Reggae Roots

A passionate communicator, Daniel brings clarity and meaning to the concert hall, fostering deep connections between audiences and performers. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is concurrently the Principal Youth Conductor and Creative Partner of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Principal Education Conductor and Community Ambassador of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Artist in Residence and Community Ambassador of Symphony Nova Scotia, and Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education of the San Francisco Symphony. 

He served as Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo S​​ymphony and Associate Conductor of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Daniel has performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and was Cover Conductor with the Washington National Opera in 2020. 

In the 2021 Season Daniel will debut with the Carnegie Hall Link-Up Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Symphony Orchestra, the Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Company.  

Daniel is the host of Canadian Broadcasting Company’s nationally broadcast weekly radio show Centrestage. 

He was also the subject of an award-winning, full-length Canadian Broadcasting Corporation documentary called Disruptor Conductor, focussing on his concerts for Neurodiverse, Prison, African Diaspora and LGBTQ2S+ populations. 

Daniel earned his Bachelors in Music Performance and Education from the University of Calgary, and his Master of Philosophy in Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England.  

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Wrapped in the roots of the Reggae family tree, Jah’Mila makes music that is creatively crafted and deeply inspiring. She has toured with towering Reggae bands like The Wailers, Groundation, Black Uhuru among many others. Equipped with over a decade of Reggae industry experience, and also with the amazing support of her musical team, she is poised and prepared to stand in the center of every stage.

She has been carrying the torch for roots Reggae music in the Maritimes, and she channels her art into a service of advocacy for the systemically oppressed and marginalized. Her single ‘Chant Their Names’ is a cry for change in a system that has failed the black community repeatedly. The lyrics beg for police accountability and implores us to keep the memory of these victims alive by chanting their names out loud. She is passionate about matters of equity and believes that a positive future is possible through community, diversity and inclusion.

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Keithy Antoine works across art, radio, television, and web as a socially-committed entrepreneur, visual artist, and animator. Since 2015, she has been the founder and co-owner of Espace Urbain Montreal, the largest Afro-Urban-Canadian boutique with a vital societal mission. And also the Director of the organization Union Urbaine, that coordonate the Festival Afro Urbain. She is an active member of Wecan Collective, to promote afro-canadian artists. In 2022, she co-host the new web series Pa T’Mentir, on ICI Tou.tv by Radio-Canada.

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Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative partnerships.

Alexander Shelley began his tenure as Music Director in 2015, following Pinchas Zukerman’s 16 seasons at the helm. Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and former Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra (2009–2017), he has been in demand around the world, conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic, DSO Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, and Stockholm Philharmonic, among others, and maintains a regular relationship with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and the German National Youth Orchestra.

Each season, the NAC Orchestra features world-class artists such as the newly appointed Artist-in-Residence James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Joshua Bell, Xian Zhang, Gabriela Montero, Stewart Goodyear, Jan Lisiecki, and Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds. As one of the most accessible, inclusive, and collaborative orchestras in the world, the NAC Orchestra uses music as a universal language to communicate the deepest of human emotions and connect people through shared experiences.

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Kristine has been working with Jah’Mila for over four years, and has been singing her heart out for the past 30. Growing up in a family of lead singers, Kristine had always enjoyed finding the elusive harmonies, unintentionally preparing her for an exciting career as a backing vocalist. Being quite new to the world of professional singing and performing, Kristine has managed to be featured on several albums, has performed with two orchestras and even toured in Jamaica. 

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Teddy Skiffington has been performing and recording drums for over 15 years. His musical influences include Questlove, Carleton Barrett, and Brian Fraser-Moore among others. His interest in Reggae music and Jamaican culture led to two tours of Jamaica in 2017 and 2020 with Jah’Mila. Teddy now resides in Toronto, Ontario. 

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Phil Williams is a talented musician with a passion for music that began when he was a toddler, later teaching himself to play the bass from the young age of 11. He is known for his ability to play by ear and catch music quickly, and has had the opportunity to perform at various festivals in Jamaica, including the Jamaican Cultural Development Corporation Festivals, winning several gold trophies and medals. His favorite genres include Gospel and Reggae. He is currently studying music and performance arts at Centennial College, with the goal of becoming a world-renowned producer and bass player, and dreams of having his own studio and record label in the future.

Award-winning singer-songwriter, percussionist and keyboard player Andru Branch has been called a reggae juggernaut for his contribution to the reggae music fraternity in Canada. Andru grew up amidst a vibrant Rastafarian community in Toronto, and went on to be mentored by some of the most celebrated Jamaican reggae musicians in the business. He recorded his Juno-nominated debut album with members of The Wailers and is currently producing his eighth album with his group Halfway Tree, based in Halifax. Andru has played percussion for almost 40 years, backing many reggae superstars including Luciano, Sizzla, Cocoa Tea, Freddie McGregor and Marcia Griffiths and is delighted to be collaborating with his friend and colleague Jah'Mila.

Born and raised in Halifax, Sean began playing music at a young age and started learning saxophone in school band. He joined a jazz combo and a ska band in high school which would be his first gigging experience. After some time at Dalhousie and McGill’s music programs he left school to play in bands around Halifax; including the reggae outfit Verbal Warnin, The Synchronics, Jah’Mila and The Mellotones.

Born in Joliette Lanaudière, Pascal has been a known figure on the Quebec music scene as a guitar playing sideman and teacher in just about any genre there is. From pop, country, jazz and classical he’s done it all having played with the likes of Renée Martel, Antoine Gratton, Bourbon Gautier, and Marc Hervieux amongst others.
Pascal is also one of Canada’s premier resophonic guitar player with is own original band called Spooky Ride.
As a music educator, he’s been teaching guitar at Cegep Marie-Victorin in Montreal for close to 20 years.