About Us
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BIOGRAPHY
The Phoenix Orchestra is an artist led music organization founded by Artistic Director, Angel Wang, a Chinese born Canadian violinist. It is dedicated to the performance of Western and Chinese classical music played on a variety of traditional and modern instruments with the intent to foster a deeper appreciation of both cultures in Toronto and the broader Canadian society through both live and digital performances.
The Phoenix Orchestra has performed live to sold out theatres in both Toronto and Beijing where it was invited to perform in the prestigious “Meet in Beijing International Arts Festival”. It was a coup for the orchestra as it was the first Canadian orchestra invited to participate in this event. Not to be deterred by the pandemic, the Phoenix Orchestra string ensembles produced a series of digital concerts which can be viewed on their website and YouTube channels. Committed to the performance and promotion of works by Canadian composers, the Phoenix Orchestra and Angel Wang have commissioned a work for orchestra and solo violin by the celebrated composer Alice Ping Yee Ho. It’s presentation on December 2, 2023 at Koerner Hall, Toronto, was a world premiere.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to bridge the gap between Chinese and Western cultures, increase mutual understanding and appreciation between the two civilizations via music and art, and enhance Canadian and global cultural life.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to establish ourselves as a preeminent platform for international cultural and artistic interaction, to foster the growth and integration of other cultures, to support Chinese and Western classical music and art, and to nurture the next generation of creative genius.
ANGEL WANG
Founder & Artistic Director
As principal soloist with the Phoenix Orchestra, Angel Wang has sold out several performances with orchestra and guest artists, including such notable performances at the George Weston Recital Hall, North York “From Hollywood to Beijing to Vienna,” 2017; Koerner Hall, Toronto, “From Bach to Beijing to Broadway”, 2018; and the Beijing Concert Hall in China, “Meet in Beijing”, 2019. In celebration of society’s emergence from the pandemic Angel Wang and the Phoenix Orchestra marked a triumphant return to a sold-out performance with the “Winter Waltz” concert at Koerner Hall in September 2022. In January of 2023 Angel Wang and the Phoenix Orchestra Orchestra gave another sold-out performance at the Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre. Following up on these successes Angel and the Phoenix Orchestra wrapped up an online concert presentation in celebration of Christmas and Chinese New Year. In June of 2023 Mrs. Wang and the Phoenix Orchestra recorded an online concert in celebration of Canada Day. On December 2, 2023 at Koerner Hall in Toronto Angel presented the world premiere of a new work for solo violin and orchestra by Alice Ping Yee Ho titled “Phoenix Rising” which was later recorded with other works, notably the beloved “Butterfly Lovers” concerto, and several Chinese traditional tunes. The recording was released on both CD format and Apple streaming platform on March 14, 2025.
In addition to her diverse and busy performing activities Angel Wang is much in demand as a teacher. She is a faculty member at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto where she leads a full violin studio. Angel is also a guest professor of Wulanchabu conservatory in China, and the music professor and art consultant of C9 Art Toronto. Her students are frequent recipients of awards and are distinguished players. Many are now pursuing careers in music.
Claudio Vena
Italian-born Claudio Vena is a Gemini award-winning composer, conductor, producer and musician. He has composed for film, television, and stage, penning scores for The Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage and currently at The Shaw Festival. In 2011 his score to the documentary TO in 24 won him a Gemini award for best original music. He currently has a feature film called Road to the Lemon Grove, which is available through most streaming services.
Position / Role
Alice Ping Yee Ho
One of the most acclaimed composers writing in Canada today, Hong Kong-born Alice Ping Yee Ho has written in many musical genres and received numerous national and international awards.
Critics have called her music dramatic and graceful, while praising its “organic flow of imagination”, “distinctly individual style”, “colourful orchestration”, and “emotive qualities”. Influences evident in her proudly eclectic approach include Chinse folk and operatic idioms, Japanese Taiko, jazz, pop culture, and other contemporary art forms.
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Tom Allen
Tom Allen was born in Montreal. He attended Marianapolis College and McGill, before finishing degrees at Boston University and Yale. Tom worked as a bass trombonist in New York City when there were still places you just didn’t go, in Toronto, and on tour with the Great Lakes Brass. He began working for the CBC on his 30th birthday, a very long time ago. He has written three books, created and hosted countless shows for theatre companies and orchestras, as well as touring an ever-expanding series of cabaret/history/storytelling shows that includes The Missing Pages, Being Lost and the latest, JS Bach’s Long Walk in the Snow.
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Scott Rumble
Tenor Scott Rumble is an emerging dramatic talent making his mark on Canadian stages. Recent engagements include Anatol in Barber’s Vanessa (VoiceBox: Opera in Concert), Oscar Straus, A Waltz Dream (Toronto Operetta Theatre), Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Brott Music Festival, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Vancouver Bach Choir. He made a role debut with the Vancouver Opera, appearing as Steuermann in their production of Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer.
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