John Oliver's ensemble 88 Strings to perform April 3, 7:30pm, The Annex
We are one of three quartets performing during the Sound of Dragon Festival.
Sound of Dragon Music Festival – Concert 2:
Strum, Bow, Roar
88 Strings, Vancouver Erhu Quartet, Multicultural Wind Ensemble
【彈、拉、吹】– 88弦彈撥樂團、溫哥華二胡四重奏、多元文化管樂團
7:30pm Friday April 3, 2026
The Annex, 823 Seymour Street, Vancouver
This concert presents three Vancouver ensembles formed during/post the pandemic. While using instruments within the same family, either plucked, bowed, or winds, they bring together musicians and traditions from different cultures. Reflecting Canada’s multicultural environment, these ensembles and their collaborating composers explore the similarities and differences between their instruments and musical traditions. This is concert #2 of 3 in the festival. Ticket links below.
88 Strings (formed in 2020) mixes traditional Chinese, Persian and Western plucked instruments and blends together classical and world music from Spain, China, Taiwan, Persia, France, and Canada.
Our all-Canadian program for this concert features the music of Jin Zhang, Farshid Samandari, Ali Razmi, and John Oliver. Check out our web site for videos!
Dailin Hsieh 謝岱霖: zheng 古箏
Joy Yeh: harp 豎琴
John Oliver: guitar 吉他
Ali Razmi: tar 波斯塔爾琴
Nominated by the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards, the Multicultural Wind Ensemble was formed in 2023 by Persian ney player/composer Amir Eslami. While there is long tradition of winds and percussion music in different cultures, the Multicultural Wind Ensemble’s combination of Asian wind instruments with Persian drums is a unique voice in Vancouver’s world music scene.
Amir Eslami – ney 波斯笛
Zhongxi Wu 吳忠喜 – suona 嗩吶 & sheng 笙
Charlie Lui 呂畇初 – dizi 笛子
Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos – shakuhachi 日本尺八
Hamin Honari – tombak & daf 波斯手鼓
Formed in 2020, the Vancouver Erhu Quartet explores the sonic possibilities combining the erhu (Chinese violin) with western strings. The quartet’s all-Asian members represent Taiwanese, Chinese, Punjabi, and Korean communities. Their interpretation of contemporary works is fused with the sensitivity and sense of breath from Asian traditions. At the same time, the musicians have performed/studied various musical styles to explore innovative approaches. Together they bring expertise in various genres, from traditional, contemporary, classical, avant-garde, to world/cross-cultural music.
Jun Rong 戎峻 – erhu 二胡
Lan Tung 董籃 – erhu 二胡
Parmela Attariwala – viola 中提琴
Sungyong Lim 林成容 – cello 大提琴
BUY TICKETS 購票 (Early Bird until March 15) https://www.showpass.com/strum-bow-roar/
or FESTIVAL PASS for all 3 concerts (Discount Price) https://www.showpass.com/2026-sound-of-dragon-music.../
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