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

The post Two chances to catch live gospel music tonight at 91亚色 U appeared first on News@91亚色.

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

The post Classical and musical theatre singing will fill 91亚色 U halls at 2017 Ontario Vocal Showcase appeared first on News@91亚色.

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

The post 91亚色 announces 鈥済ame-changing鈥� $2M gift for music education partnership appeared first on News@91亚色.