CO-FOUNDER, PERFORMER

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Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Sakurako Jayne Abe (she/her) is a Japanese-Canadian collaborative pianist whose artistic endeavor expands to both the U. S. and Canada. Receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance with honor from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, Jayne is currently pursuing her master’s degree in collaborative piano at the Manhattan School of Music on a full scholarship, specializing in vocal repertoire. Studying with Mr. Thomas Lausmann, Jayne has been involved in the opera production of L’elisir d’amore, An American Dream and The Crucible. She was chosen as a participant of The Aspen Music Festival in 2025 as a Collaborative Piano fellow and one of the main pianists of Cosi Fan Tutte. Jayne will be joining the Opera Studio of the Vienna State Opera as a repetiteur for the 2026-28 season. Instagram: @jayne.bibi

CO-FOUNDER, PERFORMER, ADMINISTRATOR

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Chihiro Yasufuku・安福知優 (she/her) is an early-career portfolio artist of Japanese descent, currently based in Tkarón:to, Ontario. With a background of 20 years of study as a violinist which eventually expanded its roots to singing, Chihiro is an active vocalist, actor and performer-collaborator in opera, theatre and workshop spaces. When not on the stage or pursuing her studies as a violinist, Chihiro nurtures her passion for arts administration. A strong advocate of Japanese recital and choral repertoire, Chihiro has also offered Japanese lyric diction coaching for clients in the Greater Toronto Area including Soundstreams Choir 21, Brampton Children’s Chorus and Exultate Chamber Singers. Chihiro is an alumna of the University of Toronto’s Opera School and Classical Voice Performance program. Instagram: @chihirosounds

COMPOSER, PERFORMER

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Born in Izumisano City, Japan, composer, pianist, organist, and educator, Kento Stratford (b. 1997) leads a diverse artistic practice throughout Canada and beyond. Drawing from his own Japanese Canadian heritage, Kento’s music inhabits a sonic world balanced between two contrasting traditions: one forward-moving, consumptive, and grandiose, the other understated, reductive, and temporally unbound. His works are inspired by a wide range of personal interests spanning everything from science fiction to ancient medicine. Kento’s works have been performed and commissioned by a diverse group of artists and ensembles, including most recently: the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, the Choir of St. James Cathedral, Odin String Quartet, and the HAVEN Trio, Sirius Piano Duo, Concreamus Chamber Choir, and theremenist Thorwald Jorgensen. Instagram: @kentostratford

PERFORMER

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Ryoko Hou is a distinguished collaborative pianist and harpsichordist whose performances captivate audiences with an expansive repertoire that spans from the Middle Ages to contemporary works. Renowned for her artistry and profound musical sensitivity, she has graced prestigious venues across England, Austria, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, and Canada. Ryoko holds an Advanced Certificate in Piano Performance and a Master of Music in both Collaborative Piano and Harpsichord with a full scholarship. Currently, she is studying regularly under Dr. Luc Beausejour in Montreal pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto. Her musical achievements have been recognized through esteemed accolades, including the Dame Emma Kirkby and Suzie LeBlanc Award, Richard Phillips Graduate Scholarship. With unwavering passion and dedication, she continues to elevate the art of collaborative music, seamlessly bridging historical and contemporary traditions. Instagram: @ryokohou

VISUAL ARTIST

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Ellen Tan is a Toronto-based visual artist and engineering designer. In her work, she draws on the sentiment behind topics such as alienation, womanhood, and self-identity to connect with her viewers through the use of colours and imagery. She enjoys creating expressive portraits of characters with telling gazes and seeks to portray beauty in the themes she is exploring. Tan is constantly exploring a variety of media with a focus on acrylic paint, ink, and mixed media (past work is available for viewing in digital portfolio). During her education in visual art, she participated in the production of joint-performances between different art disciplines at the Flato Markham Theatre.