Georgia began playing piano at age 6, and began playing the upright bass at age 14, developing a strong interest in jazz music in the process. Encouraged by her Double Bass instructors, Georgia completed her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Capilano University in 2007.

While at Capilano University, Georgia was fortunate to play and study alongside future Juno award nominees and winners such as Bria Skonberg and Amanda Tosoff. During this time, Georgia also played and recorded with several international greats, including Evan Arntzen and Simon Stribling.

After graduation, Georgia extensively toured North America and Europe with numerous jazz bands prior to settling in the Calgary area in 2011. Georgia specializes in Traditional Hot New Orleans Style Jazz, having played with various Trad or Dixieland jazz bands, including Hopping Mad and Big Bang Jazz Band. She also has a strong familiarity with Western Swing, having developed a vast repertoire of this music while in Calgary. Over the years, she has honed her skills as a bass player in styles influenced by bassists such as Slam Stewart and Pops Foster.

After more than 15 years since she last attended university, Georgia is excited to begin working towards the MMus of Jazz Performance Degree at the University of Toronto. Georgia’s current music interests include hot jazz performance history, solo bass performance repertoire, equity and diversity in jazz, and any tune that swings.

Dylan Pilcher is an emerging Métis artist and musician currently based in Toronto, Canada. Originally from Treaty One Territory, his performance practice explores the intersection of cultural identity and contemporary Canadian music, weaving traditional influences into a distinct compositional and storytelling voice.

Drawing early inspiration from jazz greats like Kenny Dorham, Miles Davis, Scott Tinkler, and Terumasa Hino, Dylan’s artistry balances virtuosic improvisation with emotional nuance and sensitivity. His dynamic voice as a trumpeter and composer reflects both fiery spontaneity and deep introspection.

Dylan has performed alongside leading Canadian artists such as David Braid, Greg Gatien, and Ariel Posen, and has studied under internationally recognized musicians including Kevin Turcotte, Dr. Edward Bach, and Greg Gatien. Looking forward, Dylan looks to find the intersection between music, culture and people through expression and improvisation.

Yuzi Sun is a jazz drummer and multi-instrumentalist based in Toronto, Ontario. She began studying piano at a young age and performed as a keyboardist with her local Youth Symphony Orchestra. Her early musical influences include classical music as well as Chinese folk and pop music, which continue to shape her distinctive sound today. 

Yuzi picked up the drums in her early teens and quickly developed a passion for rock and pop drumming. Throughout high school and during her bachelor’s degree in Radio & Television in China, she played drums with various rock bands at local music festivals. While pursuing her master’s degree in Professional Education at Western University, she joined the Western Mustang Band’s drumline, performing at campus and local sports events — and it was during this time that she discovered her love for jazz through greater exposure to North American music.

In 2021, Yuzi enrolled at Mohawk College to begin her formal jazz studies, where she built a strong foundation in jazz fundamentals and fully immersed herself in the music. She then continued her jazz studies at the University of Toronto, with the goal of becoming a professional drummer. Inspired by drum legends such as Elvin Jones, Gary Novak, and Larnell Lewis, she is dedicated to expressing her musical ideas through the lens of her rich cultural background.

Zane Shihadeh’s compositional repertoire stretches from neoclassical music to modern jazz, to film composition. His award-winning works have helped him into studying with several renowned faculty from the University of Toronto including Tania Gill and Larysa Kuzmenko. Now in his 3rd year of undergraduate studies, Shihadeh is continuing to pursue and develop his compositional craft by exploring varying genres including impressionism, neoclassical, scores for film and theater productions, and modern jazz. After graduating from university, Shihadeh wishes to continue his compositional ambitions, specifically in the realm of storytelling.

Esra Gürçay (pronounced Es-ra Göhr-chai) is a singer-songwriter and indie jazz artist from Istanbul, Turkey, currently living in Toronto, Canada. She sings modern jazz standards, as well as her original compositions that blend modern jazz with indie, neo-soul and jazz-fusion. In the past years, she’s become a regular at Turkey's top jazz clubs -- most notably, Nardis, Bova, Pera77 and Gregor Jazz Club -- and has performed across Turkey through various jazz festivals, such as the International Istanbul Jazz Festival, Akra Jazz Festival, Bodrum Jazz Festival and the Prince Islands Jazz Festival. 

In 2020, Esra received a degree in International Relations from Tufts University (MA, USA), where she also performed with the Tufts Jazz Orchestra and a local indie rock band. She later started working at a Washington, DC-based tech startup and moved back to Istanbul while continuing to work remotely and continue her musical pursuits. In 2023, she was a finalist in both the Nardis Young Jazz Vocal competition and the IKSV Young Jazz competition in Istanbul, Turkey, earning multiple awards. Later that year, she decided to quit her full-time job to prioritize her music career. She is now based in Toronto, where she is continuing her musical studies at the University of Toronto’s Jazz Program.