Featuring acts from Irish super group The Gloaming to jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts has announced its 2014-2015 season. The line-up, which will kick off with its first concert in September of this year, is the largest in the centre’s history, with nine acts from all over the world scheduled to perform at the beautifully architected venue.

The roster includes a variety of genres, including new music, world music, jazz, and unexpected collaborations between internationally acclaimed artists.

“I’m super-excited about everything,” Joyce Hinton, co–managing director and curator of the Chan Centre Presents series, told the Georgia Straight. “I really stand behind our season and I’m just thrilled to present this to Vancouver audiences.”

The unveiling marks the beginning of the Chan Centre’s fourth season as a sole presenter. In that time, the Centre has made a name for itself, featuring top-notch world-music acts in their stunning, acoustically perfect venue. The decision to take this path is one that was a no-brainer for Hinton.

“We noticed that we had these great partners like the Vancouver Symphony [Orchestra] and the Vancouver Recital Society that are doing a fantastic job of representing western classical music,” she said. “So rather than compete with them, or oversaturate what is already being done so well, we just thought it would be really great to move in a different direction.”

She also worried that not all music lovers in Vancouver felt like their musical preferences were being catered to. “I knew of people who were absolute music lovers who weren’t coming to the Chan Centre because western classical music wasn’t so much their style of music that they liked to listen to. And I thought, ‘We’re not necessarily being inclusive enough.’”

The Chan decided to shift its focus toward music that the diverse Vancouver community would appreciate. The gamble paid off, and the centre’s upcoming season promises more—up to nine shows from seven—of what has delighted the Chan’s loyal audiences in the past.

The season kicks off with a performance by Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer on September 16. Thile and Meyer, virtuosos of the mandolin and the double bass, respectively, are longtime collaborators who are coming together again for a program that crosses traditional musical boundaries.

Afterwards, Diego El Cigala will perform on October 25. El Cigala’s music beautifully harnesses his Gitano heritage to produce heartwrenching flamenco melodies. In addition, his songs stretch the borders of traditional flamenco into other genres.

On November 15, Irish super group The Gloaming will perform. The group features Irish singer Iarla Ó Lionaird, fiddle master Martin Hayes, guitarist Dennis Cahill, pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), and Hardanger fiddle innovator, Caoimhin Ó Raghallaigh.

The new year kicks off with Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Project and Cecile McLorin Salvant on February 15, 2015. The evening will start with jazz vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, who recently received a Grammy nomination for her debut album, and continue with Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Project, a Grammy Award–winning platform that brings together influential female jazz artists.

Legendary jazz performers Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea perform on March 15, 2015. The duo is unparalleled in the jazz world, having been both talented pianists and bandleaders throughout their distinguished careers. They started in the jazz world in the early ’60s with the Blue Note sessions, and into the ’70s were some of the pioneers of the jazz, rock, and funk fusion.

Afterwards, Zakir Hussain returns to the Chan Centre with Celtic Connections on March 21, 2015. Hussain is a Chan Centre favourite, but his newest project Celtic Connections is groundbreaking, blending Indian and Celtic music together with the help of artists Charlie McKerron, Rakesh Chaurasia, Ross Ainslie, Patsy Reid, and others.

Brazilian artist Gilberto Gil will perform on April 12, 2015. Gil is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist who is as active in politics as he is in music. His work in Brazil’s Tropicália movement in the ’60s had him exiled from the country during the military dictatorship, and he is now acting as UNESCO Artist for Peace and Brazilian Minister of Culture.

Lila Downs pays tribute to her Mixtec heritage by combining traditional Mexican music with blues, jazz and rock. She is currently celebrating the release of her 11th studio album, and will be returning to the Chan Centre on April 26th, 2015.

Finally, the season will end with Wu Man and the Shanghai Quartet, a chamber-music group that celebrates the traditional music of China. The performance will take place on May 9, 2015 and will feature a chamber version of Tan Dun’s Ghost Opera, music from some of Zhao Jiping’s famous film scores, a suite of traditional Chinese folk songs, as well as solo works by Wu Man.

Subscription packages for the 2014-2015 season are available now and can be bought online or at the Chan Centre box office. They include packages for the full season, as well as three-concert and six-concert packages.