FREE music programming from top local and international artists!

TORONTO, ON – Harbourfront Centre, along with its new lead summer partner the Toronto Port Authority (TPA), are set to bring revered musicians from all over the globe to Toronto for Hot Spot Summer festivals and events! Every weekend from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving will feature vibrant, young and emerging generations of musicians alongside honoured veterans of pop, rock, jazz and global music forms.

Hot Spot Summer music highlights include an explosive Canada Day performance by Canadian songstress Esthero, an electric synth-pop set from former Thunderheist front woman Isis, Colombian rhythms from Bogota’s acclaimed a cappela group NVOZ, rocksteady grooves from Jamaica’s legendary reggae artist Ken Boothe and a bluesy musical performance by legendary Soul Brothers Six singer and songwriter John Ellison (“She’s Some Kind of Wonderful”).

Rounding out our music-filled summer is Harbourfront Centre’s new SoundClash Music Award presented by NOW Magazine. This new initiative is designed to showcase Toronto’s talented, creative and forward-thinking independent musicians and offers $10,000 in cash prizes and other awards! Five finalists will be showcased throughout Hot Spot Summer July festivals starting at the inaugural On the Pulse festival (July 2-3). The winner will be announced at the Hot & Spicy Food Festival (Sept. 2-5) and will perform on the WestJet Stage.

For additional information and complete event listings, the public may visit harbourfrontcentre.com/summer or call the Information Hotline at 416-973-4000. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West in the heart of downtown Toronto’s waterfront.

Join us this summer as we explore ‘Hot Spots’ of intensity, artistic brilliance, connectivity, and regions of conflict that shape the impressions we have of both ourselves and our world. This theme is programmed into each weekend festival to bring together rich artistic traditions from our own backyard and around the globe. It also presents a unique opportunity to experience top Canadian and international artists in a fun, family-friendly environment without ever leaving the city!

Hot spots may not always be comfortable, but they are conduits of change. Embrace change or defy it – it is ultimately up to you. This summer, Harbourfront Centre presents programming that asks: What’s your hot spot?

HOT SPOT SUMMER MUSIC PROGRAMMING:

NXNE: June 11-12
Free outdoor concerts presented on the Redpath Stage, featuring bands appearing at NXNE, Canada’s top festival for the best new music, film and digital interactive media.

FRANCO-FÊTE: June 24-26

Co-produced by La Franco-Fête de Toronto

Franco-Fête is one of the most important French-language events in Ontario, being Toronto's premier francophone music, arts and culture festival.

Kyssi Wète
Friday, June 24, 7 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
From the Paris music scene, Kyssi Wète has fashioned his music by mixing the rhythms and sounds of multiple universes such as pop, blues, reggae, soul and rumba. Singer, songwriter and performer, his musical universe lives somewhere between France, the Congo and Jamaica.

Ben L’Oncle Soul
Friday, June 24, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Benjamin Duterde a.k.a. Ben L’Oncle Soul is a French nu-soul singer. Duterde first gained prominence in his home country with the Soul Wash EP (2009), which featured six covers of songs by Gnarls Barkley, Spice Girls, Katy Perry and The White Stripes. Ben’s first full-length album, titled simply Ben L’Oncle Soul, was released in the summer of 2010 on the Motown label.

Coeur de Pirate
Friday, June 24, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
French-Canadian chanteuse Beatrice Martin (a.k.a. Coeur de Pirate) was originally a singer and keyboardist with Bonjour Brumaire. Once she established her own unique musical vision, Beatrice left the group to concentrate on Coeur de Pirate, establishing herself as one of the biggest names in Canadian francophone music.

After-Party with Misteur Valaire
Friday, June 24, 11 p.m. (Brigantine Room)
Misteur Valaire are five guys who have been playing together since they were six years old. Add to this a trumpet, saxophone, sequencers, percussion, turntables, drums, bass and keyboards, and you get a completely crazy mix of beats to make you dance all night!

CHOQ FM 105.1 DJ set
Saturday, June 25, 12:30 a.m. (Brigantine Room)
A DJ from local Francophone radio station CHOQ FM 105.1 will keep you dancing until closing time.

Alcaz
Saturday, June 25, 5:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Alcaz is a duo from Marseille, France – two voices and two guitars. Their songs are tender and comment on the world around us. With an infectious charisma, this duo is certainly one to see live.

Mamaku
Saturday, June 25, 1:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
The Mamaku project bridges French and New Zealand cultures to create a captivating musical concoction of French Bohemian roots, South Pacifica dub and eastern sounds.

LéOparleur
Saturday, June 25, 2:45 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Brothers Josef and Simon Oster, Maya Martinez and Adrien Geschickt are LéOparleur. Formed in 1992, they’ve traveled the world playing their explosive mix of funk with a touch of psychedelic they call “disco punk”.

Jean-François Lessard
Saturday, June 25, 4 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Folk singer-songwriter Lessard has been compared to many great Quebec musicians. He is always full of energy and brings many surprises to his show.

Mike Ford
Sunday, June 26, 2 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Mike Ford is a singer-songwriter who may be best known as part of the 90s band Moxy Früvous. Through a variety of rhythms and musical textures, his new show is aimed at youth and is based on the adventures of Étienne Brûlé in the Great Lakes, and the 18th century reality of the First Nations. The narrator draws from contemporary realities to explore the themes of the environment, consumerism and technology.

Ouanani
Saturday, June 25, 7 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Ouanani is a multi-ethnic, electro-organic and festive onslaught of music from Montreal that brings together musicians from Canada, Senegal, Mozambique, Ghana and Togo. Ouanani explodes into a thousand rhythms and eight languages, though of course, mostly in French.

Les Chiclettes
Saturday, June 25, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Nathalie Nadon, Geneviève Cholette and Julie Kim are the Franco-Ontarian version of the Andrews Sisters! At Franco-Fête, they present original songs and reinvent great American and French standards in a cabaret style reminiscent of the 1930s, with a mix of comedy and musical theatre.

Damien Robitaille
Saturday, June 25, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Born and raised in Lafontaine, Ont., (north of the GTA), Robitaille has established himself as one of Canada’s most promising new artists with several awards and nominations already under his belt from L’ADISQ to the Junos.

Bernard Adamus
Saturday, June 25, 11 p.m. (Brigantine Room)
Montreal resident (via Poland) Bernard Adamus has perfectly integrated into his adopted hometown. In fact, he turned his working-class neighbourhoods into the centre of his songs; Hochelaga, Centre-Sud, Rosemont, and their streets and residents become heroes in a new kind of urban fable. Mainly influenced by blues, Adamus first established himself by covering this touching and honest genre of music.

CHOQ FM 105.1 DJ set
Sunday, June 26, 12:30 a.m. (Brigantine Room)
A DJ from local Francophone radio station CHOQ FM 105.1 will keep you dancing until closing time.

La Diva Malbouffa
Sunday, June 26, 3 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Nathalie Choquette, an incredible award-winning soprano plays La Diva Malbouffa. She has a huge passion for opera that she loves to share with the whole family.

Patrice Michaud
Sunday, June 26, 4:15 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Patrice Michaud, a singer-storyteller from Cap-Chat in the Gaspé, combines song, personal anecdotes and humour to tell stories in this wonderful and touching performance.

CANADA DAY: Friday, July 1

Focusing on provinces such as British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario, Canada Day at Harbourfront Centre celebrates all the things that make Canada unique! By reaching deep into Canada’s diverse cultural landscape, we explore and connect the country through music, arts, food, film and more!

Complaints Choir Reunion
Friday, July 1, 6 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
The Complaints Choir is a community art project that invites people to sing about their complaints. Together, they complain about issues affecting their cities, politics and more. They delighted audiences across Toronto this past March, and on July 1 they reunite to bring their entertaining blend of venting and vocals to our Canada Day celebrations!

Luke Doucet and The White Falcon
Friday, July 1, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Award-winning singer-songwriter Luke Doucet and The White Falcon was a three-piece outfit until the addition of Doucet's wife and established solo artist Melissa McClelland. Luke Doucet, named "the best young guitarist in the country," by the Toronto Star, has been celebrated across Canada, most recently garnering a 2011 Juno Award nomination for Adult Alternative Album of the Year.

Esthero
Friday, July 1, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
L.A.-based, Stratford-born singer Esthero brings her jazzy and sensual electronic music to Harbourfront Centre. Mixing up vocal styles, interesting samples and great contemporary beats results in the creation of her unique sound.

ON THE PULSE: July 2-3
Come embrace the element of surprise! On The Pulse is a two-day weekend festival of discovery in music, theatre and dance for the whole family. This festival provides the opportunity to witness artists who are pushing the boundaries of creativity, and artists that embrace participation, technology and interconnectivity.

SoundClash Music Award presented by NOW Magazine, Harbourfront Centre’s Music Award
Saturday, July 2, 2:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
The first of five shortlisted finalists to perform and compete for $10,000 in cash prizes! The winner will be announced at the Hot & Spicy Food Festival (Sept. 2-5) and will perform on the WestJet Stage.

A Cumbiar! with DJ El Machetero
Saturday, July 2, 2 p.m., 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. (Boulevard Tent)
Dance along with DJ El Machetero on the decks as he explores the far reaches of cumbia’s influence and more.

Scratch (from The Roots)
Saturday, July 2, 7:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Scratch, best known as a member of Grammy Award-winning band The Roots, is an emcee and one of the best beat boxers or vocal percussionists in the world.

Isis
Saturday, July 2, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Setting off solo from her electro-rap project Thunderheist, Isis has traded in the fire-spitting rhymes of her previous project for 80s-inspired synth-pop. Now, drawing inspiration from legends such as Deborah Harry, Betty Davis and The Doors, Isis is preparing her first solo release of songs as eclectic as they are well-rounded.

Tropical Bass Party with DJ eLman
Saturday, July 2, 9 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
DJ eLman (Sergio Elmir) specializes in the emerging sounds of Latin America's underground music scenes. He can be heard hosting the groundbreaking weekly radio show “Dos Mundos Radio” on CIUT 89.5FM and has opened for ZZK Records, Uproot Andy, Toy Selectah, Bajofondo Tango Club, Kumbia Queers and Grupo Fantasma. He can be found freaking-up Latin styles at Toronto's only monthly tropical bass party, Funkété.

Systema Solar
Saturday, July 2, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Systema Solar is a musical-visual collective from the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The members come together to create, adapt and reinvent different styles of music through improvisation, emphasizing joy and dance. They recycle the afro-Caribbean and folkloric music of Colombia such as cumbia, bullerengue, porro and champeta as they fuse these through electronic tools with contemporary rhythms and cultural styles such as hip hop, house, techno, breakbeat, breakdance, turntablism and live video performance.

Moana & The Tribe
Sunday, July 3, 5 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Moana & The Tribe was formed in 2002, quickly cementing their reputation as one of the most successful indigenous groups to emerge from Aotearoa, New Zealand. Moana & The Tribe have played nearly 150 international concerts, the most recent ranging from Kanak villages in the islands of New Caledonia to sold-out concerts in Russia. These New Zealand natives have created their own unique sound by mixing reggae and funk with traditional Maori (New Zealand culture) rhythms. Moana & The Tribe use vocal harmonies around lyrics that tell of Maori culture and connect it with the globe.

CORAZÓN DE MÉXICO: July 8-10
Presented by WestJet Vacations
Bringing together the traditional and the modern, the Corazón de México (Heart of Mexico) festival showcases the sights and sounds of a culture always moving and spreading outward. It is a culture that reflects hard realities and the vibrancy and warmth of its people.
Generously supported by the Mexican Consulate.

Los Homeless
Friday, July 8, 7:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Los Homeless is a high-energy, nine-piece band that plays a wide variety of Latin music. Their repertoire includes salsa, cumbia, merengue, cha cha and bachata. Los Homeless will keep everybody on their feet with their spicy songs.

Celso Piña the Accordion Rebel
Friday, July 8, 8:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Mexican born Celso Piña has risen to be one of the most notable figures in cumbia musica. Cumbia has its origins in Colombia’s African and indigenous populations, but has since spread to be one of the most universal Latin American music genres. Celso Piña is known for blending the sounds of the tropical base with genres from Norteño (a genre of Mexican music) to hip hop.

Quique Escamilla
Saturday, July 9, 5 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Quique is a Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. Despite his distance from Mexico, he still remains very attached to his roots and is inclined to support diverse social causes such as human and civil rights and immigration reform through his music.

Dirty Maria
Saturday, July 9, 7:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Dirty Maria exploded onto Toronto’s music scene in early 2004, when the four members decided to establish the first Latin-alternative rock band in the city. Their unique compositions consist of lyrics in Spanish and English, covering a variety of topics ranging from comical life situations to politics.

Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible, presented by Scotiabank
Saturday, July 9, 9:30-11 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Grammy Award-nominated Nortec Collective materialized from the burgeoning Tijuana electronic scene. By combining Norteño (from the north) and techno, Nortec successfully merges traditional and modern music with a twist of entertaining visuals. Members Bostich & Fussible are committed to generating music that is a positive and proud representation of their hometown.

COLOMBIAN COLOURS – Il Diaspora Festival : July 15-17
This festival showcases the diversity, infinite cultural expressions and ethnic diversity of Colombian culture by highlighting the work of Colombian diaspora artists.

Alfredo De La Fe
Saturday, July 16, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Cuban-born (and Colombian citizen) musician Alfredo De La Fe transforms salsa and Latin music using the violin. The first solo violinist to perform with a salsa orchestra, De La Fe has toured the world more than 30 times, appearing in concerts and participating in more than 1,000 albums by such top-ranked Latin artists as Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Jose Alberto “El Canario”, Cheo Feliciano, The Fania All Stars and Santana.

NVOZ
Saturday, July 16, 7 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
NVOZ is a remarkable five-member vocal band that draws on various styles of traditional Colombian music such as cumbia, bullerengue, champeta, merengue and salsa to create a unique orchestra of sound. You won’t believe the sound you hear comes from their voices!

TIRGAN IRANIAN FESTIVAL: July 21-24
Presented by Liberty Development Corporation
Is eternity timelessness? Boundlessness? Or an ideal? At the Tirgan Festival, come explore the multi-disciplinary artistic and cultural ideals of the theme, Visions of Eternity. Tirgan is the “Hot Spot” this weekend, sizzling with Iranian art, culture, cuisine, activities, entertainment and shopping.

Rastak Ensemble
Thursday, July 21, 8:30-9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Come see Rastak, a unique flare on Iranian music celebrating a rare harmonious marriage of the old and the new. Deeply routed in tradition, yet adapted beautifully to contemporary views and tastes. (Ticketed Event, $30)


CALYPSO STARS SHOWCASE:
July 27, 7:30-10 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
An entertainment-packed two and a half hour showcase featuring eight of the most wildly popular and original calypso songs of the 2011 Calypso Tents Music Series (CTMS), presented by the Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes. This evening of music, dance and carnival features four top Canadian soca artists, virtuoso steelpannist Gareth Burgess, D Farmer’s Rhythm Section band, interactive Sailor Dancers from Afro-Caribbean Dance Co. and Moko Jumbie characters from Swizzlestick Theatre. The Calypso All STARS house band for the evening is led by award-winning arranger/producer Ossie Gurley.

ISLAND SOUL: July 29-Aug. 1
Island Soul 2011 celebrates Riddim & Resistance with the historical self-transformation of the Caribbean islands from a colonial “Hot Spot” of cultural conflict into a creative hot spot of carnival culture. The Caribbean is celebrated through music, dance, storytelling workshops and traditional carnival characters at this year’s Island Soul festival.

Plenty Jump-Up Riddims! : Panman Pat and Jeff Walcott
Friday, July 29, 6 p.m. (Ann Tindal Park)
Panman Pat and Jeff Walcott bring the rhythmic sounds of Caribbean summer to life on their traveling steelpan drums!

3Canal
Friday, July 29, 9 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Renowned Trinidadian Calypsonians promote their Music Liberation Front while performing rapso music. It is excitingly energetic music of consciousness that’s been termed “the power of the word in the rhythm of the word.”

Pan Rootz: From Skin to Steelpan
Saturday, July 30, 2:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. (HarbourKIDS Zone Tent)
This workshop with Joy Lapps of Drum Artz Canada provides children with a hands-on experience with the steelpan, iron instruments and skin drums. Participants discover first-hand the amazing sounds of each of these instruments and learn a brief history of the musical evolution from skin to steel.

Elaine Lil’ Bit Shepherd
Saturday, July 30, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
A fiery, outspoken female voice in a reggae world dominated by men, Elaine Lil’ Bit Shepherd is this year’s JUNO Award winner for Reggae Recording of the Year for her song “Likkle But Mi Tallawah” and winner of Best Female Vocalist at the West Coast Reggae Music Awards.

Steele
Saturday, July 30, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Jamaican-born, Canada-based reggae musician Steele’s first taste of success came with his recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky” and then “Silhouette”, his cover of the late Dennis Brown anthem (Steele’s breakthrough song). Former lead singer of the band Tatix, Steele has been described as dynamic and sensational, with the versatility and range that defies restriction to any one genre.

Heart Beat
Sunday, July 31, 1 p.m. & 5 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
The drum is the ancient heartbeat of all music and is used in virtually all forms of music played today. Trinidad-born Muhtadi, founder of Toronto’s popular Muhtadi International Drumming Festival, introduces the originating drum beats and riddims from various regions and countries in this interactive, performative workshop featuring Caribbean rhythms and their lineage from around the world.


Sing, Sing, Sing – Some Jamaican songs!
Co-presented with the Jamaica 50th Committee
Sunday, July 31, 5:30 p.m. (HarbourKIDS Zone Tent)
The Heritage Singers were formed 34 years ago by Grace Carter-Henry Lyon who trained in Jamaica under Olive Lewin, Director of the Jamaican Folk Singers. Their rich and varied repertoire ranges from English to Creole, French Patois and hybrid Spanish. Their songs are performed both a cappella or accompanied by guitar and drums as well as staged with related dance steps.

Africa Lives in Jamaican Beats!
Co-presented with the Jamaica 50th Committee
Sunday, July 31, 6 p.m. (HarbourKIDS Zone Tent)
The African beat is in the songs and dances of Jamaica. The drummer entices you to jump, skip, dance and laugh with the beat and feel it deep in your heart.

Evin Lake – co-presented with Manifesto JA
Sunday, July 31, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Evin Lake’s Canadian debut may be a new discovery for many Caribbean music enthusiasts, but his heavy buzz in Jamaica comes from his silky smooth voice produced by legendary veteran session players such as guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith.

Manifesto JA featuring Ken Boothe
Sunday, July 31, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Legendary reggae and ska pioneer Ken Boothe, referred to as the Wilson Pickett of Jamaican music, has released 21 albums. His illustrious strings of hits have dominated the rocksteady and reggae music eras successively. In 2003, the Jamaican government awarded Boothe the Order of Distinction for his contribution to Jamaican music, he is the recipient of the Bob Marley Lifetime Achievement Award, the Reggae/Soca Living Legend Award and has been inducted into the Caribbean Hall of Fame.

WHAT’S CLASSICAL?: Aug. 5-7

Guest Artistic Director Andrew Burashko of the Art of Time Ensemble, along with Harbourfront Centre staff, explores classical music’s constantly evolving art form in a festival that goes well beyond the established concept of “classical”. Western classical music has always been influenced by the popular music of its day, but only recently has it become increasingly influenced by non-western traditions; traditions that break down silos and, in turn, infuse western composition. The third incarnation of the What’s Classical? festival investigates the points of intersection where western and non-western traditions meet to redefine how we perceive classical music.

An Evening of Tango: Quartango
Friday, Aug. 5, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Quartango is a group of highly accomplished Montreal musicians bound by their shared passion for the tango. They perform a program of music by Astor Piazolla and other luminaries of the tango nuevo.

An Evening of Tango: Art of Time Ensemble
Friday, Aug. 5, 9:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
One of Canada’s most innovative music ensembles comprised of pop, classical and jazz musicians, Art of Time Ensemble, performs a program of tangos taken from pop, jazz and classical worlds.

Joe Trio
Saturday, Aug. 6, 2 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Joe Trio is not your average piano trio. Their repertoire includes classics (from Papa Haydn to Uncle Shostakovich), new works by contemporary composers and their own arrangements of popular, jazz and rock tunes. Joe Trio leaves audiences with a new appreciation for classical music.

Now & Then: Music from the Middle East: Bassam Bishara
Saturday, Aug. 6, 2 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Bassam Bishara kicks off Saturday with a musical experience that explores the heritage of the Middle East.

The Story of Babar the Elephant Narrated by Steven Page
Saturday, Aug. 6, 3 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 7, 3 p.m. (Brigantine Room)
The Story of Babar the Elephant is a classic French children's story created by Jean de Brunhoff in 1931. In 1940, French composer Francis Poulenc was challenged by his daughter to play The Story of Babar on piano, much like Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf yet with subtle differences. Poulenc improvised a piece of classical music that is fantastically entertaining set to the words of Jean de Brunhoff. With Steven Page as narrator, Babar comes to life with a new energy.

Now & Then: Music from the Middle East: Doula
Saturday, Aug. 6, 4 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Sufi Devotional Love Songs by Doula are featured in a performance of ancient Arabic music with a new world spirit. Maryem Tollar and Roula Said take you on a journey into the heart of the Muwashah tradition.

Now & Then: Music from South Asia: Classical India 3
Sunday, Aug. 7, 1:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Samidha Joglekar doing vocals, Ravi Naimpally playing the tabla and George Koller playing the dilruba perform traditional ragas (classical Indian melodies).

Now & Then: Music from South Asia: East/West Fusion
Sunday, Aug. 7, 3:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
The South Asian influence continues in East/West Fusion, which is a blend of eastern ornamented melodies that soar over western harmonies on a mixed bed of eastern and western rhythm, including a Beatles medley, performed by George Koller (bass, voice, sitar, dilruba), Ravi Naimpally, Samidha Joglekar, Pat Murray (voice), and Sundar Viswanathan (saxophone/composer).

Joe Trio’s Carl Stalling Lecture and Performance
Sunday, Aug. 7, time TBA (Studio Theatre)
In this one-hour lecture and performance, Joe Trio explores the work of “Looney Tunes” composer Carl Stalling (1891-1972), who was the expert at adjusting musical style changes according to cartoon movement.

FORTUNE COOKING FOOD FESTIVAL: Aug. 12-14
What’s on the menu as we explore the Hot Spots of Pan-Asian cuisine? Through food, dance and music, this festival focuses on the culinary energy of Asian hot spots and how this energy has rippled outwards to influence food across the globe.

Chai Found Music Workshop: Silk and Bamboo
Saturday, Aug. 13, 8:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Chai Found Music Workshop features Silk and Bamboo, a mixture of contemporary classical music as well as traditional Taiwanese and Chinese music.

Chai Found Music Workshop
Sunday, Aug. 14, 3 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
The musicians from Chai Found Music Workshop from Taiwan recreate animal and nature roars with their traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu, guzheng, ruan, yangqin, pipa and di. Artistic Director Mr. Huang introduces and provides a brief history of each instrument with an opportunity for children to try the instruments.

MASALA! MEHNDI! MASTI!: Aug. 19-21

Canada's favorite South Asian festival returns to Harbourfront Centre, celebrating the rich, dynamic and diverse cultures from all regions of this global Hot Spot!

Snehasish Mozumder
Saturday, Aug. 20, 4 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Snehasish Mozumder is among those few established musicians in India who have mastered the art of playing the mandolin, and has blended it perfectly into the style of Hindustani/Indian classical music.

Waheed Soroor and Kice
Saturday, Aug. 20, 8 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Afghani singer Waheed Soroor was the lead singer for Caravan, the first Afghani musical group in Toronto. Over the years, Waheed expanded his horizons and developed a special interest for music from the Middle East and has developed the ability to sing in different languages and accents.
Kice, also known as Kastro, is the first Canadian/Afghan Pop Artist to hit the music scene with his unique sound and style. His official first single “Crush on You” debuted in early 2010, which received over 50,000 YouTube views in a matter of months. His talent is shown through his ability to create music in different genres such as hip hop, rap, rock, R&B, electro-pop and house.

Devis n’ Divas
Date/time TBA (Redpath Stage)
Rav Doubleaa and Paul (the drummer) Nanuwa are joined by emcee Jus Reign to present the best in bhangra. Part traditional, part contemporary, part fusion bhangra and 100 per cent high-energy.

TELUS TAIWANfest: Taiwan Rising: Aug. 26-28
Co-produced by ACSEA
Re-discover the Taiwan you thought you knew. It’s time for the world to see Taiwan as a hot spot of connectivity and the foundation of new expressions in the arts. Enjoy performances, savour the food, experience Taiwan Rising.

The Guardians of Taiwan by The Chairman Band
Saturday, Aug. 27, time TBA (WestJet Stage)
Honoured with the Best Band Award at Taiwan’s 2006 Golden Melody Awards, The Chairman Band’s eighth album focuses on merging Taiwanese folk traditions with their love of rock ‘n’ roll.