge Caballero and Dr. Jeffrey McFadden.

Simon's performances have garnered him top awards in various national and international competitions. He was the 1st Prize winner of the 2018 Northwest Guitar Festival in Spokane, WA, and has been a finalist in the Canadian National Music Festival, GuitarLab International Competition, Wilson Center Guitar Competition, and the Twisted Spruce Guitar Competition. As a composer, he was recently awarded First Prize in the 2022 Ottawa Guitar Society Composition Competition for his original piece 'Distant Light.' He is a six-time recipient of the British Columbia Arts Council Award, and has been a featured performer or visiting clinician for organizations such as The Classical Guitar Society of Tri-Cities (Washington), Madison Classical Guitar Society, Ottawa Guitar Society, the Guitar Society of Toronto, Chemainus Classical Concerts, and more. He has adjudicated festivals such as the London Kiwanis Music Festival and the Canadian National Music Festival.

Simon is currently an instructor at The University of Victoria, where he runs the guitar department. He is also the owner and operator of ReVamp Guitar Academy, which offers virtual lessons to students across Canada and beyond. His students regularly receive top prizes in local and provincial music competitions, as well as excellent scores on RCM examinations. In addition to teaching and performing, Simon is also president of the Victoria Guitar Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the guitar through outreach and an international concert series.

Sam "Modern Mason" is an award winning guitarist and composer from Toronto, Canada. His music is often peaceful and melancholic with progressive forms and impressionistic soundscapes inspired by psychedelics, rage and revolution.

Simon Farintosh is an award-winning guitarist, composer, and educator based in Victoria, BC. Named one of CBC’s ‘30 Under 30 Classical Musicians’ in 2023, he is known for his unconventional programming choices, connecting with audiences by integrating the classical guitar with more contemporary musical forms such as electronica and jazz. Simon is currently a music performance instructor at the University of Victoria, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate guitar students.

Simon studied with Dr. Alexander Dunn at the University of Victoria, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2018. Simon's musical pursuits later took him to Milwaukee, WI, where he completed a Master's Degree at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2020. Here, he was a student and teaching assistant to Rene Izquierdo, a renowned Cuban virtuoso and revered pedagogue. Currently, Simon is in the finishing stages of a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto, where he is a student of Jorge Caballero and Dr. Jeffrey McFadden.

Simon's performances have garnered him top awards in various national and international competitions. He was the 1st Prize winner of the 2018 Northwest Guitar Festival in Spokane, WA, and has been a finalist in the Canadian National Music Festival, GuitarLab International Competition, Wilson Center Guitar Competition, and the Twisted Spruce Guitar Competition. As a composer, he was recently awarded First Prize in the 2022 Ottawa Guitar Society Composition Competition for his original piece 'Distant Light.' He is a six-time recipient of the British Columbia Arts Council Award, and has been a featured performer or visiting clinician for organizations such as The Classical Guitar Society of Tri-Cities (Washington), Madison Classical Guitar Society, Ottawa Guitar Society, the Guitar Society of Toronto, Chemainus Classical Concerts, and more. He has adjudicated festivals such as the London Kiwanis Music Festival and the Canadian National Music Festival.

Simon is currently an instructor at The University of Victoria, where he runs the guitar department. He is also the owner and operator of ReVamp Guitar Academy, which offers virtual lessons to students across Canada and beyond. His students regularly receive top prizes in local and provincial music competitions, as well as excellent scores on RCM examinations. In addition to teaching and performing, Simon is also president of the Victoria Guitar Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the guitar through outreach and an international concert series.

Sam "Modern Mason" is an award winning guitarist and composer from Toronto, Canada. His music is often peaceful and melancholic with progressive forms and impressionistic soundscapes inspired by psychedelics, rage and revolution.