An adamant believer in the power of music to unite, inspire, and elevate, Shokhrukh (Shah) Sadikov is one of the most driven young conductors of his generation. From concert halls to classrooms, community centres and libraries, Sadikov leads an engaged career as a conductor, violist, and music educator. His work with numerous organizations, hundreds of people, and advocacy of access to the arts-for-all stands as a testimony to his belief.
In 2015, Mr. Sadikov co-founded and became the CEO and Music Director of a non-for-profit arts organization, NAVO Inc. (navoarts.com), whose mission is to create unique programs that challenge, entertain, and enrich the lives of underserved communities in the Midwest. In its only few years of existence, NAVO has already reached audiences in the states of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Illinois. During the 2018-19 season he also led the Overland Park Orchestra as the Music Director.
During his tenure as Music Director of the Hays Symphony Orchestra (2015-2019), the orchestra has reached its first pedestal of success in every direction: innovative programming that appeals to a wide range of audience (including two festivals: Cottonwood Chamber Music in the Spring and New Music in the Fall), high quality concerts with a strong regular following, the first HSO brand, website, and the Hays Youth Orchestra. The Children’s Halloween concert became one of the most successful family events of the city. Mr. Sadikov also worked as an assistant professor of upper strings and orchestra director at Fort Hays State University.
Sadikov appeared as a conductor, soloist, and principal violist with the National Symphony Orchestra and the National Radio Chamber Orchestra of Uzbekistan. He also conducted ensembles such as the Tokyo Philharmonic, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Aspen Chamber Symphony, Berlin Sinfonietta, Kazakh State Philharmonic, Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Kansas Wesleyan Chamber Orchestra, Medomak Symphony Orchestra, Taldykorgan Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra “Turkiston” and newEar Contemporary Ensemble among others.
As violist, Mr. Sadikov performed in festivals that include Aspen, Sarasota, Halcyon, Killington, Cottonwood, Lincoln Crossroads and Vladimir Spivakov’s “Moscow Meets Friends”. He produced two recordings with he rapper Tech 9 under the Strange Music label, and released two CD’s of viola works by Brahms, Schumann, Clarke, and Ingrid Stölzel. He recently performed recitals in Germany, Uzbekistan, and the United States, and played his Carnegie Hall debut in 2014.
As a founding member of Wakarusa Trio, Mr. Sadikov is a first prize winner of the Coleman Chamber Music Competition, American Protégé International Competition and MTNA Competition, as well as a Bronze medalist at the Chamber Music Foundation Competition of New England. As a soloist and conductor, he is a laureate of several international competitions such as the 2005 Young Artist Competition of the Republic (Uzbekistan), the 2006 International Competition in Almaty (Kazakhstan) as well as the Tolebaev Conducting Competition (Kazakhstan) in 2019.
Upcoming engagements include an invitation to conduct the Shenyang Symphony in China, Taldikorgan Philharmonic Orchestra and Kostanay Philharmonic Orchestras in Kazakhstan, National Symphony Orchestra and Turkiston Chamber Orchestras in Uzbekistan, as well as an opera debut at the State Academic Bolshoi Theater in Uzbekistan, conducing Donizetti’s Lucia de Lammermoor. Mr. Sadikov currently performs on superb contemporary instruments, both, viola and violin made by Douglas Marples.
Adam hails from Burlington, Ontario and has been performing live across North America for the last 25 years.
Conductor, arranger, bassist and educator Mitchell Tyler is an Honours Bachelor of Music (Theory & Composition) and Bachelor of Education graduate of Western University, and has been a member of the Jeans ‘n Classics Band since 1992.
Jeff Christmas is a Canadian composer, arranger, conductor, drummer and percussionist who studied at York University (Toronto), Western University (London), and Berklee College of Music (Boston). He has conducted and performed with symphony orchestras across Canada and the United States, appearing with artists such as Denny Doherty, Michael Burgess, The Rankins, Ashley MacIsaac, J.P. Cormier, Jackie Richardson, Martin Fry (ABC), Roger Hodgson (formerly of Supertramp), and was recently conductor for legendary and multi-Grammy Award winning Michael Bolton.
David Blamires was born in Yorkshire, England but grew up in London, Ontario, Canada.
Stephen Holowitz, from Thunder Bay, completed a B.Mus. in Performance (Pipe Organ, Church Music and Piano) and a B.Ed (Music, Dramatic Arts) at The University of Western Ontario. He teache music at A.B. Lucas Secondary School, and is the Director of Music for St. James (Westminster) Anglican Church.
Katalin is known in the Canadian music industry for her staggering, tear-the-roof-off, goosebump-inducing vocals. In her travels she’s worked with many legends: Del Shannon, Chubby Checker, Chuck Berry, and Chaka Khan.
Kathryn Rose is a busy artist and music industry multitasker, known for her artful brand of cinematic pop over the course of five solo albums. She’s also a top voice in demand, working in voiceover, jingles, TV and film scores, and live and on the albums of many other artists: Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan (world tour), Kinnie Starr, Kevin Breit, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Melanie Doane, Patti Labelle, Sir Tom Jones, Anne Murray, Martin Fry (ABC), and Ian Thomas, and many more.