Amely inspires others with her open-hearted and emotive playing. As an ingenious and collaborative musician, she has premiered more than 30 new works by composers around the world. She often collaborates with different organizations, including the University of Toronto, Harbourfront Centre, Chinese Cultural Centre, Canadian Music Centre, and Small World Music Centre. As an active and sought-after erhu performer, she has performed with the Toronto Chinese Orchestra, Toronto Yuefang Ensemble, Spire, and Toronto World Music Ensemble. In 2013, Amely won the York University Concerto Competition and performed the erhu concerto, Red Plum Capriccio, with the York University Symphony Orchestra.
As a dedicated and successful music educator, Amely has been awarded the “Artists in Education” grant from the Ontario Arts Council for the 2015-2016 school year, and has delivered Chinese music classes to more than 100 public school students. Currently, she is also the erhu instructor and conductor at the Yip’s Canada Montessori School and Toronto Youth Chinese Orchestra. She has conducted erhu and Chinese music presentations at the University of Toronto, York University, McMaster University, Tone Labs Music, and Toronto Catholic schools. Amely holds a Specialized Honours B.A. degree in Music from York University. In 2015, Amely was selected and accepted into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music summer program with full scholarship. Amely is passionate about and dedicated to the promotion of traditional Chinese music in Canada.
周嘉麗自幼就非常喜歡中國傳統音樂文化,伴隨她的音樂道路不只有一份執著,更有一份責任。在不斷挑戰自我的過程中,她為來自世界各地作曲家首演了三十多部為二胡新創作的音樂作品。周嘉麗經常以二胡獨奏的身份,受邀於不同的文化組織,包括多倫多大學音樂系,多倫多湖濱藝術中心,大多倫多中國文化中心,加拿大音樂中心,以及加拿大小世界音樂中心。身為青年演奏家的她也積極組織和參與多倫多中樂團,多倫多女子樂坊,中西合璧旋越樂隊等音樂團體的各種音樂創作與演出。她於約克大學協奏曲比賽獲得第一名,並且與約克大學管弦樂隊合作並演奏了大型二胡協奏曲紅梅隨想曲 (2013)。她畢業於約克大學音樂專業榮譽學士學位,並且同年舉辦了個人獨奏音樂會,邀請了多倫多中樂團與二十多名學生一起參與演出(2014)。周嘉麗被上海音樂學院舉辦的民樂暑期大師班錄取,並榮獲全額獎學金(2015)。
與此同時,周嘉麗還傾注了大量的精力和時間在二胡與民族音樂的教育上。其中包括參與組織和設計了葉氏加拿大的中國音樂課程,擔任二胡老師,並且擔任樂隊指揮。參與建立了多倫多中樂團下屬的多倫多青少年中樂團,並且擔任指揮。周嘉麗受不同學校的邀請,舉辦了多次有關中國民族音樂的主題講座,其中包括多倫多大學,約克大學,麥克馬斯特大學以及多倫多天主教學校舉辦的亞裔文化月。她在天籟音樂中心 (Tone Labs Music) 舉辦的二胡系列講座也廣受好評。周嘉麗更是榮獲加拿大安大略省藝術協會頒發的“教育藝術家”殊榮,並且獲得安省政府撥款,在多倫多的公立學校中教授二胡以及中樂課程。周嘉麗希望通過這樣的形式讓更多的年青一代,特別是生長在加拿大的孩子們有機會接觸並了解博大精深的中國民族音樂與文化。