Media invited to gospel music performance and talk and annual Word, Sound Power event featuring Canadian dub poet, writer and Juno award winner Lillian Allen

TORONTO, Feb. 10, 2026 鈥� Media have two opportunities to attend live gospel music at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus this evening, with two Black History Month events featuring the 91亚色 Gospel Choir (YUGC), one for the 91亚色 community and the other one open to the public. 

 The YUGC鈥檚 roots go back to the 1990s with a student-run choir called Vessels of Honour. In 2005, the YUGC was created as a course, making 91亚色 the first university in Canada to offer gospel music course curriculum. Growing from a small group of 20 students to more than a hundred, the choir regularly performs to sold-out audiences. 

Gospel Music Collaboration with Founders College and Black Excellence
5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Open to the 91亚色 community, the YUGC, led by choir conductor Natalie Stewart, will perform, interspersed by a discussion led by  Assistant Professor  on the impact of gospel music on the Black diaspora. Performance and talk starting at 5:30 p.m. with a panel discussion and Q&A to follow. 

Put on by  (BE U) and Founders College, the event takes place at Founders Assembly Hall, 152 Founders College.

Centering our Stories and Communities: Word, Sound, Power: Black Artistic Expression
5:30 p.m. 鈥� 9:00 p.m.

The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education at 91亚色, with the support of UPS, are pleased to present their annual Black History Month Celebration.

Word, Sound, Power: Black Artistic Expression will be an evening of performances showcasing Black artistic expression here at 91亚色. Featuring musical performances including the Oscar Peterson Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Music Chair , and the YUGC, as well as spoken word artists from Highschool Students to Emcees. 

The evening also features a spotlight presentation by Canadian dub poet, writer and Juno Award winner&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Lillian Allen.

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. RECEPTION (CIBC Lobby, Accolade East Building, 83 91亚色 Blvd.)

6:30 - 9:00 p.m. PERFORMANCES (Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, 83 91亚色 Blvd.)

RSVP

This is a free event open to the public. All are welcome to attend, but seats are limited. 

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

Media Contact: 

Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, June 15, 2020 鈥� The performing arts sector may never return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic, and its future may rely on human performance supported by immersive technology, says theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, 91亚色.

鈥淢y work has never seemed more relevant, as we鈥檙e continuing听to work using immersive technology that allows us to bridge distance and time,鈥� says Garrett, who teaches Ecological Design for Performance. 鈥淰irtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) bring us closer together for shared experiences, despite the physical distancing due to the pandemic.鈥�

VR immerses users into interactive digital environments (such as 3D graphics and 360-degree videos) when using special headsets or glasses; AR combines simulated content with real world environments, as experienced in the popular videogame Pok茅mon Go that overlays a user鈥檚 avatar on a real-world map.

Garrett鈥檚 research is on mixed reality (MR), a newer form of immersive technology that blends aspects of both VR and AR. He has been awarded an Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation for making MR performance possible in environmentally threatened landscapes.

With theatres and venues shuttered, Garrett says his work is no longer novel but has become essential to understand and redefine the sector. 鈥淔irst, we have to figure out what the future of arts events will look like. For example, travel restrictions and new regulations will continue to affect touring productions and festivals that depend on audience travel, long after the physical distancing is relaxed.鈥�

He adds, 鈥淚 imagine productions will be hybrids of live theatre with actors appearing via motion capture from the other side of the globe. And audience members can only get to the performance by watching it from a VR headset 鈥� even if it's using a google cardboard and their phone 鈥� from home.鈥�

While acknowledging that watching art performances on screen doesn't replace the live experience, Garrett points out that there have been some great experiments with performance moving to communication platforms such as Zoom.

, is an example of optimizing immersive media in performing arts, as the performers apply the MR methods that are currently used in Canadian and American theatre.

The experimental work is a part of the two-year Mixed Reality Performance Atelier project, presented by the Canada Council for the Arts funded , which grew out of Garrett鈥檚 research.

Garrett and his collaborators from Dancing Earth Indigenous Creations, a dance company led by artistic director Rulan Tangen, have been under lockdown 鈥� via streaming tests.

Open to the public, the final presentation will be on June 18 at 9:30pm, ET. The performance will include artists from Brazil (currently located in Phoenix, AZ), Canada, New Zealand and the U.S, and incudes footage from NASA.

Garrett is available to discuss the upcoming performance, including the issues in real-time collaborations with global performers, time zones, technological capabilities, and audience interactions. He can also comment on the role of immersive technology in the performing arts currently and in the future, in post-pandemic times.

91亚色 champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Gloria Suhasini, 91亚色 Media Relations, 647-463-4354, suhasini@yorku.ca

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91亚色 professor to discuss pressures on girls to show happiness

TORONTO, June 5, 2019 鈥� While some admire tween girls wearing T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like 鈥淗ey you! Smile鈥� and 鈥淲hen in Doubt, Laugh,鈥� others suggest the T-shirts exemplify the pressure on young girls听to limit their real feelings.

, assistant professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Communication Studies, researched how these message T-shirts affect the emotions of tween girls and found that they place a constant emphasis on smiling, being fun and looking happy, which precludes exhibiting other emotions.

Coulter will present her ongoing research at a lecture on Saturday, June 8, 2019 from 11:20 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in the Life Sciences Building at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus (see #90 on the ).

Assistant Professor Natalie Coulter

鈥淭here is a lot of pressure on girls to smile and perform an emotion for the outside world that doesn鈥檛 exist internally, and this has negative, long-term implications,鈥� said Coulter, an expert on young people鈥檚 media culture in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 鈥�

Coulter says these T-shirts reinforce gender stereotypes with the ones aimed at young boys touting messages like 鈥淓at. Sleep. Drink. Hockey,鈥� while some T-shirts marketed to tween girls display messages such as 鈥淗appy Girls are the Prettiest.鈥�

Her lecture will also address how these T-shirts function as a way to keeps girls from being political. Coulter says companies and clothing stores are positioning girlhood as a moment of fun, which limits the political possibilities for girls.

鈥淥ne of the most poignant examples of this constant pressure on women to smile and be happy is the Clinton-Trump campaign,鈥� said Coulter. 鈥淎fter every debate in the last U.S presidential election, Donald Trump could just stand there looking solemn and nobody cared, but Hillary Clinton had to perform, with a wave and a smile, and be happy and jubilant afterward, or she would face the wrath.鈥�

Coulter鈥檚 research and teaching focuses on girls鈥� studies, critical advertising studies, and the media cultures of children and young people, with an emphasis on the social construction of marketing niches such as tween girls.

She has written extensively about young girls and tween girls, authoring and co-authoring more than 20 published journal articles and books. She co-edited 听, a look at the emotional experiences of young people as they actively use media in order to forge communities, published last year. She wrote , a book that explains how the preteen girl is a product of the marketing and media industries carving them out as a separate marketing niche.

Coulter鈥檚 talk is part of , a free day of presentations by leading 91亚色 professors speaking about their research to an audience of 91亚色 students, parents of students, alumni, friends and neighbours of the university.

NOTE: Members of the public are required to . Members of the media should advise Media Relations at the contact below.

91亚色 champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91亚色 Media Relations, 647-654-9452,听vthomps@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017 鈥� 91亚色 will be filled with the sweet sounds of singing this weekend when its School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design hosts the annual of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

The Showcase is an opportunity for student singers, children and adults from across the province to perform and receive written feedback from a panel of three adjudicators. The singers also compete in various categories for scholarships.

Classical voice adjudications will take place Saturday, while the musical theatre adjudications will be on Sunday. First-place winners from all categories will perform at the final concerts at the end of each day鈥檚 classes.

Each year, the Vocal Showcase alternates between either 91亚色 or the University of Toronto, and the University of Western Ontario and Wilfrid Laurier University.

鈥淭his year is our turn. We love to host the event in the Accolade East Building where we can show off not only our excellent new facilities and Recital Hall but also our fine vocal student participants,鈥� said , Associate Professor of classical vocal performance at AMPD and one of Canada鈥檚 best known mezzo-sopranos. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet their colleagues from across the province as well as to show 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Music and School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design to prospective new students, their parents and teachers. We are very excited to host this important event.鈥�

WHAT: National Association of Teachers of Singing 2017 Ontario Vocal Showcase

WHO: Students in Grade 5 to fourth-year post-secondary and adults up to age 30 training under a singing teacher who is a NATS Ontario member

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18 to Sunday, Nov. 19

WHERE: Accolade East Building, Keele campus, 91亚色. See number 92 on the .

NATS is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in the world with nearly听7,000 members in the United States, Canada and some 30 other countries.

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听is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91亚色 Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097,听sandramc@yorku.ca

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听TORONTO, November 17, 2016听鈥� 91亚色 and the will establish a new research chair in music education, and develop a new partnership through a $2 million gift from the Carswell Family Foundation (CFF). 91亚色 professor emeritus Allan Carswell announced the donation at an event held at 91亚色 on November 16. In addition to the new research chair, the funding will support the RPSM鈥檚 collaboration with the Jane-Finch community, benefiting more than 1,300 children.

鈥淚t is an honour to thank the Carswell Family Foundation for this incredible gift, which will strengthen evidence-based research in music education and music programming, and transform the lives of children for years to come,鈥� said Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor, 91亚色.

The celebration included a number of performances including the 91亚色 Gospel and Regent Park choirs and featured Grammy and two time Juno Award winning singer, Liberty Silver.

Professor emeritus Allan Carswell announced a $2M donation to music education at an event at 91亚色, November 16. Part of the funding will support the Regent Park School of Music collaboration with the Jane-Finch community, benefiting more than 1,300 children.

The $2 million CFF gift will fund the Helen Carswell Chair in Community Engaged Research in the Arts, a permanent endowed chair position within the 91亚色. The Chair will facilitate and direct interdisciplinary projects and enhance community music and art programs. The gift will also fund an important new partnership between 91亚色 and the RPSM to strengthen community music programming and research, increase reach and impact on students; and enhance community music education initiatives in Toronto.

鈥淭his remarkable gift from the Carswell Family Foundation will be a game-changer for Regent Park School of Music and the 1,300-plus kids we are currently reaching in Jane-Finch and across the city,鈥� said Richard Marsella, executive director of the Regent Park School of Music. 鈥淭he partnership with 91亚色 will give us access to academic researchers, who will inform, improve and refine what we do to help kids succeed through music.听We are delighted to be part of this truly unique community and academic initiative.鈥�

Dr. Allan Carswell and the CFF focus on community philanthropy that has direct impact. The Foundation has previously, generously supported 91亚色 with funding for new scientific research labs, awards, and scholarships. Earlier this year, the Foundation gifted $1 million to fund graduate scholarships in the University鈥檚 Faculty of Science and Lassonde School of Engineering.

鈥淭he Helen Carswell Chair will amplify the scope and impact of the research being done by artists and scholars at 91亚色听in collaboration with community partners, and the outstanding work being done by the Regent Park School of Music,鈥� said AMPD Dean Shawn Brixey. 鈥淚t establishes a crucible in which scholarly research, creative practice and community art-making come together to generate even more powerful, more influential and more lasting outcomes to benefit our local community and society at large.鈥�

For 30 years, Dr. Allan Carswell served as a full-time professor of physics at 91亚色, where he developed a new remote sensing laser technology that is now used worldwide. At 91亚色, he also founded his company, Optech Incorporated, which commercialized the technology.

91亚色 recently launched 鈥淚mpact: The Campaign for 91亚色鈥�, a $500-million fundraising and alumni engagement initiative. The campaign aims to build stronger communities on campus and throughout the University鈥檚 local and global networks to enrich learning and research. The creation of the Helen Carswell Chair in Community Engaged Research in the Arts directly supports that priority.

听is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university鈥攐ur 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200-plus leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. 91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

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Media contact:
Gloria Suhasini, Media Relations, 91亚色, 416 736 2100 ext. 22094,听suhasini@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, April 18, 2016 鈥� Only when there is a crisis in the Aboriginal community, such as the suicides in Attawapiskat or missing and murdered women, do mainstream media really report on issues there. But even then, the reporting is fairly superficial, says a new report out of 91亚色.

鈥淭he media really play an important role in national conversations, but Aboriginal issues are drastically underreported,鈥� says co-author Daniel Drache, political science professor and senior research fellow at Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at 91亚色.

The report, , was published in the Social Science Research Network journal.

The research looked at media coverage in eight major daily newspapers in Canada from 2006 to 2015 and found more than 30,000 stories that dealt with issues relevant to Indigenous Peoples and their communities, which averaged out to about one article a day. Looking more closely at 2014 to 2015, about 2,500 articles were published in nine major daily newspapers. The main topics covered were murdered and missing Indigenous women and a call for a national inquiry.

Although, that seems like a high number, the authors say there is definite under-representation, significant gaps and distortions in the coverage. 鈥淎boriginal issues are reported by mainstream media in what we call a 鈥榮earchlight phenomenon鈥�,鈥� says Fred Fletcher, co-author and 91亚色 U political science professor. 鈥淭here is brief, intense coverage of Indigenous issues, such as murders, suicides, missing women or police incompetence, followed by a reporting void.鈥�

In comparison, Indigenous media had a more optimistic bent with a strong focus on mobilizing for change and suggestions on for repairing broken relationships with government. However, First Nations media saw racism and colonialism as the root causes of their present day issues.

There are indications, however, that Canada鈥檚 media culture is changing. That sometimes depends on whether there is a human angle to the story, such as in the case of missing and murdered girl Tina Fontaine.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 really been missing is a focus on the deep-rooted causes underlying the murders and disappearances of Indigenous women,鈥� says Drache. 鈥淔or Canadians to get a deeper insight into and understanding of Aboriginal affairs and the causes, Canada鈥檚 media culture has to change. More in-depth coverage is needed by journalists who are specialists in the area. The media has to accept its role setting a high standard because of the ongoing importance of reconciliation for Canadian society. This will require an extraordinary effort to keep reconciliation on the public agenda to promote public understanding.鈥�

听is helping to shape the global thinkers and thinking that will define tomorrow. 91亚色 U's unwavering commitment to excellence reflects a rich diversity of perspectives and a strong sense of social responsibility that sets us apart. A 91亚色U degree empowers graduates to thrive in the world and achieve their life goals through a rigorous academic foundation balanced by real-world experiential education. As a globally recognized research centre, 91亚色 U is fully engaged in the critical discussions that lead to innovative solutions to the most pressing local and global social challenges. 91亚色 U's 11 faculties and 25 research centres are thinking bigger, broader and more globally, partnering with 280 leading universities worldwide. 91亚色 U's community is strong鈭� 55,000 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, and more than 275,000 alumni.

Media Contacts:

Sandra McLean, 91亚色 Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097 / sandramc@yorku.ca

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