Berlin-based Canadian cellist Bryan Cheng is one of the most compelling young stars on the classical music scene. He made his sold-out Carnegie Hall recital debut at 14 and is a laureate of some of the world’s most prestigious competitions, most recently the Queen Elisabeth Competition and Concours de Genève. This season, Bryan makes his debut at the Berliner Philharmonie, returns to the National Arts Centre Orchestra and appears with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke and Wiener Stadtorchester. Previous accomplishments have taken him around the world with prominent conductors and on tour across Canada with the National Youth Orchestra as the winner of the Michael Measures Prize (Canada Council for the Arts). Cheng is a renowned chamber music player, a frequent guest at international festivals, and a critically acclaimed recording artist. He plays the “Dubois” Antonio Stradivarius cello (1699) graciously loaned by Canimex.

Dalia Stasevska’s charismatic and dynamic musicianship has established her as a conductor of exceptional versatility. She will begin her term as Chief Conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra in 2021–2022 and currently serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Stasevska’s 2020–2021 season features debuts with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, Orchestre national de France, and Orchestre national de Belgique and return performances with the Helsinki Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony and Swedish Chamber Orchestra, among others. Other recent engagements include the Oslo Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, NAC Ottawa and Detroit Symphony orchestras. A passionate opera conductor, her credits include productions with the Norske Opera, Kungliga Opera Stockholm, Opéra de Toulon, Finnish National Opera and at the 2018 Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm featuring acclaimed singer Anne-Sofie von Otter. Dalia studied violin and composition at the Tampere Conservatoire and conducting at the Sibelius Academy under Jorma Panula and Leif Segerstam.