Montrealers are cordially invited to this year’s Opening Cocktail to celebrate the launch of the 24th edition of Festival Accès Asie. The event will kick off Asian Heritage Month celebrations.
Along with some surprises, the evening will include the musician Yuki Isami who will perform an excerpt from her concert Brise japonaise, the dancers from Giri Kedaton, Indonesian music and dance ensemble who will share their repertoire and magician Yan Lee Chan who will conjure up a little stardust. And not least, DJs Interstellaire II and Me Float will keep guests moving to their electronic beat throughout the evening. The entire Festival team is pleased to welcome you to the unveiling of this 24th edition for an evening of discovery and adventure.
Guy Sioui Durand, a Huron Wendat, is a theoretical sociologist, independent curator, art critic, and speaker-performer. His views on Aboriginal art and contemporary art emphasize the rewilding of our imaginations and the renewal of relationships. Guy specializes in several different fields which he makes complementary. He teaches Initiation to Modern and Contemporary Aboriginal Art at the Kiuna Aboriginal Institution, the only fully Aboriginal postsecondary institution which opened in 2011. This winter (2019), he will also be teaching the History of Aboriginal Art at UQAM. Guy Sioui Durand is a leading writer of Aboriginal culture, including Réseaux et pratiques d’art parallèle au Québec (1997), Riopelle Indianité (2003), and l’Esprit des Objets (2013).
At the crossroads is the expression that would characterize Darleen Wong, interior designer, born of a Dominican mother and a father of Chinese origin. A polyglot of languages describes her grandmother who raised her during her youth in the Dominican Republic. To attest to her cultural wealth, she moved to Beijing and Hangzhou to study Mandarin. This eclectic fusion of cultures cultivates the creative process in her work. Today, with nearly a decade of experience in interior design, Darleen gives new impetus to the approach of her discipline and, for the first time, formulates a term for her works and creations: Boudoir Therapy.
Native from Japan, Yuki Isami discovered music at the age of four through the piano. After receiving first prizes from Toho’s College of Drama and Music in Tokyo, and the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, she now pursues a flutist career. She has participated in many international festivals and performed in various orchestras including the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec. She has also worked on various projects to promote Japanese music and culture in Canada with instruments such as the shinobue, koto, and shamisen. She has notably arranged and performed Musique japonaise: Branches et racines and TSUKI, a musical and visual tale.
A native of Japan, Yuki Isami discovered music at the age of four through the piano. After receiving first prizes from Toho’s College of Drama and Music in Tokyo, and the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, she now pursues a flutist career. She has participated in many international festivals and performed in various orchestras including the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec. She has also worked on various projects to promote Japanese music and culture in Canada with instruments such as the shinobue, koto, and shamisen. She has notably arranged and performed Musique japonaise: Branches et racines and TSUKI, a musical and visual tale.
Yan Lee Chan has always been fascinated by the creation of magical moments. From a very young age, he practiced the art of magic and conjuring. Later on, he trained in visual arts and studied theatrical production specializing in lighting design. With these different hats, Yan has collaborated with directors and companies such as Marie Chouinard, Marie Brassard, Denise Filiatraut, les 7 doigts de la main and the Rubberbandance Group. This magician captivates audiences at more than a hundred shows a year in the Montreal region and with his show L’art de la magie dans les écoles et bibliothèques. He is constantly developing his Micro-Magic program which he performs before your very eyes or even in your own hands.
Duo Chittakone Thirakul is Interstellaire II and Gabrielle Goudbout is Me Float. Together, these two artists, represented by the record label Jeunesse Cosmique, have created a sound and visual project. The duo, always reaching for the stars, is also at the helm of CISM Radio’s show, also called Jeunesse Cosmique, where they devote themselves to discovering lost treasures and the future of music. Chittakone is of Laotian origin and pays tribute to his Asian origins with his project Hazy Montagne Mystique. The duo loves to liven up evenings with music tainted by quite diverse styles of music, with a penchant for Oriental and Asian sounds.
Guy Sioui Durand – Guest of Honor
Darleen Wong – Interior Designer
Yuki Isami – Flutist
Giri Kedaton – Music and Dance Ensemble
Yan Lee Chan – Magician
Interstellar II et Me Float – DJ and VJ