News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 20, 2011) - To celebrate 15 years of promoting multiculturalism and harmony through music, the Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society (OCMS), together with BMO Bank of Montreal, is presenting an evening of spectacular music entitled BMO "Our Home, Our Song." The gala concert will take place on Saturday, November 5 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

BMO "Our Home, Our Song" reflects the sentiments of immigrants and newcomers who remain close to their heritage while pursuing new lives in Canada. The concert includes a repertoire of traditional Chinese folk songs, enabling the audience to make a close connection between their birthplace and their new home, Canada.

"We're proud to support this event, which allows people of all ethnic backgrounds to share the joy of music," said Adrian Cheung, Director, Multicultural Markets, BMO Bank of Montreal.

"As Canada's first bank, BMO has a long history of serving the financial needs of multicultural communities across the country. Our workforce directly reflects the diversity of Canada and enables us to address the financial challenges and needs faced by new Canadians, before and after they arrive."

Tam Chuen, president of OCMS, expressed his heartfelt thanks to BMO for supporting this event. He also thanked Yamaha Music (Canada) and media sponsors for their support of the concert.

"The purpose of this concert is to share music with the people in the GTA, especially the immigrants and newcomers who have chosen to settle here. Through the concert, we bring people from all different ethnic backgrounds together," Mr. Chuen stated.

More than 150 OCMS musicians from various ethnic backgrounds have contributed their time and effort to this gala concert.

The highlight of the concert is the Yellow River Piano Concerto performed by Wu Qian, a renowned pianist from the UK, and accompanied by the OCMS Philharmonic Orchestra. Ms. Qian was selected by U.K.'s Independent Newspaper as a "Rising Star" in 2007 and has appeared as a soloist with many renowned orchestras. She has also appeared in a number of radio and television programs, including BBC 4 and BBC World.

The concert will take place on Saturday, November 5, 7:30 p.m. at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, George Weston Recital Hall. Tickets are $45, $35 and $25. For inquiries and to secure tickets, please contact Alexander Lam at 416-566-6931, or visit Philharmonic Music located at Unit 309, 80 Acadia Ave., Markham, ON.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified North American financial services organization. With total assets of $477 billion as at July 31, 2011, and more than 47,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions.

About Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society

Internet: www.ocms-ca.com

Founded in 1996, Ontario Cross-Cultural Music Society (previously known as Overseas Chinese Music Society (Ontario)) is a registered charitable and non-profit organization. The association comprises a group of dedicated musicians and music educators who bear a common mission to promote multiculturalism and harmony, and to bring people of different ethnic background together through music.

The mandate of the organization also includes providing musical education and training to the immigrants and newcomers in the community, creating performance opportunities for the youth, providing opportunities for the immigrants to make connections between their heritage and Canada, and supporting and participating in fundraising and charitable activities in communities across the country.