February 8: Billboard Chart-Toppers Sultans of String and Mississauga Symphony Orchestra celebrate World Premiere at Living Arts Centre

 

3x JUNO nominees and Billboard chart-toppers Sultans of String and the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Denis Mastromonaco are kicking off the New Year with a World Premiere of REFUGE. This powerful production is unlike any other and brings the magic of collaboration to the stage with award-winning artists who are new immigrants, refugees, and global talents who are ambassadors for peace.

This live concert will showcase the incredible music and storytelling of many of their collaborators featured in their Cannes World Film Festival award-winning The Refuge Project.

“We are so excited to be able to present our collaborations that showcase and amplify essential voices” says bandleader/producer and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient Chris McKhool.



"We feel so fortunate to be able to grow as human beings and as artists through these collaborations. We keep exploring and learning our whole lives, and sharing these songs with the MSO is really exciting!"



In addition to winning Best Music Film at Cannes World Film Festival, the film version of Refuge has also won at the Vancouver Independent Film Festival and Boston Independent Film Awards, with the CD of the music winning the Canadian Folk Music Awards for Global Roots Album of the Year, and Producer of the Year.

WORLD PREMIERE WITH MISSISSAGUA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SULTANS OF STRING: REFUGE, FEATURING Leen Hamo, Majd Sukar, Donné Roberts, Saskia Tomkins, Padideh Ahrarnejad, Tamar Ilana and more.

FEBRUARY 8, 2025 - 8:00PM
LIVING ARTS CENTRE, Mississauga ON
https://www.mississaugasymphony.ca/concerts/sultans-string

5min Refuge Video Sizzle Reel https://youtu.be/uGzM35R1sCA



This ambitious, diverse, inclusive, and passionately political concert puts this global grooves supergroup face-to-face with a VIP roster of global ‘ambassadors,’ many of whom are recent immigrants and refugees to Canada. All bring their unique brand of musical synergy and collaboration to bear on discussion and songs that speak to the challenges facing the world’s displaced peoples—their stories, their songs, their persistence and their humanity. The international cast of special guests and ambassadors for peace feature stellar performances from Leen Hamo and Majd Sukar from Syria, Donné Roberts from Madagascar, Romani Nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins, Persian tar player Padideh Ahrarnejad, flamenco artist Tamar Ilana and more.



ABOUT SULTANS OF STRING:

Bandleader Chris McKhool (Makhoul in Lebanon) has an Egyptian-born mother who happened to play piano, teach classical theory, and feed her young son as much Middle Eastern cuisine as she did music lessons. From there, the powerful violinist developed a taste for multi-genre string sounds and found a like-minded crew of all-world enthusiasts. When McKhool first heard founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté’s rumba rhythm, their musical synergy created Sultans of String’s signature sound – the intimate and playful relationship between violin and guitar. From this rich foundation, the dynamic duo grew, featuring such amazing musical friends as in-the-pocket bass master Drew Birston, and the jaw-dropping beats of percussionist Chendy Leon.

Their live resume is similarly stellar. Equally at home in a concert hall, folk and jazz club or festival setting, the Sultans have gigged at JUNOfest, the legendary club Birdland in New York, Celtic Connections Festival (Glasgow) and London’s Trafalgar Square. They have sold out Koerner Hall three times (Toronto’s Carnegie Hall), and performed with the Annapolis, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton Symphony Orchestras. They have played live on CBC’s Canada Live, BBC Radio, BBC TV, Irish National Radio, and the syndicated World Café, Woodsongs, and SiriusXM in Washington. Sultans of String’s musicianship and versatility are also showcased in collaborations with such diverse luminaries as Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains, Sweet Honey in The Rock, Richard Bona (Paul Simon), Alex Cuba, Ruben Blades, Yasmin Levy, Benoit Bourque, Béla Fleck, Crystal Shawanda & Ken Whiteley.

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RECENT AWARDS:
• 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards-nominated Ensemble of the Year
• 2024 Folk Music Ontario–Performing Artist of the Year nominee
• 2024 Burlington Performing Arts Centre Hall of Fame
• 2024 Merilaïnen Music Awards–Indigenous Ally of the Year
• 2023 International Songwriting Competition–Finalist with Black Winged Raven, The Rez, and Nîmihito
• 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards-Global Roots Album of the Year with Sanctuary
• 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards-Producer of the Year with Sanctuary
• 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards-nominated Pushing the Boundaries & Contemporary Album
• 2022 Dr. Duke Redbird Lifetime Achievement Award–JAYU Arts For Human Rights
• 2022 Folk Music Ontario–Song of the Year winner-Mi Santuario
• 2022 Folk Music Ontario–Nominated for Performer of the Year
• 2022 Cannes World Film Festival–Best Musical Film
• 2022 Burlington’s Best Local Musician/Band
• 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards-Producer of the Year with Refuge
• 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee for Ensemble of the Year with Refuge
• 2021 Canadian Independent Music Association-Pivot Award
• 2021 Markham Performing Arts Awards-Professional Artist of the Year
• 2021 International Songwriting Competition–World Music–Mi Santuario
• 2020 Folk Music Ontario-Songwriting Award–Instrumental-"Refuge”
• 2020 Folk Music Ontario-Songwriting Award–Political-"I Am a Refugee”
• 2020 Independent Music Awards-Instrumental Song of the Year-The Grand Bazaar
• 2020 Independent Music Awards-World Music Producer of the Year–Refuge




We would like to acknowledge funding support from the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and Canada Council for the Arts.