Sunday, December 7, 2025 – 3:00pm
Meridian Arts Centre – George Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St, Toronto ON, M2N 6R8
TIX/INFO:
https://www.tolive.com/Event-Details-Page/reference/Sultans-of-String-2025 | 416-366-7723 | 1-800-708-6754 | boxoffice@tolive.com
Adults: $55
Seniors 60+: $39
Youth OTOPus – ages 16-29: $25
Children – 5-15: $15
Orchestra Toronto and Sultans of String are bringing the spirit of the holidays with their Celebrate the Season concert on Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 3:00pm in the George Weston Recital Hall at the Meridian Arts Centre (pre-concert chat with Music Director, Michael Newnham begins at 2:15pm). The concert will include exuberant originals and several all-time favourite pieces, including Silent Night, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and the Little Drummer Boy, as well as songs highlighting jazz, Jewish, Turkish and Caribbean influences and traditions.
“We are thrilled enter this joyous time of year with our selection of seasonal favourites that honours and celebrates a variety of cultures from around the world,” said Michael Newnham, Music Director of Orchestra Toronto. “We are confident this cross-cultural holiday celebration will bring the warmth and energy of the season, with a fresh perspective on familiar melodies.”
Orchestra Toronto is delighted to be joined by award-winning ensemble Sultans of String as they bring their multicultural Christmas Caravan to the stage. The group celebrates musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity and world rhythms that excite audiences and bring them to their feet! Led by Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient and co-founder of Sultans of String, Chris McKhool, and joined by special guests Ken Whiteley, Rebecca Campbell, Saskia Tomkins, Aviva Chernick and Alberto Suarez, this concert features a dynamic mix of seasonal favourites, reimagined through a world-music lens.
“We are so looking forward to joining Orchestra Toronto for this special concert,” said McKhool, “We will be playing some fiery fiddle tunes, a Caribbean sleigh ride, as well as some well-known gems with inspired twists. Having grown up playing in orchestras, Orchestra Toronto presents nostalgic and exciting opportunity to bring our music full circle along with outstanding vocalists. The audience will also be treated to a world premiere performance of the orchestral version of The Light of Christmas, a song by our guest Ken Whiteley, specially arranged for this concert by Ben Bolt-Martin.”
About Orchestra Toronto
Founded in 1954 and comprised of nearly 100 musicians, Orchestra Toronto was created by passionate musicians within the community, for the community. It offers the enjoyment of music, fosters education and music appreciation and supports emerging Canadian talent. The organization is built on the generosity of volunteers and donors committed to making symphonic music accessible to a broad and diverse public beyond the concert hall.
About Sultans of String
Sultans of String create “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine, UK). Thrilling audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, Django-jazz, Arabic, and Cuban rhythms, fiery violin dances with kinetic guitar, while bass and percussion lay down unstoppable grooves. Sultans of String have hit #1 across Canada on Top 10 national radio charts, and received multiple awards and accolades, including 3 JUNO nominations, 1st place in the ISC (15,000 entries), 6 Canadian Folk Music Awards, plus invitations to perform/record with such luminaries as The Chieftains, David Bromberg, and Alex Cuba.
THE NITTY GRITTY
WHEN:
Sunday, December 7, 2025 – 3:00pm
WHO:
ORCHESTRA TORONTO presents Billboard chart-toppers/3x JUNO nominees SULTANS OF STRING w/ special guests Rebecca Campbell, Ken Whiteley, Saskia Tomkins, Aviva Chernick and Alberto Suarez!
Michael Newnham conducts!
WHAT:
Christmas Caravan Concert – serving up Global Grooves and Holiday Cheer!
WHERE:
Meridian Arts Centre – George Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St, Toronto ON, M2N 6R8
TIX/INFO:
https://www.tolive.com/Event-Details-Page/reference/Sultans-of-String-2025 | 416-366-7723 | 1-800-708-6754 | boxoffice@tolive.com
Adults: $55
Seniors 60+: $39
Youth OTOPus – ages 16-29: $25
Children – 5-15: $15
VIDEOS:
30 second TV ad – https://youtu.be/LD82tAfWRd8
Hallelujah — with Rebecca Campbell – https://youtu.be/jotHqUJ-NWo
Django Christmas – https://youtu.be/twUFepphC-0
Last Month of the Year – with Ken Whiteley https://youtu.be/V76o5uDuDhQ
The Little Swallow (Carol of the Bells) / Al Vuelo – https://youtu.be/kFxrGXtv0IM
Feliz Navidad – with Alex Cuba – https://youtu.be/draGGSQIc60?si=9oqR93cLdVO2HkDY
Full Playlist — https://tinyurl.com/sultanschristmasplaylist
SPECIAL GUESTS:
Rebecca Campbell
Rebecca Campbell is an acclaimed and prolific singer who also serves up percussion, Stella guitar, melodica, and harmonica. Bred in the Maritimes and Ottawa, educated in Montreal, and now based in Toronto, Rebecca has performed with Jane Siberry, Lynn Miles, Porkbelly Futures, Parachute Club, Royal Ottawa, Ian Tamblyn, among countless others. Her gorgeous voice has graced both the big and small screen, and on over 120 recordings.
Aviva Chernick
Award-winning singer, voice and meditation teacher, Aviva Chernick, captivates with her soulful, multilingual artistry in Hebrew, Ladino, and English. A founding member of Canada’s Jaffa Road, she’s toured globally and has recorded critically acclaimed albums, receiving CFMA and JUNO nominations. Recognized as a Virginia Folk Life apprentice, she honors Sephardic traditions and leads neySHEV, a meditation and singing community in Toronto. Her original work includes a John Lennon International Songwriting Contest Grand Prize and OCFF “Songs From the Heart” award.
Alberto Suarez
Renowned percussionist Alberto Suárez, hailing from Matanzas, Cuba, proudly unveils his musical journey rooted in a rich cultural legacy. Commencing his percussion odyssey at 10, Suárez honed his craft at Matanzas Provincial Music School and Havana’s National Conservatory, culminating in a pivotal role in the International Orchestra under Carlos Tarafa. Since settling in Canada in 2003, Suárez seamlessly integrated into Toronto’s Latin music community, gracing global percussion festivals and collaborating with diverse artists, from The Canadian Tenors to steel pan jazz pioneer Andy Narell. Suárez’s percussive prowess continues to captivate and enchant.
Saskia Tomkins
Originally from the UK and now Canada-based, Saskia won the All-Britain Championship for Irish Fiddle and who was a musical advisor to the Broadway hit “Come From Away” with her husband Steáfán Hannigan. Saskia also performs with “Clan Hannigan,” “2ish,” “Cairdeas,” “Marsala & the Imports,” and “Medusa.” She recently created a narrated photo/video essay for Folk Alliance International, blending Roma, traditional fiddle, and blues, that explores her family’s quest to find her grandfather, a segregated African-American G.I. who couldn’t marry his white girlfriend. During England’s seldom-discussed “Brown Babies/half-castes” era, Saskia’s mother was twice placed in an orphanage.
Ken Whiteley
Ken Whiteley is one of Canada’s most respected “roots” musicians and producers. Drawing on his incredibly rich background in blues, gospel and folk styles, this 7x JUNO Award nominee has performed and recorded with such legends as Pete Seeger, John Hammond Jr, Tom Paxton, Blind John Davis, Stan Rogers, Guy Davis, Raffi, and countless others. A powerful singer and instrumentalist, Whiteley’s music communicates themes of freedom, love, spiritual aspiration and social comment.
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. Their new release, “Walking Through The Fire”, is an important new CD/Concert of collaborations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists. This production of essential Indigenous voices was inspired by the recommendations of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s “94 Calls to Action” that asks for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to work together as an opportunity to show a path forward.
THE WORD ON THE STREET:
“Perfect, joyful music performed by perfect musicians”
The WholeNote
“An amazing worldbeat Christmas where even the tried and true is taken to such new and amazing lengths. Very hot stuff clearly made to chase the cold winter away.”
Midwest Record, USA
“Canadian band Sultans of String keeps imaginative imperatives in overdrive for the entirety of Christmas Caravan, a generous pitch for global unity through the music of Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. These five musicians have jubilantly recharged the classics with arrangements that demand attention. ★★★★
Downbeat, USA
“This one totally undoes any “bah, humbug” a jinglebelled-jaded deejay might feel!”
KZYX, California
WEBSITE/SOCIALS:
http://www.sultansofstring.com
http://twitter.com/sultansofstring
https://www.facebook.com/sultansofstring
http://www.instagram.com/sultansofstring
RECENT AWARDS:
• 2025 Burlington Key To The City presented to Chris McKhool
• 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards – nominated Ensemble of the Year with Walking Through The Fire
• 2025 Festivals & Events Ontario – Performer of The Year
• 2025 Festivals & Events Ontario – Innovation Award
• 2025 Cannes World Film Festival -Best Musical Film, Best Soundtrack with WTTF
• 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 Yearwith 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 with Refuge
• 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