To conclude the Conference and to celebrate the unveiling of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World’s Religions, a free evening performance of sacred music and dance from different religious traditions of the world will be held.
The concert will take place at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal, Room 210CD, at 7:00 P.M., on September 15, 2016.
William Duffy has experience conducting children’s choirs and producing concerts, and has moved from California to Montréal in order to pursue graduate studies at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. In addition to his studies and involvement with the choirs at McGill, he currently performs regularly as a professional singer with The Choir at The Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montréal and various other groups in Montréal and Ottawa.
Jonah Spungin is a baritone beginning his master’s in 
Opera at McGill University. He is particularly fond of inappropriately timed knock-knock jokes, and is adamant that his mother’s matzah-ball soup is the best matzah-ball soup. Occasionally moonlighting as an event host, he is tolerated for his chuckle worthy one-liners, groanworthy puns, and tendency to endearingly confuse himself.
Buffalo Hat Singers are a group of contemporary powwow drummers based in Montréal. A group of respectful individuals, they are brought together by the Spirit of the song, the Power of the Drum, Peace, friendship and brotherhood. Their drum carrier, Norman Achneepineskum, has over 20 years experience on the powwow trail in Ontario and Quebec. He is also a writer and composer of powwow songs.
Musicians:
Norman Achneepineskum
Normand Raymond
Justin Charland
Samuel Medrano
Pedro Diaz
Bialik is a private Jewish high school, part of the JPPS-Bialik school system, that was founded and based on a pluralistic vision of Judaism that offers an outstanding Jewish and secular education through both an English Section and a section française. To meet its objective of educating the whole child, they also offer an extensive athletics program, theatre program, and a diverse selection of committees and clubs that meet the interests of all students.
The Bialik High School Choir will be accompanied by cantor Adam Stotland.
Choir:
Kyra Tuwaig, Lia Elbaz, Kelly Perlman, Alizee Znaty, Miranda Tuwaig, Samantha Leibgott, Rebecca Turner, Jill Caplan, Noah Adesky, Megan Goldwax, Jennifer Titleman, Sarina Simon, Mayah Schipper, Sarah Schipper, Elyse Wolman, Ben Murad, Maggie Fayer, Isaac Bassal, Zoe Schipper, Jordanna Singer
Schulich Singers is McGill’s premier choral ensemble and consists of approximately 24 singers performing repertoire of all periods and styles. The ensemble presents two concerts every semester as well as several off-campus concerts and tours.
Choir:
Soprano
Laura Fishman
Jacoba Barber-Rozema
Alto
Sophia Lanman
Mikayla Jensen-Large
Tenor
Matthew Henry
Antonio Seccareccia
Bass
Zainen Suzuki
Adam Muir
Dr. Jean-Sébastien Vallée, Artistic Director
Gohar Manvelyan, pianist and student conductor
Guqin Player:
Yi Tian
The Traditional Chinese Han Culture and the Montreal Guqin Society will
perform The Incantation of the Monk PuAn (PuAnZhou普庵咒).
PuAn Zhou, generally know as a piece of Buddhist music, originated from a Chinese Mantra prays for peace and tranquility. After years of combination between music and Buddhism, PuAn Zhou has not only integrated the dignity of religion, but also the easiness of light music. The specific Guqin piece that will be presented at the concert is based on the version of Mr. Zha Fuxi and Mr. Pu Xuezhai. As a Buddhism-related music, PuAn Zhou expresses the spirit of the mantra with a variety of musical range, fingering skill, melody variation and tone changes. The music itself is beautiful, but what is more touching is the special harmony between the nature and the human beings PuAn Zhou manages to convey through it.
普庵咒是一首比较典型的佛教琴曲，其本身是一段源自中国本土的咒辞。虽然具体发源已不可考，但作为古琴曲，普庵咒却一直流传至今。我即将演奏的这一曲目，是参考了近代琴家査阜西与溥雪斋先生的版本。作为一首宗教题材的乐曲，普庵咒既融入了端庄肃穆的佛教气息，又带有潇洒自然的音乐律动，应用音域的扩展，指法的变换，散音按音的结合，以及旋律本身的变奏，表达出一种时如风雨，时如人和的美丽谐动。
Thanks to the Centre Communautaire Laurentien and Montreal City Mission’s support, one of their members, Bouzelata Rahma, will be reciting parts of the Quraa’n.
The Imani Gospel Singers (IGS) is a Montreal-based choir which was founded in 1993 by Marcia Bailey. Its members, many of which are accomplished, professional singers and musicians, come from all walks of life, but share the common vision of using their talents to praise the Divine and minister through song. IGS has performed at numerous high profile events and with many well-known artists. Its mission however, is to touch, inspire and uplift listeners with positive messages.
Choir:
Soprano
Carine Agboton
Amanda Benn
Michele Henegan
Jewelle McKenzie
Joanna Peters
Janis (Coco) Thompson
Alto
Nadine Altounji
Deborah Burrowes
Alisa Charles
Dorothy Ann Clarke
BellA Forté
Nadia Theobal
Tenor / Bass
Christopher Charles
Peter Flegel
Christian Henegan-Comeau
Nathan Henegan-Comeau
Dre-D (Ludovic) Jean-Louis
Denis Langlois
David Taylor
Searn Teng
Wayne Tennant
Band
Joel Campbell – Keyboards
Benoit Comeau – Bass / Musical Director
Ronny Desinor – Drums
Director
Marcia Bailey
The IMANI Gospel Singers are currently working on an original gospel album scheduled for release by the end of the year. One of the album songs, “Changed,” will be performed.
The Lasya Dance School of Bharata Natya will be performing the piece Shivoham.
Presented in the Indian classical dance style of Bharata Natya, this piece brings together spoken word, philosophy, song and dance. The piece, “Shivoham” touches on the “Shiva Principle” or Shiva Tattva in Hindu philosophy, also known as the Universal Consciousness. It is with form and without form; it is all-encompassing and present in every aspect of creation. Shivoham is the journey which unites the individual soul to the universal soul, where separation from the Divine, no longer exists.
Performers:
Kalindi Vavatsikos
Lalita Vavatsikos
Sita Allard-Gregg
Cynthia Davidson
Asha Saxena
Jaya Srivastava-Chawla
Seema Srivastava
Nehal Patel
Choreographer: Jaya Srivastava-Chawla
Rehearsal Director: Seema Srivastava
Vocalist: Saivani Virahsammy
Featured musical group: Raag and Rhythm
Dr Swami Satya Prakash is a scholar, a yogi,
a musician, a composer, an eloquent speaker, and a visionary.
Born on the auspicious Maha Shivratri day in 1958 near Haridwar, Swamiji spent most part of his life in Kashi. He was drawn to spirituality at an early age. He holds a Ph.D degree in Classical Music from Benaras Hindu University. He learnt music from great Gurus such as, Pandit Ajit Bhattacharya and Pandit Mahadev Mishr of Kashi. Due to his brilliant accomplishments in the sphere of music he was conferred with the Lata Mangeshkar Award.
To get deep insight into spiritual knowledge, inherited from the ancient saints and seers of India, he did a Master’s degree in Philosophy. He also received his knowledge from Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt. He did Sadhana at the bank of Holy river Ganga at Gangotri, Rishikesh. He is a practicing Yogacharya with a Diploma in Yoga in Medical Sciences.
Swami ji was an invitee of the North American Hindu Association on Dharma Studies to participate in a World Conference organized by Dr Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University, and convenor of the 3rd Global Conference on World’s Religions.
Raag and Rhythm will be performing the song Faith.
Faith is an English song originally performed in front of the Spiritual Guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 2009. Written and composed by Kunal Ganjawala, a Bollywood playback singer, it has been remastered by Raag and Rhythm and given its own fusion twist with some added lyrical depth that speaks to the underlying force amid all the religions… Faith!
Musicians:
Teep: Guitar/Lead Vocals
Janisha: Harmonium/Lead Vocals
Cecila: Vocals
Jay: Guitar
Jaydip: Tabla/Keyboard
Varun: Mridangam/Dholak
Darpan: Dholak/Egyptian Tabla
