Ron Korb has travelled around the globe for years collecting and studying indigenous flutes. His work reflects Asian, Celtic, and Latin music and embodies the diverse cultures, traditions and experiences of his travels. Ron has nine internationally released albums as well as a full length concert DVD. He has performed in Europe, across North America and Asia.

Ron composed gold and double platinum songs for many major artists in Hong Kong including Alan Tam, Stephanie Lai, and Yvonne Lau. His song for the late legendary singer Roman Tam "Shi Zhong Ni Zui Hao" won “Best Original Composition" from (RTHK) Radio and Television Hong Kong.

Ron and his group will be performing this song as well as some other Chinese repertoire on this Fall's China Tour.

Ron has played on numerous major motion picture soundtracks such the Academy Award nominated Sweet Hereafter and Being Julia. Other award winning films he has played on include: Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm and Ride with the Devil, Atom Egoyan’s Exotica, Mira Nair’s Kama Sutra, John Woo’s Blackjack and the 3D IMAX film Space Station narrated by Tom Cruise. More recently Ron was a featured soloist on The Lord Of The Rings Symphony and on the Merchant/Ivory film The White Countess which will be released this fall. The White Countess takes place in 1930's Shanghai and stars Ralph Fiennes, Lynn Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave and Natasha Richardson.

Ray Hickey Jr. - Guitar, Chinese Pipa

Ray Hickey is one of the most innovative guitarists of his generation. He studied classical music at the Royal Conservatory and private tutelage with University of Toronto guitar department head Eli Kassner. Later Ray went to the Musician's Institute in Los Angeles, California where his teacher was Frank Gambale (Chic Corea's Electric Band). Ray also attended workshops in West Virginia, California and England with legendary British Rock guitarist Robert Fripp (King Krimson).

During the early nineties Ray began studying and performing on the koto, shamisen, pipa. Since then he has toured quite extensively throughout Canada, U.S.A., Central America, England, Ireland and Japan. This year Ray has been developing a new guitar that he will be premiering this season.

George Koller - Bass

George Koller has accumulated hundreds of wildly diverse performing and recording credits in his expansive musical career: The Shuffle Demons, Phil Woods, Peter Gabriel, Loreena McKennitt, Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole, Ian Tyson, to name only a few. Recognized primarily as a bass player, George plays a variety of instruments; many featured on his award-winning solo CD, Music for Plants, Animals, and Humans. George has toured for 8 years with Holly Cole. He has also toured with Julie Michels, Joe Sealy, Carol Welsman, Valdy, and many others. His playing of Indian stringed Instruments: Sitar, Sarode, Tanpura, and the violin-like Esraj and Dilbruba are featured in the motion pictures Such a long Journey and Possible Worlds. and on Loreena McKennitt, Jane Siberry and Bruce Cockburn recordings. In the area of Jazz education, George has instructed classes in bass technique and improvisation at Alberta summer workshops at the University of Lethbridge, and he was on the music faculty at Grant McEwan College in Edmonton. He continues to produce concerts and recordings in the jazz, world and Indian Classical music styles, and is composing new east-west fusion music.

Larry Crowe - Drums and Percussion

Larry Crowe was born in Vancouver, B.C. and has a degree in music from York University. Upon receiving a Canada Council grant he attended the Banff School of Fine Arts Jazz Program whose faculty included Dave Holland, Dave Leibman, John Abercrombie, Anthony Braxton, and Kenny Wheeler.

After university Larry toured with the rock group Random Chance for three years before returning to Toronto where he has toured and recorded with various jazz, folk and world music groups. He co-produced and played percussion on Robert Michaels' Allegro album which won a Juno award for Best Instrumental Album in 2003.

THE ORIENTAL ANGELS

Since the summer of 2003, The Oriental Angels, 5 outstanding female virtuosos, have introduced the charm and grace of traditional Chinese music and instruments to audiences all over the world. A combination of solid compostions and excellent performances, their new and classical works represent the perfect blend of Chinese instruments with world music. Each group member is an outstanding performer in her own right and a master of her own traditional Chinese instrument (ehru, yang-qin, pipa, woodwinds, Zheng).

Ma Xiang-hua - Erhu
Ma Xiang Hua is one of the most outstanding virtuosos of her generation and is currently a professor at the Central Conservatory of China. During her childhood she won the first prize in the Youtjh Professional Competiton. In 1997 she won first prize in the Erhu Competition in Taiwan. She has performed in Europe, Russia, Asia and North America as a soloist for many leading orchestras.