The following are community music programs in the Jane and Finch area. This list is not exhaustive.
Beyond Sound Empijah
Instrument: Drumming workshops
Contact: beyondsoundempijah.info@gmail.com
Phone: (416)301-9142, (416)836-5592
Website: beyondsoundempijahin.wixsite.com/beyondsound
Location: 49 Frankton Crescent, North York, ON, M3J 1C2
Community Music Schools of Toronto at Jane Finch
Instrument: classical piano, strings, voice, brass, wind and percussion to electronic music, songwriting, and recording
Age: 4 -18 years
Fee: Subsidized fee based on family income
Contact: Richard Marsella
adminjf@communitymusic.org
Phone: 416-364-8900 x22
Website: communitymusic.org
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/communitymusicschoolsoftoronto
Facebook: www.facebook.com/communitymusicTO
Instagram: www.instagram.com/communitymusicto
Location: 45 Norfinch Dr, North York, ON M3N 1W8
Jane-Finch Reaching Up Music School
Instrument: choir, piano, violin, guitar, and trumpet
Age: Grade 3 and older, also adults
Affiliation: University Presbyterian Church
Contact: reachingup.ca/music-club
Phone: 416-663-3281
Location: 1830 Finch Ave W, North York, ON M3N 1M8
BGC Jane and Finch
Instrument: Music production, singing, rapping, dance, various other programs
Age: 6 -13+ years
Affiliation: St. Albans BCG
Contact: janeandfinchbgc@stalbansclub.ca
Phone: 416-636-6650
Website: www.janeandfinchclub.ca
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bgcjaneandfinchclub
Location: 300 Grandravine Dr Unit 176A North York, ON, CA M3N 1J4
Ngoma Ensemble
Instrument: African Drumming and Dancing
Age: 5 to 14 years
Affiliation: Dance Immersion’s Youth Arts Program (YAP)
Contact: Yvonne Francis
yayfrancis@rogers.com
Phone: 416-301-9142
Website: www.ngomaensemble.com
Twitter: twitter.com/NgomaDrum
Location: Driftwood Community Centre, 4401 Jane Street (Jane north of Finch)
Pan Fantasy
Instrument: Steelpan band
Age: Children, youth, adults
Affiliation: The North York Inter-Community Youth Group
Contact: Wendy Jones
info@panfantasysteelband.com
Phone: 416-286-7756 or 416-567-9103
Website: panfantasysteelband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/panfantasysteelband
Location: Downsview Park
40 Carl Hall Road, Bldg 38, unit 21, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sistema
Instrument: strings (violin, viola, cello, or double bass), percussion, choir and music & movement
Age: Senior Kindergarten, Gr 1, Gr 2
Contact: info@sistema-toronto.ca
Website:www.sistema-toronto.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sistematoronto/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sistematoronto/
Twitter: twitter.com/SistemaToronto
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/SistemaToronto
Location: Yorkwoods Public School
25 Yorkwoods Gate, North York, ON M3N 1K1
The Hammer Band
Instrument: Violin
Age: Grade 1 – 9
Contact: Moshe Hammer, Executive & Artistic Director:
Michael Dodge, Program Manager
TheHammerBand@gmail.com
Phone: (416) 440-2600
Website: thehammerband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHammerBandViolins
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thehammerband
Twitter: twitter.com/TheHammerBand
Location: 226 Balliol Street – Suite 301, Toronto, ON, M4S 1C5
The following are community music programs in the Greater Toronto Area sorted according to their focus on music from a specific location, nation and/or region.
Afiwi Groove School
Instrument: dance and drumming
Contact: Sanaaj Mirrie
info@afiwigrooveschool.com
Phone: 647-393-8035
Website: afiwigroove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/afiwigroove
Instagram: www.instagram.com/afiwigroove
Location: 400 Monarch Ave, Unit 11 Ajax, ON, L1S 2G6
Afropan Steelband
Instrument: Steelband orchestra
Contact: Earl La Pierre Jr.
afropan@gmail.com
communications@afropansteelband.com
Phone: 416-245-6411
Website: www.afropansteelband.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/afropansteelband
Location: 1 Jefferson Avenue, Toronto
Alpha Rhythm Roots
Instrument: Guinean percussion and drumming
Contact: info@alpharhythmroots.com
Phone: 416-473-0759
Website: www.alpharhythmroots.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlphaRhythmRoots.Homepage
Instagram: www.instagram.com/alpharhythmroots
Twitter: twitter.com/alpharhythmroot
Location: 292 Dupont St, PO#40003, Toronto, ON M5R 1V9
Ballet Creole
Instrument: Dance and drumming
Contact: info@balletcreole.org
Website: balletcreole.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BalletCreole
Instagram: www.instagram.com/balletcreole
Twitter: twitter.com/BalletCreole
Location: 1 Wiltshire Ave, Unit 124 Toronto, ON M6N 2V7, Canada
Baro Dunumba
Instrument: percussion ensemble
Contact: Osaze (416) 707-8397
Quammie (647) 979-7834
info@barodununba.com
Website: www.barodununba.com
Beyond Sound Empijah
Instrument: Drumming workshops
Contact: beyondsoundempijah.info@gmail.com
Phone: (416)301-9142, (416)836-5592
Website: beyondsoundempijahin.wixsite.com/beyondsound
Location: 49 Frankton Crescent, North York, ON, M3J 1C2
Coco Collective
Instrument: Percussion, visual arts, dance, storytelling
Contact: info@misscocomurray.com
Website: misscocomurray.com
Phone: 416-845-4100
Socials: @misscocomurray
Drum Artz Canada
Instrument: drumming
Contact: drumartzcanada@gmail.com
Phone: 416-538-6342
Facebook: www.facebook.com/drumartzcanada/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/drumartzcanada/
Drums et al
Instrument: West-African Drumming, Dance, and Storytelling
Contact: Babarinde “Baba” Williams
info@drumsetal.com
Phone: 416-846-4798
Website: drumsetal.com
Heritage Singers Canada
Instrument: Chorale, singing
Website: heritagesingerscanada.com
Just Aissi
Instrument: South African body percussion: Gumboots
Website: justaissi.com
Phone: 1-800-473-4318
Kouraba Toronto
Instrument: Singing, dance, drumming:Djembe, Balafon
Contact: Amara Kanté
Rachael Eluan Abah
kourabatoronto@gmail.com
Website: www.kouraba.org
Phone: 416-802-2784
Lanaya
Instrument: West African Drumming and Dance
Contact: Mabinty Sylla
mabintysylla32@gmail.com
Website: www.mabintysylla.com
La Petite Musicale of Toronto
Instrument: chorale, singing
Contact: Lindy Burgess
Facebook: www.facebook.com/La-Petite-Musicale-of-Toronto-104882012210266
Muhtadi
Instrument: Drumming
Contact: Muhtadi Thomas
info@muhtadidrumfest.com
Phone: 416-848-3838
Website: www.muhtadidrumfest.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MuhtadiWorldDrummers
New Tradition Music
Instrument: Afro-Indigenous Colombian Drumming: Música de Gaita; mobile recording
Contact: Ruben “Beny” Esguerra
info@newtraditionmusic.com
Website: www.newtraditionmusic.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/416newtraditionmusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/newtraditionmusic
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC4EQNB9RNph-Z5Mc9XzKJRQ
Pan Fantasy
Instrument: Steelpan band
Age: Children, youth, adults
Affiliation: The North York Inter-Community Youth Group
Contact: Wendy Jones
info@panfantasysteelband.com
Phone: 416-286-7756 or 416-567-9103
Website: panfantasysteelband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/panfantasysteelband
Location: Downsview Park
40 Carl Hall Road, Bldg 38, unit 21, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Love Music Initiative Program
Instrument: dj’ing, drumming, poetry
Contact: Benjamin de Graaf
benjamin@lovemusicinitiative.com
Phone: 647-438-5395
Website: lovemusicinitiative.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lovemusicinitiative
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lovemusicinitiative
Twitter: twitter.com/lovemusiccanada
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCmcf4V0q1L9ZkppAg9FZONA
Location: 39 John Perkins Bull Drive Unit #14 Toronto, ON, CA M3K 0C3
The Steelpan Experience — Joy Lapps Music
Instrument: Steel pan
Website: www.steelpanexperience.com
Toronto All Stars Steel Orchestra
Instrument: Steelband
Contact: Salmon Cupid
salmon@torontoallstars.com
Phone: 416-617-0860
Website: torontoallstars.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/torontoallstarsteelorchestra
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/torontoallstars
Toronto Children’s Concert Choir & Performing Arts Company (TC3)
Instrument: Choir, African Drumming, Modern and Jazz Dance, Hip Hop/Step and Step Dance, African and Caribbean Dance
Contact: info@tc3.ca
Phone: 416-939-1702
Website: www.tc3.ca
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/TC3Canada
Location: The HopeWorks Connection
2 Larkhall Avenue Toronto, ON, CA M1J 1V1
Toronto Mass Choir
Instrument: choir, singing; various instruments (at their annual PowerUp workshop)
Contact: Karen Burke
info@tmc.ca
Phone: 905-794-1139
Website: www.tmc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TorontoMassChoir
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tmasschoir
Twitter: twitter.com/tmasschoir
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/TorontoMassChoirTV
Unity Charity
Ages: 12-29
Artform: Hip-hop inspired forms – beatboxing, spoken word poetry, breakdancing, etc.
Contact: info@unitycharity.com
Phone: 647-317-3127
Website: unitycharity.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/unitycharity
Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitycharity
Twitter: twitter.com/unitycharity
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/unitycharity
Location: 20 Carlton Street, Suite #126, Toronto ON M5B 2H5
Waterloo Region Mass Choir
Instrument: choir, singing
Contact: Darren Hamilton
info@wrmasschoir.ca
PO Box 48011 Williamsburg RO Kitchener, ON N0E4K6
Website: wrmasschoir.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wrmasschoir
Instagram: www.instagram.com/wrmasschoir
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCaRzvg7M4p6jHMqpkTusOJQ
West African Cultural Exchange
Instrument: kpanlogo drums, gankogui (bell), axatse (shaker), fritsiwa (finger bell), tokei (bell). (Drumming, Dancing and Singing)
Contact: Frederick Kwasi Dunyo
kwasi@dunyo.com
Phone: 416-579-1950
Website: www.dunyo.com
Location:358 Danforth Ave., Suite 160, Toronto, ON M4K 1N8, Canada
Community Gamelan Ensemble
Instrument: Gamelan
Contact: Online only
Website: uwaterloo.ca/music/community-engagement/community-gamelan
Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan
Instrument: Gamelan
Contact: Blair Mackay, Artistic Director
blairmackaymusic@gmail.com
Phone: 450-807-1179
Website: evergreenclubgamelan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/evergreenclubcontemporarygamelan1
Tone Labs Music
Instrument: Erhu – Guzheng/Zither
Contact: www.tonelabsmusic.com/teachers
Phone: 905-470-8159
Location: 2800 John Street Unit 6, Markham, ON, L3R 0E2
Toronto Community Chinese Orchestra (TCCO)
Instrument: Chinese instrument or cello/double bass/ percussion
Affiliation: Toronto Chinese Orchestra (TCO)
Contact: info@torontochineseorchestra.com
Phone: (647) 299-9209
Website: www.torontochineseorchestra.com/wp/toronto-community-chinese-orchestra
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TorontoChineseOrchestra
ArtsCan Circle
Ages: JK to Grade 12
Contact: Laura Vukson, Executive Director
executivedirector@artscancircle.org
Phone: 905-836-9117
Website: artscancircle.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArtsCanCircle
Instagram: www.instagram.com/artscancircle
Twitter: twitter.com/artscancircle
Location: 18 King St. East Suite 1400 Toronto, ON M5C 1C4
(Focus is serving northern communities)
IndigenEd
Instrument: drum songs on solo hand drum, percussive techniques, origin of songs, protocols leading songs and cultural context
Contact: www.indigened.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IndigenEd
Instagram: www.instagram.com/indigened/?hl=en
Kapapamahchakwew – Wandering Spirit School
Instrument: Ensembles, music theory sessions
Affiliation: Partnership with Community Music Schools of Toronto
Contact: www.wanderingspiritschool.org
Alternative Music Enrichment @ Wandering Spirit
Phone: (416) 393-9600
Location: 16 Phin Ave, Toronto, ON M4L 3T2
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
Instrument: Drumming
Contact: Eric Johnston
Eric.johnston@ncct.on.ca
reception@ncct.on.ca
Phone: 416-964-9087 x224
Website: ncct.on.ca
Location: 16 Spadina Road, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5R 2S7, Ontario
N’we Jinan
Instrument: Sound recording, songwriting, music production, performance
Contact: info@nwejinan.com
Website: nwejinan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nwejinan
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nwejinantv
Twitter: twitter.com/nwejinan
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/nwejinan
Location: Operates throughout Canada, based in Tiohtiá:ke / Montréal
Red Sky Performance
Focus: contemporary Indigenous dance, music, theatre, and media performance
Community Engagement: presents workshops and classes for all ages
Contact: info@redskyperformance.com
Phone: 416-585-9969
Website: www.redskyperformance.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/redskyperformance
Instagram: www.instagram.com/redskyperformance
Twitter: twitter.com/redskyperform
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/redskyperformance
Location: 401 Richmond Street West, Suite 420 Toronto, ON, CA M5V 3A8
Baque de Bamba
Instrument: drums and percussions
Contact: Aline Morales
360 Geary Lane
Phone: 647-213 3060
Batucada Carioca
Instrument: drums and percussions
Contact: Maninho Costa
Website: batucadacarioca.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/batucada_carioca_to
Escola de Samba de Toronto
Instrument: drums and percussions
Contact: www.sambatoronto.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sambatoronto.ca
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sambatoronto
Twitter: twitter.com/sambatoronto
Phone: (416) 408 2824
Location: 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto ON. M5S 1W2,
Maracatu Mar Aberto
Instrument: drums and percussions
Contact: Alex Bordokas
abordokas@gmail.com
Website: maracatumaraberto.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maracatumaraberto
Instagram: www.instagram.com/maracatumaraberto
Phone: 647-293-2266
Tdot Batu
Instrument: drums and percussions
Contact: Patricio Martinez
workshops@tdotbatu.ca
Phone: (416) 949-5654
Website: tdotbatu.ca
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tdotbatu
Location: 330 Geary Ave. Toronto, ON, M6G 1M5
The following are additional community music organizations in the GTA sorted by the communities that they serve.
Concerts in Care
Focus: Provides professional-grade concerts to senior care communities.
Contact: Debra Chandler, Executive Director
debra@concertsincareontario.com
Phone: 416-571-6170
Website: concertsincareontario.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/concertsincareontario
Location: 59 Adelaide Street East, Suite 500 Toronto, ON M5C 1K6
New Horizons Band of Toronto
Instruments: Woodwinds, brass, and percussion
Ages: Adults, typically 50+ but as young as 30
Contact: Donna Dupuy, Head of Education
705-706-2292
Website: newhorizonsbandtoronto.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NHBToronto
Twitter: twitter.com/nhbtoronto
Music From Hope
Ages: 6-14
Contact: musicfromhopeCA@gmail.com
Website: www.musicfromhope.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Musicfromhopeca
Instagram: www.instagram.com/musicfromhope
Nai Choir
Affiliation: CultureLink; York University’s Children, Childhood, and Youth Program
Instruments: choral singing, oud, bouzouqi, percussion
Contact: 416-588-6288
Website: www.naikids.com
Location: 2340 Dundas St W Suite 301, Toronto ON M6P 4A9 Canada
For a more thorough cataloguing of community-engaged arts organizations throughout Canada, please refer to the following resources:
