{"id":125383,"date":"2026-06-23T16:17:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T20:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=125383"},"modified":"2026-06-23T20:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T00:00:02","slug":"preview-the-ontario-cross-cultural-music-society-symphony-orchestra-in-collaboration-with-the-canadian-chinese-orchestra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/06\/23\/preview-the-ontario-cross-cultural-music-society-symphony-orchestra-in-collaboration-with-the-canadian-chinese-orchestra\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | The Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society Symphony Orchestra In Collaboration With The Canadian Chinese Orchestra"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L:
L: The Canadian Chinese Orchestra (CCO) (Photo courtesy of CCO); R: The Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society Symphony Orchestra (Photo courtesy of OCMS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society Symphony Orchestra and The Canadian Chinese Orchestra are getting together for a concert that celebrates contemporary creation and artistic collaboration as paths towards the future of Chinese music.<\/p>\n

Dr. Matthew Poon<\/strong> is the CCO Artistic Advisor and Conductor, and James Wu<\/strong> is the OCMS Symphony Orchestra Music Director. Reimagination: The Tradition of Innovation takes place June 27, 2026.<\/p>\n

Performers: Soloists<\/h2>\n

Amely Zhou (Erhu soloist)<\/h3>\n

Amely Zhou is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Canadian Chinese Orchestra. She is a dedicated and versatile musician, conductor and adjudicator specializing in erhu and guzheng performance.<\/p>\n

Amely earned a Specialized Honours B.A. in Music, and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from York University. She has studied conducting with Lisette Canton and Mark Chambers, along with participating in conducting programs such as the University of Toronto Wind Conducting Symposium, UBC Wind Conducting Symposium in 2017, and Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Conducting Masterclass.<\/p>\n

She previously served as the conductor of the Toronto Chinese Youth Orchestra, and as the Music Director of the Ontario Multicultural Music Association\u2019s Mix Instruments Youth Orchestra, and has been the co-conductor of the NextGen Youth Orchestra at the Laurier Academy of Arts and Music since 2024-2025. She has led the Canadian Chinese Orchestra (CCO) since 2017, performing locally at venues such as the Markham Theatre, Sony Centre, and Mississauga Living Arts Centre, as well as on tour in China.<\/p>\n

As a musician, she has performed with the Canadian Sinfonietta, and has premiered many new works that have been composed for her. She has contributed to more than 20 albums.<\/p>\n

Hong Da Chin (Dizi soloist)<\/h3>\n

Hong-Da Chin is originally from Kajang, Malaysia, and his artistic practice explores multiculturalism and diversity in various ways, incorporating elements of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures.<\/p>\n

He began his musical career as a Chinese flutist in high school, and was invited to perform with gamelan and traditional Indian ensembles. His music has been performed widely in North America, Europe, Israel, Malaysia, Japan, the Philippines, and Singapore by ensembles such as the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Orkiestra Muzyki Nowej (Poland), Bowling Green Philharmonia, BelCanto Trio, Karr and Mattingly Duo, Altered Sound Duo, Vive Ensemble, Ogni Suono, Patchwork, and Orlando Cela.<\/p>\n

As a musician, he performs on both the Western and Chinese flute, specializing in contemporary music. As a Chinese flutist, he has performed at Carnegie Hall (NYC), Alice Tully Hall (NYC), the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington D.C.), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), Asia Society (NYC), the Phillips Collection (Washington D.C.), the Huntington Library (LA), the Smithsonian Institution (Washington D.C.), Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park (Chicago), the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Silesian Theatre (Katowice, Poland). Chin earned a Doctor of Musical Arts from Bowling Green State University.<\/p>\n

Andrew Hsu (Violin soloist)<\/h3>\n

Andrew Hsu is the Concertmaster of OCMS Symphony Orchestra. He was born and grew up in Hong Kong, and moved to North America to study at the School of Music of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned both a Bachelor\u2019s and Master\u2019s degree. After graduation, Andrew joined Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he continued his education with mentorship from various musicians and conductors.<\/p>\n

Andrew returned to Hong Kong to teach violin in both primary and secondary schools, along with performing with the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Strings, and the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. He later relocated to Canada, where he has established a busy teaching practice, along with performing as the concertmaster of both the Milton Philharmonic Orchestra and the OCMS Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n

\"L-R:
L-R: Violinist and Concertmaster of OCMS Symphony Orchestra Andrew Hsu; Founder and Artistic Director of the Canadian Chinese Orchestra and Erhu soloist Amely Zhou; Composer and Dizi soloist Hong Da Chin (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Program<\/h2>\n

During the first half, each orchestra will showcase their own talents and style. The second half features a combined orchestra of more than 100 musicians on stage, performing the premiere of a new double concerto arrangement for the famous Butterfly Concerto, arranged for erhu and violin soloists, accompanied by both orchestras. OCMS\u2019 concertmaster, Andrew Hsu, and CCO\u2019s artistic director, Amely Zhou, will embody the ill-fated lovers in this ancient tale as they perform as soloists.<\/p>\n

The concert closes with an overture from Black Wukong, one of the most popular video games in recent years.<\/p>\n

The full program includes:<\/p>\n