Toronto is all set to embrace an eclectic blend of musical styles with a series of captivating performances. From the dreamy vocals of Marjan Farsad to the innovative sitar tunes of Anoushka Shankar and the rhythmic mastery of Zakir Hussain, this is a musical journey not to be missed. These events, organized by Small World Music, showcase the talents of renowned artists from around the globe, promising to transport audiences to new auditory realms. Each performance offers a unique experience, blending traditional sounds with modern interpretations.

Harmonies and Rhythms: A Musical Journey Through Toronto's Diverse Sounds

Toronto's vibrant music scene is set to be illuminated by the enchanting performances of Marjan Farsad, Anoushka Shankar, and Zakir Hussain. Audiences will embark on a transcendent musical journey with these world-renowned artists, each offering unique sounds and stories. From the soothing melodies of Marjan Farsad to the dynamic rhythms of Anoushka Shankar and the masterful percussion of Zakir Hussain, this series of events organized by Small World Music promises to be an unforgettable experience for all music lovers.

Toronto's Musical Extravaganza: An Evening with Marjan Farsad, Anoushka Shankar, and Zakir Hussain

As a composer, he has scored music for numerous feature films, and has composed four concertos, enjoying premieres and acclaimed performances in India, Europe and in the USA by the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center. He is the recipient of countless awards, including 5 Grammys, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Officier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters, and several honorary doctorates. Voted “Best Percussionist” by both the Downbeat Critics’ and Readers’ Polls and Modern Drummer’s Reader’s Poll over several years, including 2023, Zakir was honored with SFJazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award at their 2017 Gala for his “unparalleled contribution to the world of music”. In 2022, he was named the Kyoto Prize Laureate in Arts and Philosophy.

Zakir Hussain – Masters Of Percussion

Massey Hall

Anoushka Shankar brings to Toronto a new band of musicians with whom she has carved out a new, multifaceted and dynamic sound as they perform music from her three newly-released mini-albums Chapter I: Forever, For Now, Chapter II: How Dark it Is Before Dawn, and marking the release of Chapter III: (Untitled) coming in March 2025, alongside thoroughly shaken-up, reinterpreted gems from her previous releases including the Grammy-nominated live album Between Us…

Anoushka Shankar

With her soothing voice, Marjan Farsad will take you through a dream to a far away land.

Marjan Farsad – Live in Toronto

Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts

In this concert, Honeypaw will be presenting material from wax cylinders recorded by the folklorist A.R.Niemi, who travelled to several villages in Lithuania over one hundred years ago to collect archaic songs. His plan was to conduct comparative studies of Finnic and Baltic texts, however he realized that he first had to collect the very first printed examples of Lithuanian polyphonic songs, or sutartines.

Honeypaw: Songs Sealed in Wax

Small World Centre

Join us for a night of cross cultural Persian music influenced by Indian talas and experimental motifs with four exquisite Toronto musicians.

Experimental Link: Persian Alchemy

Following the incredible response to her 2023 JUNO Award-winning album “Thieves of Dreams”, sung in Czech, Lenka Lichtenberg will be performing her new English-language album “Feel With Blood” inspired by her grandmother's recently discovered WWII notebooks of poems.

Lenka Lichtenberg – Album Release Concert

Join us for an evening of musical fusion and cultural celebration, as Rastak continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Rastak

Toronto Pavilion

Join us for a captivating night of santoor music by Pt. Shivkumar Sharma's senior-most disciple, Dhananjay Daithankar on the santoor, accompanied by Jasmeet Chana on the tabla.

5th Annual Riyaz Music Festival

Join us for an evening of powerful Sufi voices & rhythms with Saami Brothers Qawwali group.

Saami Brothers Qawwali

Toronto Metropolitan University

Join us for an evening of music and poetry as we explore the rich legacy of Hazrat Amir Khusrau and Saint Kabir Das.

Reflections on Khusrau and Kabir: Featuring Ustad Saami and Ramneek Singh

Aga Khan Museum

Global Toronto Music Festival (GTMF 2024) debuts from September 28th to October 1st, 2024, transforming venues across the city into hubs of live music, with industry talks, and networking events. Audiences of all ages can enjoy a vibrant mix of free and ticketed shows featuring 18 jury-selected musicians spanning diverse genres and cultures. The festival brings together international delegates to exchange ideas and address industry challenges through innovative programming. As advocates for equity, sustainability, and accessibility, GTMF offers a unique opportunity for musical discovery at both indoor and outdoor concerts, thought-provoking discussions, and a celebration of Toronto's rich musical tapestry.

Global Toronto Music Festival: Official Showcase at Lula Lounge

Lula Lounge

Global Toronto Music Festival: Official Showcase at El Mocambo

El Mocambo

On Saturday, July 20th, Small World Music and TO Live present the iconic Bollywood musical composer trio, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

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Shankar Ehsaan Loy – Kal Ho Naa Ho

Meridian Hall

Let the enchanting sounds of the haegeum, gayageum, and geomungo lead you on a sonic journey of music and dance with the dynamic Korean music group, Maegandang. Named after the word Maegandang (魅衎黨), meaning a group of people who charm and entertain the audience, the group's three artists will captivate you with their reimagining of traditional music.

Maegandang

Join us as we celebrate the release of Lemon Bucket Orkestra’s new album Cuckoo.

Lemon Bucket Orkestra Presents Cuckoo

The Opera House

Welcome to Char Bagh, an outdoor celebration of South Asian music, visual arts, dance, architecture, and artisans. Based on the historic botanical gardens from pre-colonial South Asia, this is a night celebrating both queer and hidden histories of the subcontinent, bringing together a mix of the classical and the contemporary, with a South Asian bazaar featuring food vendors, textile crafts, artisanal vendors, and more. Come down and enjoy palm and tarot readings, intricate mehendi artwork, and textile workshops. Watch Kathak dance performances, listen to Hindustani ghazals, follow classical ragas, groove to Bangladeshi pop, and end the night with the stunning North American debut of Pakistani pop icon, Natasha Noorani, and veteran producer Talal Qureshi (presented in collaboration with Small World Music and Virasat), guaranteed to have you on your feet and dancing.

Welcome to Char Bagh

David Pecaut Square

The International Indigenous Music Summit (IIMS) is the largest global event solely dedicated to celebrating, creating awareness, sharing resources, and building opportunities for the Indigenous music community. IIMS 2024 will take place June 10-14, 2024 at the TD Music Hall and key performance venues across Toronto. The event will shine a spotlight on over 45 incredible Indigenous artists from around the world, and will feature a traditional welcoming ceremony and feast, opening night Gala, and daytime programming including elder talks, keynotes, B2B networking sessions, master classes and community roundtables.

International Indigenous Music Summit: Official Showcase

Allied Music Centre

Join us for an audiovisual exploration into the sounds, rhythms, and songs of Korea. During this lecture and demonstration, Maegandang will explore the genre and history of Korean music.

Lecture: Songs & Rhythms of Korean Tradition by Maegandang

As part of both the 2024 Lulaworld Festival and the Small World Music Series, Toronto-based artists Nastasia Y and Ahmed Moneka team up to celebrate their new album releases on the Lulaworld Records label.

Nastasia Y + Ahmed Moneka Arabic Jazz

Qawwali is the most popular Sufi devotional music from South Asia and, in recent years, has gained increased attention from worldwide audiences. Despite its popularity, upbeat rhythm and emotional appeal, qawwali's origins and lyrics are shrouded in mystery.

Lecture: An Introduction to Qawwali Music

Celebrate the release of the debut full-length album by Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter Natasha Roldán, Ya No Estoy Aquí (I’m no longer here). The self-produced album, acclaimed by several critics as “absolutely beautiful”, “a migrant’s album with a very feminine touch”, and featuring “strength (emerging) from…pain”, contains stories about migration, revolution, love, and the Colombian conflict. Her songs weave emotionally poignant narratives that invite reflection on the search for freedom, self-love, and resistance.

Natasha Roldán

Mey-e Nab, is the second concert of Canadian Golha Orchestra's inaugural season. Featuring the internationally renowned singer, Sepideh Raissadat, CGO explores the artistic world of Iranian orchestral music. Building on a successful performance in Fall 2023, this collaboration with Sepideh Raissadat features a combination of new compositions and old classical favourites of Iranian music.

Mey-e Nab: Canadian Golha Orchestra Featuring Sepideh Raissadat

Celebrate the release of the debut recording from Running Rivers, a trio combining South Asian classical and folk traditions with Western jazz, funk, blues, and jam-band influences to create a truly original and uniquely Torontonian sound.

Running Rivers

Join us for a musical celebration of Nowruz, the Persian holiday welcoming the spring season. The Toronto-based Ooldouzlar boasts a multicultural lineup that reflects their diverse musical influences. At its core, is vocalist Ooldouz Pouri, a mesmerising Azeri Iranian singer whose voice weaves tales of emotion and heritage. Alongside her, percussionist Naghmeh Farahmand keeps the rhythm alive, infusing the music with energy and vitality. Majd Sukar brings the soulful tones of the clarinet, adding depth and richness to the ensemble, while Demetrios Petsalakis enchants with the haunting melodies of the Oud, transporting listeners to distant lands with each strum.

Ooldouzlar

SWM is pleased to again partner with our second home, Drom, for this amazing evening, and to celebrate, we’ve got a limited number of $5-off tickets. Use promo code "SWM2024" while supplies last!

Cheikh Ibra Fam

DROM Taberna

Join us for a special evening with Sina Bathaie Live at the legendary Opera House!

Sina Bathaie

Three masters and long-time friends join together in a new collaboration. Kayhan Kalhor (kamancheh), Wu Man (pipa), and Sandeep Das (tabla) are celebrated soloists in their individual traditions, all known for bringing those traditions out to the wider world. Their new trio highlights - and unites - the ancient traditions of Iran, China, and India in celebration of Lunar New Year.

DoosTrio

Meridian Arts Centre

The sound of Mediterranean migration blends ancient frame drum rhythms and raw electric guitar to create a starkly hypnotic musical landscape.

Justin Adams & Mauro Durante

Paradise Theatre

Celebrate Orthodox New Year with a rollicking Balkan Brass party! We’re going to blow the roof off Drom Taberna to welcome the ’New Old Year’, with the epic energy of Nizo Alimov and his Guça Brass Band!

Small World Music

Apr 5, 2025

Zakir Hussain – Masters Of Percussion

Mar 25, 2025

Anoushka Shankar

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