SoundLife Scarborough (SLS) is the centre for music and community engagement at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and is housed in the Music & Culture program of the Department of Arts, Culture and Media. Our projects foster healthy communities through participatory music-making; support community partnerships and community-engaged research excellence grounded in the principle of reciprocity; and inspire students in developing creative, flexible, and participatory approaches to music-making as a lifelong practice.

Two facilitators with a ukulele singing along with a participant
Participants hand drumming in a line
Participants sitting in a large circle on a field playing guitars and ukuleles
A group photo of a maracatu class with various instruments displayed in the front
Participants siting on the grass playing various percussion instruments
Participants are standing in a circle around a presenter and a musician playing the grand piano
A hand drumming facilitator leading participants
A musician playing the grand piano and a performer in front of a seated audience

Our Values

Access​

All programming aims to be free and fully accessible, meaning that events are planned in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act’s accessible event planning tool, specifically ensuring accessibility according to the physical space. In addition, events aim to create socially safe and inclusive environments.

Well-being​

SLS strives to foster healthy communities through participatory music-making and aims to strengthen social and personal well-being for all, including internal and external community members.

Flexible music-making​

SLS aims to support students in developing creative, flexible, and participatory approaches to music-making as a lifelong practice. The programming celebrates diverse forms of music-making.

Reciprocity​

All partnerships with community organizations are to be grounded in the principle of reciprocity, meaning that programming is designed in consultation with community partners, when appropriate, and that the needs and interests of community partners are prioritized when implementing community-based programming.

Community of Music Makers

Soundlife Scarborough will act as an interface for people from the campus and local communities to participate in musical activities (both on and off campus) and explore the varied relationships scholars and artists create with music. SoundLife Scarborough will allow the Music & Culture program to (co-)create and (co-)facilitate participatory music-making opportunities for internal and external communities. This will substantially grow curricular and co-curricular experiential learning opportunities while supporting community-engaged faculty research. It will also support partnerships between community organizations and the university for music-related activities.

Two participants smiling both holding a hand drum and a mallet

Development, Implementation, and Sustainability

Music & Culture

The Music & Culture program strives to serve the diverse needs and interests of the UTSC community while providing artistic, cultural, academic, and civic leadership to the GTA and beyond. By combining their studies with other arts and non-arts disciplines, Music & Culture students at UTSC help to create, join, and enliven musical and artistic communities, with a focus on creative music-making, intellectual development, community engagement and participation, health and wellness, and arts entrepreneurship.

SoundLife Scarborough will span across the Music & Culture program’s courses, research initiatives, and student experiences. Initially, this will entail the development of pilot projects that target specific musical voids and interests within UTSC and broader Scarborough communities. Through reciprocal relationships and research around the experiences and concerns of neighbouring musicians and organizations, SoundLife Scarborough looks to maintain and co-create vibrant musical experiences that are mutually beneficial for both the Scarborough community and UTSC students.

Participant sitting and playing on the cajón
Participant playing an electric guitar singing into a microphone

Program and Values

SoundLife Scarborough is grounded in the Music & Culture program’s growing curriculum and strategically reflects the strengths of our faculty research and teaching interests.

It aligns with recent significant changes in the program and centres Music and Culture’s core values of:

  • Breaking down barriers to participation in music-making;
  • Fostering healthy communities through community music-making;
  • Social and personal well-being for students;
  • Supporting students in developing creative, flexible, and participatory approach to music-making.

Meet the SLS Team

Lynn Tucker

Lynn Tucker
SLS Lead/Faculty

Laura Risk

Laura Risk
SLS Lead/Faculty

Navshimmer Kalra

Navshimmer Kalra
Administration

Katherine Marshall

Katherine Marshall
Administration

Laura Menard

Laura Menard
Administration

Mark Campbell

Mark Campbell
Faculty

Tony Leong

Tony Leong
Faculty

Roger Mantie

Roger Mantie
Faculty

Alan Stanbridge

Alan Stanbridge
Faculty

Kotoka Suzuki

Kotoka Suzuki
Faculty

Pablo Herrera Veitia

Pablo Herrera Veitia
Postdoctoral Fellow

Legacy Team

Ivan Ariyanta

Ivan Ariyanta
Administration

Kristen Graves

Kristen Graves
Administration

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Lloyd McArton
Research Associate

Delicia Raveenthrarajan

Delicia Raveenthrarajan
Research Associate

Community Partnerships​

In the spirit of openness and hospitality that is central to participatory music-making itself, SoundLife Scarborough will serve as a much-needed interface for people from the campus and local communities to engage in musical activities. Building upon existing partnerships between the Music and Culture program and various community organizations and stakeholders, SoundLife Scarborough will further develop reciprocal relationships where students have the opportunity to hape their learning and practice through the environmentns and communities in which they work and learn. Partnerships may include. but are not limited to: schools, senior living centres, hospitals, community centres, community arts organizations, on-campus departments, offices, and student groups, alumni relations, and other post-secondary institutions.

If you are interested in learning more about community partnerships with SLS, please contact us at soundlife.utsc@utoronto.ca. We would love to hear from you!