Chris McKhool
Chris McKhool is a Canadian violinist, guitarist, composer, producer, filmmaker, and educator. McKhool received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and in 2025 received the key to the city from Burlington’s mayor Marianne Meed Ward. His productions have received five JUNO Award nominations and seven Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Chris McKhool
Tim Welch · CC BY 4.0
- Name
- Chris McKhool
- Born
- 18 November 1968
- Birthplace
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Occupation
- * musician
- Nationality
- Canada
- Fields
- children's music
- Education
- Fisher Park High School
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In this article
Biography
Biography
McKhool's work encompasses music, film, and education, with recurring themes of inclusion, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous reconciliation.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Chris McKhool • Birth Name — Chris McKhool • Born — 18 November 1968 • Birthplace — Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Genre — * Folk • Jazz • Classical • instrumental • world • Occupation — * musician • singer • songwriter • producer • Instruments — * vocals • guitar • violin • mandolin • Years Active — 1986–present • Label — * Fontana North • Chris McKhool • Website — * fiddlefire.com • sultansofstring.com • Current Member Of — Sultans of String
Early life and education
Early life and education
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, to a Lebanese father and a Lebanese mother who was born in Egypt, (his family name originally pronounced “Makhoul” in Kfirmishki, Lebanon), McKhool began studying violin at age seven and studied classical violin under Joan Milkson of the National Arts Centre Orchestra from 1977 to 1985. He also performed with the National Capital String Academy and learned folk guitar independently, learning from friends and other musicians. He attended Fisher Park High School on Holland Avenue in Ottawa. In 1987 he moved to Montreal to study at McGill University, obtaining a B.A. in psychology. McKhool moved to Toronto in 1993, studying jazz at York University.
Personal life
Personal life
McKhool resides with his wife and daughter in Burlington, Ontario. He has received the 2025 Key to the City of Burlington, the 2022 Burlington’s Best Local Musician/Band designation, and a 2024 Burlington Performing Arts Centre Hall of Fame induction
Sultans of String
Sultans of String
In 2004, McKhool co-founded Sultans of String in Toronto with guitarist Kevin Laliberté and bass guitarist Drew Birston, releasing nine albums and winning multiple awards. Other band members have included Rosendo 'Chendy' Leon, Saskia Tomkins and other special guests. The band incorporates Middle Eastern, Latin, European, and North American musical traditions. McKhool serves as the band’s violinist, composer, and producer. The Sultans of String discography spans multiple genres and cultural influences. Their debut album Luna (2007) was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award, while Yalla Yalla! (2009) earned a JUNO Award nomination for World Music Album of the Year and a Canadian Folk Music Award for Instrumental Group of the Year. In 2015 McKhool produced the Sultans of String's 5th album with JUNO Award-winning engineer John "Beetle" Bailey, entitled Subcontinental Drift. This album was made in collaboration with sitarist Anwar Khurshid; in 2016 the band toured across Canada, the United States and the UK with this formation, showcasing their collaboration. This album reached the Billboard World Music charts in 2017. Subcontinental Drift also received a JUNO Award nomination in the World Music category as well as their 3rd Canadian Folk Music Award for World Group of the year. Their following albums albums Refuge (2020) and Sanctuary (2021) addressed immigration and displacement, and inspired their UNHCR involvement. In 2017 McKhool and Bailey co-produced a world music Christmas album with Sultans of String entitled Christmas Caravan. They toured across North America in support of the album, which was included in the New York Times Holiday Hits section and Spotify's Holiday Albums Hit List, as well as hitting the Billboard World Music charts at #6. Special guests included Richard Bona, Paddy Moloney (The Chieftains), Nikki Yanofsky, Ruben Blades, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Alex Cuba, as well as the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. His song "Sing For Kwanzaa" with collaborator Richard Bona won the 2017 Folk Music Ontario: Songs From The Heart Award and the 2017 ISC International Songwriting Competition: World category His 2023 album, Walking Through the Fire, released on September 15, 2023, was recorded in collaboration with Indigenous artists including Northern Cree, The North Sound, Shannon Thunderbird, and Dr. Duke Redbird, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #83. The album features lyrics in Dene, Inuktitut, Sm’algyax, Cree, and Michif. As recognition of this project, McKhool was awarded the Dr. Duke Redbird Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Merilaïnen Music Awards as Indigenous Ally of the Year Chris McKhool and Sultans of String are fundraising partners with the
Music Production
Music Production
In his role as music producer with Sultans of String, McKhool has won Producer of the Year along with co-producer and engineer John 'Beetle’ Bailey in the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards with the CD entitled Sanctuary, and Producer of the Year in the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards and 2020 Independent Music Awards for Refuge. McKhool was also nominated as Producer of the Year in 2012 in the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and again in 2018 with Christmas Caravan. He won the 2014 IMA Independent Music Vox Pop Award for Music Producer with Symphony! Two Sultans of String tracks were also part of John Bailey’s Engineer of the Year nominations at the JUNOs, including in 2021 "The Grand Bazaar (featuring Bela Fleck and Robi Botos)" from the Refuge album, and a 2022 nomination with "Mi Santuario” (featuring Juan Carlos Medrano) from the album Sanctuary His most recent album for children “Little Leaf” was released in November 2025 and is nominated for a 2026 JUNO Award in the Children’s Album of the Year category.
Tours and Performances
Tours and Performances
McKhool has performed as a solo artist and with Sultans of String at venues and festivals including Canada’s National Arts Centre, Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre, Koerner Hall, and JUNOfest, as well as abroad at New York’s Birdland Jazz Club, Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, Folk Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee, and official Canada Day celebrations at London, UK’s Trafalgar Square. His compositions have been performed with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, and the Bangor Symphony in the US, as well as with many Canadian symphonies. McKhool has also performed for young audiences. His 2008 children's album Fiddlefire! won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Children's Album of the Year, and was nominated for a JUNO Award.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1968
Chris McKhool born at Ottawa.
Film Production
McKhool has also worked as a filmmaker, writing, directing, and producing visual albums. His 2025 film production, Walking Through the Fire - Visual Album accompanying the music release features performances by Indigenous collaborators. His film production The Refuge Project – Visual Album (2020), mixed in Dolby Atmos, addresses displacement and inclusion, showcasing global artists including Ahmed Moneka (Iraq), Amir Amiri (Iran), and Syrian refugees Majd Sukar and Leen Hamo. • Illustration — Chris McKhool with Saskia Tomkins (playing a nyckelharpa) and Kevin Laliberté at Red Bird Live, Ottawa, Ontario, March 22, 2026.
Discography
• Little Leaf - Chris McKhool (2025) • Walking Through the Fire – Sultans of String (2023) • Sanctuary – Sultans of String (2021) • Refuge – Sultans of String (2020) • Christmas Caravan – Sultans of String (2017) • Subcontinental Drift – Sultans of String (2015) • Symphony – Sultans of String (2013) • MOVE – Sultans of String (2011) • Yalla Yalla – Sultans of String (2009) • Fiddlefire! - Chris McKhool (2025) • Luna – Sultans of String (2025) • Celebrate! Holidays of the Global Village - Chris McKhool (2005) • Earth, Seas and Air - Chris McKhool (1996)
Awards and nominations
• 2026 JUNO Awards: nominee for Children's Album of the Year for "Little Leaf" • 2025 Burlington Key to the City • 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nonimee for Ensemble of the Year • 2025 Festivals & Events Ontario: winner Performer of The Year • 2025 Festivals & Events Ontario: winner Innovation Award • 2024 Cannes World Film Festival: winner Best Musical Film • 2024 Cannes World Film Festival: winner Best Soundtrack • 2024 Folk Music Ontario: nominee for Performing Artist of the Year • 2024 Burlington Performing Arts Centre: Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award winner • 2024 Merilaïnen Music Awards: Indigenous Ally of the Year winner • 2023 International Songwriting Competition: finalist with Black Winged Raven, The Rez, and Nîmihito • 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards: Global Roots Album of the Year with Sanctuary • 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards: Producer of the Year with Sanctuary • 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nominee for Pushing the Boundaries • 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nominee for Contemporary Album • 2022 Dr. Duke Redbird Lifetime Achievement Award: JAYU Arts For Human Rights • 2022 Folk Music Ontario: winner Song of the Year for "Mi Santuario" • 2022 Folk Music Ontario: nominee for Performer of the Year • 2022 Cannes World Film Festival: winner Best Musical Film • 2022 Burlington's Best Local Musician • 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards: winner (with co-producer John 'Beetle' Bailey) for Producer of the Year with Refuge • 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nominee for Ensemble of the Year for "Refuge" • 2021 International Songwriting Competition: winner World Music for "Mi Santuario" • 2020 Folk Music Ontario-Songwriting Award: Instrumental - "Refuge" • 2020 Folk Music Ontario-Songwriting Award: Political - "I Am a Refugee" • 2020 Independent Music Award: Instrumental Song of the Year -"The Grand Bazaar" • 2020 Independent Music Award: World Music Producer of the Year for "Refuge" • 2020 International Songwriting Competition: Instrumental • 2020 International Songwriting Competition: World • 2019 International Songwriting Competition: Folk semi-finals "Power of the Land" • 2019 International Songwriting Competition: performance semi-finals "Power of the Land" • 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards: Producer of the Year nomination for McKhool • 2017 New York Times Hits List with Christmas Caravan • 2017 Billboard World Music Charts: Christmas Caravan CD hits #6 • 2017 Canadian Nielsen World Music Charts: Christmas Caravan CD hits #3 • 2017 Folk Music Ontario: Songs From The Heart Award for "Sing For Kwanzaa" from Christmas Caravan • 2017 Folk Music Ontario: Songs From The Heart Award for "Road to Kfarmishki" • 2017 ISC International Songwriting Competition: World category for "Sing For Kwanzaa" • 2017 JUNO Awards: Nominees for "World Music Album of the Year" for Subcontinental Drift • 2017 Billboard World Music Charts: Subcontinental Drift CD hits #15 • 2016 Canadian Folk Music Awards: World Music Group of the Year • 2016 Global Music Awards: World Music/Beats • 2015 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) for "Ho Jamalo" • 2015 JUNO Awards: Nominees for "Instrumental Album of the Year" for Symphony! • 2015 Toronto Independent Music Award: World Music • 2014 SIRIUSXM Independent Music Awards Winner: World Group of the Year • 2014 IMA Independent Music Award Winner: Instrumental Song for "Josie" • 2014 IMA Independent Music Vox Pop Award: Music Producer (Chris McKhool) for Symphony! • 2013 ISC International Songwriting Competition: Instrumental category for "Monti's Revenge" • 2013 Folk Music Ontario: Songs From The Heart Award for "Monti's Revenge" • 2013 Festivals & Events: Performer of The Year • 2013 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for bandleader Chris McKhool • 2013 SiriusXM Canadian Indie Awards: Nominee for World Group of the Year • 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards: World Music Group of the Year • 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nominees for Instrumental Group & Pushing the Boundaries • 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nominee for Producer of the Year (Chris McKhool) • 2012 Folk Music Ontario: Songs From the Heart • 2012 Festivals & Events: Entertainer of The Year • 2011 Ontario Contact: Artist of the Year • 2011 International Acoustic Music Awards: Finalist for Instrumental • 2011 Independent Music Awards: 2× Finalist for Instrumental Album & World Beat Album (Yalla Yalla!) • 2011 ISC International Songwriting Competition: 2× Finalist for Instrumental & World Music • 2010 JUNO Awards: Nominees for "Instrumental Album of the Year" (Yalla Yalla!) • 2010 Canadian Independent Music Awards: nominees for Favourite World Artist/Group • 2009 International Songwriting Competition (ISC): First Place Winners for Instrumental • 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards: triple nominee winning Instrumental Group of the Year (also nominated for Ensemble of the Year and Pushing the Boundaries) • 2009 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards: 2× Winner for Best Toronto World CD & Artist of the Year • 2008 International Songwriting Competition(ISC): Winner - Instrumental • 2008 Festivals & Events Ontario: Best Variety Act • 2008 Canadian Independent Music Awards: Finalists for Favourite World Music Band • 2008 International Independent Music Awards: Finalists for Best World Fusion Song • 2007 Musique du Monde Award • 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards: nominees for Best Instrumentalist Group • 2007 Ontario Independent Music Awards: Best Song & Best Instrumental • 2007 Toronto Independent Music Awards: nominees for World Music Category • 2006 Ontario Council of Folk Festivals - Songs of the Heart Competition Finalist • 2006 Parents' Choice Award for CD Celebrate! Holidays of the Global Village • 2005 Green Toronto Award of Excellence for Earth, Seas & Air Children's Concert • 2004 National Jazz Awards nomination (with Club Django, Trad. Jazz) • 2004 CIUT-FM Award for Outstanding Musical Accompanist (violin) • 1996 Parents' Choice Award for CD Earth, Seas & Air McKhool's 2008 children's album Fiddlefire! has been nominated for numerous awards, including: • 2009 JUNO Award nominee with Fiddlefire! • 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards - Children's Album of the Year with Fiddlefire! • 2009 Parents' Choice Award with Fiddlefire! • 2009 iParenting Media Award with Fiddlefire! • 2009 Canadian Children's Book Centre 'Best of 2009' with Fiddlefire! For a list of awards with Sultans of String, see main article: Sultans of String
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The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Chris McKhool, revision 1374241053 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Governor General of Canada. Chris McKhool Diamond Jubilee Award.
- 2.City of Burlington. Chris McKhool Key to City.
- 3.Canadian JUNO awards. JUNO with Sultans of String.
- 4.Canadian JUNO awards. JUNO award solo Chris McKhool.
- 5.Canadian Folk Music Awards. Canadian Folk Awards.
- 6.About. FiddleFire.
- 7.Joan Milkson.
- 8.Music.
- 9.Burlington Hall of Fame.
- 10.Music.
- 11.String, Sultans of. Sultans of String Subcontinental Drift.
- 12.World Music: Top World Albums Chart. Billboard.
- 13.WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR Sultans of String. The JUNO Awards.
- 14.UNHCR
- 15.Pareles, Jon. Holiday Hits, Christmas Comebacks and Some Jingle Bell Schlock. The New York Times. 2017-11-29. 0362-4331.
- 16.Sultans of String. Spotify.
- 17.Sultans of String. Billboard.
- 18.FMO Award Winners :: Folk Music Ontario.
- 19.International Songwriting Competition The #1 Song Contest for Songwriters. songwritingcompetition.com.
- 20.Walking Through the Fire.
- 21.at 23:02 in the video. Merilainen Award.
- 22.CFMA Producer of the Year.
- 23.CFMA 2021 Award.
- 24.CFMA 2021.
- 25.CFMA 2018.
- 26.Engineer of the Year.
- 27.2026 Juno nominee.
- 28.Annapolis Symphony Orchestra: 'Christmas Fiesta' With the Sultans of String. Broadway World.
- 29.Publishing, Turner. Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Sultans of String, Ghost of Paul Revere and others to play at Kingfield POPS. Maine News. 2017-03-14.
- 30.Results 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards. 26 August 2008.
- 31.2009 Children's Album of the Year Chris McKhool. The JUNO Awards.
- 32.2026 CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR I Chris McKhool. The JUNO Awards.
- 33.Burlington Residents to be Honoured with Keys to the City. City of Burlington. April 15, 2025.
- 34.Canadian Folk Music Awards Announces 2025 Nominees. Canadian Folk Music Awards. October 29, 2024.
- 35.2025 Festivals & Events in Ontario Service Excellence Awards Announced. Festivals & Events Ontario. February 2025.
- 36.Winners November 2024 World Film Festival in Cannes. World Film Festival in Cannes. November 2024.
- 37.Here are your nominees for the 2024 Ontario Folk Music Awards. Roots Music Canada. August 27, 2024.
- 38.2024 BPAC Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award Winners Announced. Burlington Performing Arts Centre. June 3, 2024.
- 39.Merilainen Music - Music Awards 2024. YouTube. March 22, 2024.
- 40.Previous Winners. International Songwriting Competition. 2023.
- 41.Here are your 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award Winners from Sunday night. Roots Music Canada. April 2, 2023.
- 42.JAYU 2022 Annual Report. 2023.
- 43.Here are your 2022 Ontario Folk Music Award nominees. Roots Music Canada. September 21, 2022.
- 44.How COVID helped birth Sultans of String's award-winning documentary film. Roots Music Canada. November 25, 2022.
- 45.SULTANS OF STRING Broadcast Cannes World Film Festival Winning Doc 'The Refuge Project' at Canadian Folk Music Awards in Vancouver. BK On the Scene. March 27, 2023.
- 46.ensemble 2021.
- 47.Nominees Canadian Folk Music Awards. 25 September 2014.
- 48.2015 Instrumental Album of the Year Sultans of String. The JUNO Awards.
- 49.Toronto Independent Music Award Winners Announced. FYIMusicNews. 2015-10-27.
- 50.2014 SiriusXM Indie Awards Winners Announced. 2020 Canadian Music Week. 2014-05-12.
- 51.Now Hear This! The Winners of The 13th Independent Music Awards. Bandcamp. 2014-06-27.
- 52.THE 13TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS VOX POP WINNERS ANNOUNCED. Independent Music Awards. 2014-08-12.
- 53.General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. Chris McKhool. The Governor General of Canada.
- 54.2013 Indies Honour The Best In Independent Music With Awards And An Exclusive Headline Performance By Metric Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88.
- 55.Awards 2011 Ontario Contact. ontariocontact.ca.
- 56.10th Annual Independent Music Awards Nominees Announced!. Independent Music Awards. 2011-02-16.
- 57.2010 Instrumental Album of the Year Sultans of String. The JUNO Awards.
- 58.2010 Nominees/Winners Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88.
- 59.Results 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards. 26 August 2008.
- 60.Fiddlefire. Chris McKhool - Fiddlefire: Children's environmental and multicultural music & Sultans of String Gypsy-Jazz-Flamenco Violin.
- 61.Onya Soapbox. Talent :: Fiddlefire (Canada).
- 62.shannonthunderbird.com. Medicine Wheel Magic Song-writing Workshop.
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1- Fisher Park High SchoolOrganisation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 31 August 2026.
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