"The Light of East Ensemble not only plays music at a very high level, but they were a pleasure to work with, both professionally and inter-personally. They brought a wide ranging experience to the performance, including songs in multiple languages, improvisations, and flexibility to make our partnership work successfully."

- Scott Good, Conductor and Composer in Residence, London Symphonia

 

“Outstanding musicianship, an uncompromising work ethic, and a rare sense of grace make every Light of East Ensemble concert a truly memorable occasion.  The Sunfest Committee is proud to have presented the London-based ensemble in the company of some of the world’s top world music & jazz artists.”

- Brian Hannigan,  Sunfest Communications Coordinator, London, Ontario, Canada

For a more in-depth review from the TD Sunfest Committee click here.

 

"Light Of East ensemble is an inspiration to our audience at the SilkRoad Festival, as part of Tapestry, Celebrations of Diversity in Kitchener.  The blend of Arabic and Middle Eastern sounds highlighted the festival and brought home the nature of shared culture and traditions crossing regions throughout history.  Adding classical instrumentation such as flute and double bass to the oud's soul introduced contemporary elements for a truly world music performance.  Encore! "

- Brian Scott, Event Development, Special Events/ Film KW, City of Kitchener

 

"Light of  East illuminate the audience by presenting a wide variety of musical samplings from the ancient and rich near and middle Eastern Mediterranean cultures.  Their command of their chosen traditional instruments is masterful, as is their use of them.  Audiences are both entertained and informed, and therefore enriched. "

- Brad McEwen, Artistic Director, Mill Race Folk Society

 

"Light of East Ensemble are accomplished musicians and felt fortunate to have them on our stage to share the wonderful folk music and culture of the Asia Minor and the Middle East region. Their performance was enthusiastically received by our audience of 2,000 at the Huron Multicultural Festival."

- Rick Sickinger, Cultural Development Officer, County of Huron

 

"This talented and well disciplined ensemble represents a world view of music within a Canadian context. The breadth of both their repertoire and the individual talents of each member of the group make The Light of East Ensemble a significant contributor to the wealth of music that is the artistic community of London, Ontario."

- Raemond Fletcher- Artisitc/Program Director, CentreSpace for the Arts

 

"The Light of East Ensemble was a major contributor to our production. I directed "The Arab-Israeli Cookbook" to sold-out houses and I used selections of Light of East recordings to add authentic middle-eastern music to our performances.  They are a jewel of a music group. The Light of East Ensemble enriches our Canadian cultural mosaic by enriching our music scene with their authentic middle-eastern and mediterranean presentations. They preserve the music of this area, and they educate other Canadians with their unique instrumentation."

- Bruce Cameron, Director of the J.M. Drama production of 'The Arab-Israeli Cookbook"

 

"The Light of East Ensemble’s latest release Live at the Aeolin has had a great deal of play on our station since its release in November and this can be seen via our chart submissions to !Earshot, The National Campus and Community Radio chart. By following this link (http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/cjam.cfm). Beyond the well rounded group of musicians and very high skill level, the respect for the regions from where the music originated becomes apparent. Simply put, The Light of East Ensemble is integral to the mission of any campus and community radio station and benefits many through their ability to help stations stay compliant to government standards while not compromising the integrality of ethno-cultural programs that want to stay true to their cultural mission." 

- Brady Holek, Station Manager, CJAM 99.1 FM

 

"The quality of their performance was impressive, and the rich variety of music from the Middle East and the Mediterranean was very popular with our audience.  Since then I have seen Light of East Ensemble on numerous occasions, and each time the group's virtuosity, repertoire, and stage presence has been a delight.  This is a group of accomplished musicians who are passionate about their music, and love what they do.  I recommend them wholeheartedly."

- Lawrence McNaught, Director of Programming and Development, The Registry Theatre

​

"Having previously been the Executive Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra for many years, I have a true appreciation of the exquisite musicianship of the Light of East performers. Each member is a virtuoso in his/her own right. The arrangements, the lighthearted and poignant stage presence, all lend themselves to an unsurpassed musical experience, with repertoire that is at once beautiful, exotic, moving and even educational to audience members."

-Jay Katz, Executive Director, Windsor Jewish Community Centre

 

"The Light of East Ensemble had terrific energy on stage and their repertoire selection took us on a wonderful journey of discovery. The ensemble sounded fantastic and all members of the ensemble were a pleasure to collaborate with. Audience feedback from our collaborative concert was very positive, including a standing ovation."

- Andrew Chung, General Manager, London Symphonia

 

"We were extremely pleased with the high level of professionalism displayed by every member of the ensemble and also by the cohesiveness of their musicianship which resulted in performances of the highest artistic integrity."

- Anne M. Brown, Executive Director, International Symphony Orchestra
 

"The ensemble displayed a high degree of musicianship and the arrangements provided made for an outstanding performance. Our audience found the music engaging and moving. I recommend the Light of East Ensemble without reservation."

- Doug Bianchi, Music Director, International Symphony Orchestra