celebrity stage performers

CELEBRITY STAGE PERFORMERS
Ariana Chris
Ariana Chris is a Greek-Canadian mezzo-soprano. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and
received additional training as a member of both the Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal and the
Apprentice Program for Singers of The Santa Fe Opera. In 2005, she represented Greece in the BBC
Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. On 19 October 2007, she made her debut with New York City
Opera as Lola in Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana. On 28 February 2010, she performed the Greek
National Anthem for the 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony.
For more information on Ariana Chris, visit www.arianachris.com/.
Carmen Corcoz
Carmen Corcoz is a singer, songwriter & actress who has an original soulful vibe combined with melodic
pop vocals, and beautiful hard-hitting lyrics.
A voice & heart of gold. Romanian born singer and songwriter inspires through her meaningful lyrics and
universal sound. Drawing influences from the likes of Adele, Rihanna & Bruno Mars. Carmen creates a
soulful mixture of rhythm & pop music, securing her place as the next International Mega Star. As a
young musician Carmen wondered about the origins of music. Becoming a historian of jazz, soul, blues &
classical music, she understood why it was not only important to her, but to all of us. While singing came
naturally for Carmen, she found herself firmly rooted in many areas of art. Landing acting roles, dancing
professionally, & getting her poetry published at the age of 13, opportunities came knocking at her door.
Inspiring through music became a calling for Carmen. In 2011, Carmen released her first EP "INSPIRED"
in affiliation with SickKids Foundation. Donating proceeds from song downloads to the sick children at
the Toronto Hospital in Canada. Carmen is an ambassador for sick kids and a great role model, sticking
true to her fans. Her goal is to continue inspiring people through music and reach out to those in need.
"I believe art can cure us, a poem, a song, even a picture can change our life."-Carmen Corcoz
For more information on Carmen Corcoz, visit www.carmencorcoz.com.
The Coppertones
The Toronto Police Service (TPS) Coppertones was formed in 1974. The focus of the group was to give
back to the community by representing the Police Service through music by performing at various
community events and public venues throughout the city. All band members are active, full-time
Toronto Police Service members and accomplished musicians. The TPS Coppertones have received the
prestigious Chief of Police Award for outstanding community service.
The current lineup of the TPS Coppertones is Const. Kevin Grant on guitar and vocals, Sp. Const. Kevin
Campbell on drums and vocals, Const. Mark Rebello on keyboards and vocals, Const. Tyler Rowles on
bass and vocals.
The band plays a combination of contemporary, R&B and rock music. Over the years, the group has
played at a number of venues like the Roy Thompson Hall, Breakfast TV, Mel Lastman Square, Nathan
Phillips Square, the Toronto Fire Academy, the Wayne Gretzsky Arena in Brantford, Taste of Danforth,
Taste of Kingsway, Irun Rock at the Ray Twinney Arena to mention a few.
For more information on The Coppertones, visit http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/coppertones/.
The Frank D’Angelo Band
With Frank D’Angelo at the helm belting out vocals, The Frank D’Angelo band is a musical montage that
covers a broad range of musical styles, eras, and sensibilities. Pure passion is what best describes this
eclectic group of musicians.
From entertaining the Canadian Troops to opening for the likes of Tom Cochrane, Peter Frampton,
Burton Cummings, LoverBoy, Gino Vanelli, The Temptations, Cowboy Junkies, Alannah Myles and
George Canyon. When Frank D’Angelo and his 15 piece band hit the stage it’s like an unexpected blast of
energy. Singing all-time favorite tunes in his distinctive high energy R&B style Frank woos his audience
like no other entertainer can.
For more information on Frank D’Angelo, visit frankdangelo.ca/.
Galaxy Orchestra
Galaxy Orchestra was established in 1975. Through the years we have gone through many positive
changes, which have enabled us to maintain the position of the "Most Popular Greek Music Group" in
the American Continent. Our enriched repertoire includes Greek, English and Latin songs. Our
enthusiastic approach to music is the secret to our success.
We have entertained fellow Greeks and Greek Enthusiasts throughout USA, Canada, South America -and
the Caribbean. Our concerts and shows include:
-
Shows in Venezuela and Cuba
Countless appearances in all parts of the United States and Canada
Many local and national TV Appearances
Accompanied many Greek Stars during their North American Tours, such as Elpida, Stratos,
Dionisiou, Bessie Argiraki, Mihalis Violaris, Dukisa, Poli Panou, Trio Atene', Yiannis Katevas, Ilias,
Klonaridis, and more.
Our Orchestra is made up of accomplished professional musicians, all of whom have worked in night
clubs, or have been involved with music in other capacities.
For more information on Galaxy Orchestra, visit www.galaxyorchestra.com.
HAIR: The Musical
The musical that introduced rock 'n' roll to the theatrical stage, Hair examines a group of 60s-era youth
struggling for generational and personal identity, dealing with the Vietnam War, and exploring drugs
and the sexual revolution.
With a score including enduring musical numbers like "Let the Sun Shine In," "Aquarius," "Hair" and
"Good Morning Starshine," Hair depicts the birth of a cultural movement in the '60s as told through a
tribe of hopeful hippies living in New York City while war rages in Vietnam.
For more information on Hair: The Musical, visit http://lowerossingtontheatre.com/.
HMCS York Navy Band
The band is a professional brass and reed band with approximately 30 members. Their primary
operational and training period is from September to May. The band can field soloists, flute duets, brass
quintets, jazz combos, small ensembles, a Big Band stage band, a concert band and a parade band. The
band is often the most visible naval presence in the GTA with annual parades, concerts and services.
For more information on HMCS York Navy Band, visit
http://www.tscaa.com/tscaa.com/york_band.html.
James Faulkner
James Faulkner is a well-seasoned artist who gives a unique and fresh spin to the singer-songwriter
genre.
Mississauga-born artist James Faulkner discovered his interest in music at a very early age while taking
piano lessons. This interest blossomed into a full-blown love affair when James received his very first
guitar as a gift. To this day, James hangs on to that guitar, now beaten up and virtually unplayable, it still
serves as a reminder of the exact moment when he knew that music would become his life-long passion.
James went on to study classical guitar and later obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from Wilfrid
Laurier University. After graduating, he started playing with various ensembles in the Toronto area and
was later picked up by the Stingray Show Band, with which he played on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
While he was enjoying the excitement of being on stage and discovering a variety of music genres,
James increasingly felt the need to make his unique contribution to the world of music. Entirely written,
composed and produced by James Faulkner, his debut album, The Facts of Life, released in 2012,
marked a coming of age on his music journey.
James continues to be very active on the music scene and has played a variety of shows and venues,
including most recently hitting the stage for The Amacon Mississauga Ribfest. Last year he has also
received a MARTY award nomination from the Mississauga Arts Council and his single Picture Frame
finished 15th out of 450 entries for the Hard Rock Rising competition. James was also voted as "The
Coolest Band in Toronto" and featured on the front page of Offerings magazine in 2013.
For more information on James Faulkner, visit www.jamesfaulkner.ca.
Jamie Gutfreund & "In Living Cover"
In Living Cover is a 6 piece cover band hailing from Toronto, rocking out the best of Motown, Classic
Rock, Funk, Pop and R&B covers that will have you movin' and groovin' all night long! In Living Cover has
been performing in the Toronto Music Scene for the past four years and has been entertaining crowds at
some of Toronto's top live music venues including the Cadillac Lounge, The Underground Garage and
have become a regular attraction at the Taste Of The Danforth and The Road Hockey To Conquer
Cancer. In Living Cover consists of Jamie Gutfreund (guitars/vocals), Jon Jacobson (lead vocals), Ellis
Bernstein (bass), Sarah Murray (keyboard/vocals), Matt Ross (drums/vocals) and Zack Gutfreund
(guitars). Be sure to keep up to date on their latest shows by following them on Twitter at
@inlivingcoverto or on Facebook.
For more information on Jamie Gutfreund, visit http://www.cp24.com/more/bios/jamie-gutfreund1.481346.
For more information on In Living Cover, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/inlivingcover.
The Jorge Miguel Flamenco Ensemble
Jorge Miguel is a Spanish Canadian Flamenco guitarist and composer. His award winning new CD
"Guitarra Flamenca/Flamenco Guitar" is an exploration of the depth and breadth of Flamenco Guitar.
Most recently, Jorge Miguel was recognized at the Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMA) 2013 as the
World Solo Artist of the Year.
In 2002, Jorge formed the Jorge Miguel Flamenco Ensemble with a mandate to take true Flamenco to
audiences across Canada. His Ensemble combines the three pillars of Flamenco: the guitar, the dance,
and the song (el Toque, el Baile y el Canté). Jorge has performed over 1000 shows from Whitehorse, The
Yukon to Antigonish, Nova Scotia as well as in the U.S. and Europe. Jorge’s Ensemble was nominated in
2011 for Capacoa Touring Artist of the Year.
Performers joining Jorge at the Festival will be: Flamenco dancer - Pamela Briz Guijarro, singer Fernando Gallego Torres, Justin Gray on the double bass, and Luis Orbegoso on percussion.
For more information on Jorge Miguel, visit http://www.jorgemiguel.com/.
Julia Tynes
Toronto-based Pop/R&B singer Julia Tynes combines pop vocals, R&B riffs and story-driven lyrics to
create her unique ‘Modern Motown’ style. Her sound can be distinguished by the sweetness of her voice
and by her extensive vocal range. Julia is a vocalist, a choreographer, and a songwriter. Julia moved to
Toronto in 2010 from her hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, to attend the Randolph Academy for
the Performing Arts where she trained as a triple threat in singing, dancing and acting. Currently, Julia is
recording her debut EP titled ‘The Girl in Every Song’, with recording engineer and producer Mike Smith,
renowned for his recording expertise at the highly esteemed 'Phase One Studios' where the album is
being recorded and mixed. The title track ‘The Girl in Every Song’, is one of the many up-beat tunes you
will hear during her performance at ‘Taste of the Danforth’. All of her songs showcase her distinctive
writing style with memorable hooks about love and loss, with quirky references to real-life experiences
of burning dinners and play-fighting. Julia hopes that her audience will enjoy the music, the passion, and
a laugh as well, all while breaking a sweat on the dance floor.
For more information on Julia Tynes, visit https://www.facebook.com/juliatynes01.
Laura Cole
Born into a musical family, singing came as naturally to Laura as walking and talking. As a child she
entertained family and friends with renditions of old favourites around the campfires of late Canadian
nights.
Laura played in her first concert at age 3 where she plunked out a one handed piano solo. She sang nonstop throughout her childhood but learned to use her voice in local children’s choirs.
Her solo singing career started at her school talent shows. Her pursuit of a career as a professional
started in her teens when she was occasionally invited to sing a few songs with her Dad’s band. Her
success and love of performing live brought her own gigs in pubs around the Golden Horseshoe in
southern Ontario where she performed cover tunes of favourites like Sam Cooke, Etta James, Aretha
Franklin, Tom Waits and the occasional original. She also appeared in spotlight cameo performances at
the Hamilton Music Awards, Festival of Friends in Hamilton and the Fieldcote Sunday Night Music series
in her hometown of Ancaster. In 2013, Laura won the Galaxie Radio Rising Star Award.
Her musical journey has led her to Los Angeles, Toronto, Shreveport, Nashville and Morocco where she
began in earnest writing her own songs-a blend of old jazz and blues with a new age twist. On
Valentine’s Day 2014, Daniel Lanois released a single featuring Laura entitled “Papineau”- a father
daughter conversation. Her first all original record is due for release August 21, 2014 and will be
available for purchase at the 2014 Greenbelt Harvest Picnic!
For more information on Laura Cole, visit www.facebook.com/lauracolemusic.
Leigh Graham & Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra
Leigh Graham is a sensational vocalist who has hosted live entertainment on board Celebrity cruise ships
and in clubs around Toronto with many globally recognized musicians. A graduate from The University of
Western Ontario in Voice Performance, Leigh had a number of singing roles with the UWO Opera
program and she has starred in musical theatre productions such as Fiddler on the Roof. Leigh also
donates her time to performing in fundraisers and benefits, including the Celebrity Waiter's Luncheon
Benefit for the Leukemia Foundation.
The Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra will be presenting an upbeat menu of pop, jazz, latin and popular show
tunes at the festival.
For more information on Leigh Graham, visit http://www.leighgraham.com.
For more information on Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra, visit http://www.sheratoncadwell.com.
Luke McMaster
Internationally-acclaimed singer and prolific songwriter Luke McMaster has graced the stage and shared
studio space with the best of the best in the music industry. He has written and produced music for
such stars as Rihanna and Nick Lachey from 98 Degrees and toured with Christina Aguilera and Justin
Timberlake. Formerly one half of the gold selling pop duo McMaster & James, Luke is a much-loved icon
in the music scene. He has entertained our Canadian troops in Afghanistan, and toured across North
America with Grammy-nominated piano sensation Jim Brickman (Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride,
Olivia Newton-John etc.). Most recently, he has served as an artist ambassador for the Government of
Ontario, promoting tourism during the Sochi Winter Olympics.
His smash hit “Good Morning Beautiful” from his latest solo album ALL ROADS, quickly rose to the #3
spot on the US Billboard AC radio charts in 2013. Luke’s talents have been in demand across the
continent taking him back and forth from Toronto to New York, to LA and back.
This spring Luke will be performing at several signature venues in Ontario, BC and select cities in the US,
as he draws inspiration from his fans and works on his next album entitled INSTINCT.
For more information on Luke McMaster, visit www.lukemcmaster.com/.
Miss Asia Toronto Pageant
Miss Asia pageant, originating in 1985 is the world’s largest Asian oriented beauty pageant, the world’s
fourth largest beauty pageant and offers the largest grand prize of 3 million dollars (HKD). The final
competition is held in Hong Kong. Semi-final competitions are held annually all over the world. The
winner of each semi-final will be entered into the final competition in Hong Kong. It aims to unite all
Asian communities and exhibit each group’s cultural qualities.
The winner of the Miss Asia Toronto title receives an all expenses trip paid to Hong Kong. Moreover, she
will enter into the Miss Asia Final in Hong Kong for the opportunity to win the grand prize of 3 million
dollars (HKD).
For more information on Miss Asia Toronto Pageant, visit www.missasiatoronto.com/home.html.
Paradosi
In October of 2003, four people came together to collaborate on an idea they each individually shared.
They all agreed upon one thing-Toronto needed an independent forum for traditional Greek dance.
Thus, the vision of a professional dance organization was born. This vision was to enable its members to
study Greek dance in its natural and organic form.
The primary goal of Paradosi HDC developed into the maintenance of Hellenic culture primarily through
dance, short lectures on music, song, history, regional heritage, stylistic formation and costume analysis.
Over five short years, Paradosi has achieved many goals. Our dancers have been involved in a cultural
exchange program with The Centre for Learning Traditional Dance “Kyklos” from Thessaloniki, Greece.
Paradosi has also hosted dance seminars with instructors from Greece and abroad. Aside from their own
theatre productions and galas, Paradosi recently was a part of the first ever tri-city venture,
“Enthymion”, where three dance organizations collaborated to stage a traditional dance and theatre
showcase.
At Paradosi, our belief is that Hellenic dance is not merely an expression of the past, but a reflection of
who we are today.
For more information on Paradosi, visit http://www.paradosihdc.com/.
Rebel Coast
Five talented young boys from across Canada met when they each embarked on a journey to become
part of Canada’s first SuperGroup. Curtis (North York, ON), Amer (Brampton, ON), Kyle (Quispamsis, NB),
Ryan (North York, ON) and Angelo (Etobicoke, ON) all competed in YTV's hit television series The Next
Star: SuperGroup, who soon became Rebel Coast. The group won over Canada’s hearts throughout the
competition, earning them the title.
The win marks the beginning of an exciting career for Rebel Coast. Their first official music video for
their debut single “We Are The Brave” hit #1 on iTunes in just 24 hours. Along with an upcoming
national tour, the Rebel Coast boys will be busy recording their debut release. Stay tuned to
www.rebelcoastmusic.com.
Sol de Cuba
Pablo Terry is a highly sought after performer from Cuba based in Toronto, Canada. His group Sol de
Cuba is a versatile 4 piece band with an extensive repertoire that includes traditional Cuban Salsa,
Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Boleros, Bossa Nova, Tango, Cumbia and American Jazz. The core consists of flute,
vocals, guitar, trumpet, bass and congas. Sol de Cuba is directed by flautist Pablo Terry, a world class
musician and entertainer who has spent the majority of his musical career performing throughout
Europe, Canada, South America and the Caribbean Islands. Its members originate from Cuba and
Mexico, all of whom have travelled abroad performing with several orchestras to countries such as
Greece, Portugal, Turkey, France, Canada, and the Caribbean. Sol de Cuba perform in cultural,
community, street, jazz and Latin festivals, as well as in all kinds of private events: Birthdays, Weddings,
Barbecues, Corporate events and any special occasion where you need good, danceable and exciting live
music.
For more information on Sol de Cuba, visit http://soldecuba.ca/.
Sou-Ksou-Mou-Ksou
Sou-ksou-Mou-ksou is difficult to define-it is something you know when you live it, rather than
something that may be described precisely. But this is exactly what they are trying to do with their
music. Sou-ksou-Mou-ksou are not so easy to classify in terms other than something as wide as “Greek
ethnic”, because they sing and play a variety of music that ranges from centuries-old traditional tunes to
relatively new pop and to what was mysteriously known in Greece as“art-pop”. The group plays the
Souxou mouxou of Greek music. What brings their diverse repertoire together is a common sound, a
wish to play good tunes wherever they come from, things which will be fun and stimulate their interest
as well as the interest of their audience.
The Expendables 3 Stunt Show presented by
X Limit Entertainment
X Limit Entertainment is a multi-threat entertainment company comprised of performers who have
dedicated their lives to various styles of entertainment such as: acting, martial arts tricking, breakin',
ballet and other various dance styles. Together, they showcase platinum performances in film,
television, commercials and live action theatre shows.
X Limit Entertainment is a team of professional performers who have performed regularly in various live
shows (T&T Waterfront Festival, Toronto Blue Jays Events) as well as film credentials in works such as:
UFO X Files(History), Air Aces(Discovery), Paranormal Witness(SYFY), Panic Button(MTV), Call of Duty
Video Game commercials and many more. X Limit Entertainment hopes to bring the best out of The
Expendables 3 live action show at the Taste of Danforth 2014 to commemorate The Expendables
franchise with high action fight choreography, while staying true to the story line.
For more information on X Limit Extertainment, visit www.xlimitentertainment.com. To get a “Taste” of
their performance, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iIL0Ex2OpY.