Viggo Mortenson, A.R. Rahman, Chilly Gonzales, Lil Buck, Jamie Bernstein and More Join the Global Gathering of Artists, Educators, Scientists, and Changemakers
This fall, the world will gather in Toronto for an unprecedented celebration and call to action: The Promise of Music: The First World Congress on the Social Impact of Music, presented by The Glenn Gould Foundation. For the first time in history, orchestras, soloists, visionary artists, thought leaders, and changemakers from more than 20 countries will unite to proclaim a powerful truth: music can change lives.
The Congress will bring together a stellar lineup of performers, educators, and thinkers including Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen, beloved composer, producer, and artist A.R. Rahman, iconic Canadian songwriter and producer Chilly Gonzales, internationally acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and actor Lil Buck, and celebrated author and narrator Jamie Bernstein, among many others.
With five days of public concerts, conversations, workshops, and films, The Promise of Music is a one-of-a-kind experience blending the joy of music-making with the urgency of a global call for action. Powered by partners such as the Aga Khan Museum, Great Canadian Entertainment, Toronto Metropolitan University The Creative School Chrysalis, Hot Docs, the A.R. Rahman Foundation, Living Arts Centre and leading educational, cultural, and philanthropic organizations, the Congress is both a global festival and a solutions-driven summit.
At its core, The Promise of Music carries a vital message: Music is indispensable. Music education is the birthright of every child. Music is fundamental to healthy communities and well-functioning societies. Music changes lives.
Taking place October 6–10, 2025 in a series of venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area, the Congress will feature extraordinary performances, ground-breaking research, mind-opening ideas and shared innovations in music and music education, with the joy of public festival performances from inspiring musical ensembles from around the globe. It offers a vibrant platform for collaboration among musicians, educators, scientists, policymakers, economists, and advocates dedicated to building a more just, creative, and connected world through the universal language of music.
The complete schedule can be found at www.promiseofmusic.com.
Studies demonstrate that schools with music programs achieve graduation rates above 90%, compared to just 72.9% in schools without, and that by high school age, those who have music training are at least one full academic year ahead of their non-musical peers in math, science and English. The positive impacts on mental health, emotional resiliency and childhood development are now firmly established by empirical research. Yet globally, music education faces devastating cuts, even as evidence mounts of its impact on early childhood development, academic success, mental health, and social cohesion. For one extraordinary week, Toronto will become the global stage where music takes the spotlight – not just in concert halls, but in classrooms, community spaces, and public dialogue that will help shape the future. The Promise of Music, fuelled by the musicians whose lives furnish the proof, will be an incubator of ideas that reverberate into urgently needed action.
The Congress Will Feature:
- Major concerts showcasing global talent, from international stars to youth orchestras rising from the most challenging circumstances
- Celebrity guest artists, with further announcements to come
- Inspiring keynotes and forums on the emotional, cognitive, and developmental power of music
- Workshops and community events, including performances for schools and youth audiences
- The Promise of Music Film Series, curated in partnership with Hot Docs
- Scientific presentations highlighting music’s proven benefits for mental health, learning, and human development
- A spectacular opening celebration uniting musicians from around the world
Global Performers Include:
- Afghanistan National Institute of Music (Afghanistan/Portugal)
- Firdaus Orchestra (UAE)
- Galilee Chamber Orchestra (Israel)
- Lara Somos vocal-instrumental ensemble (Venezuela)
- Lil Buck Foundation (USA)
- Mully Children’s Family Choir (Kenya)
- OrKidstra (Canada)
- Sinfonía por el Perú Youth Choir (Perú)
- Sistema New Brunswick Children’s Orchestra (Canada)
- Sistema Toronto (Canada)
- Social Impact Through Music-Making (SIMM) (Belgium)
- Sunshine Orchestra (India)
- The Jerusalem Youth Chorus (Israel)
- The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura (Paraguay)
- YOLA National and El Sistema USA Orchestra (USA)
Over 70 Speakers will participate in the Promise of Music Forum including:
The complete speaker listing can be found at www.promiseofmusic.com
- Dr. Ahmad Naser Sarmast, internationally recognized music educator, ethnomusicologist, and the founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music.
- Tod Machover, is a composer/inventor and the Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Music and Media at the MIT Media Lab where he is also Faculty Director. Called “a musical visionary” by The New York Times
- Gabor Maté is a renowned physician and author recognized for his work on addiction, stress, trauma, and the connection between mental and physical health.
- Jamie Bernstein is an author, narrator, director, broadcaster, and filmmaker, and the daughter of famed composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein. She shares her passion for music and storytelling worldwide through her memoir Famous Father Girl and her narrations of both original and classic concert works.
- Lil Buck is a world-renowned dancer and choreographer celebrated for bringing the street dance style of jookin to global stages, performing with artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Madonna.
- Matthew Bell, Director of Frontier Economics, one of the world’s leading economics consulting firms.
- Dr. Lukas Pairon, Belgian cultural activist, researcher, and founder of the international platform SIMM (Social Impact of Music Making), dedicated to exploring music’s role in community development and social transformation
- Leading international neurologists, developmental psychologists, music therapists, scientists, economists, community organizations, policy makers, educators, arts advocates, and more
The World Congress on the Social Impact of Music is both a celebration and a rallying cry. It will spotlight transformative programs, share best practices, and forge new alliances – all while advancing a global movement to ensure that every child has access to music.
The Glenn Gould Foundation gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our sponsors, whose commitment makes The Promise of Music: The First World Congress on the Social Impact of Music possible – The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, The Azrieli Foundation, National Bank, The Jackman Foundation, The Asper Foundation, The Jarislowsky Foundation, Robert and Ellen Eisenberg, Henry White Kinnear Foundation, John M Beck, The SM Blair Foundation, The Hesse Foundation, Lupien Family Foundation, Bruce and Vicki Heyman, Air Canada, The Department of Canadian Heritage, The Government of Ontario, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund.
For the complete schedule, tickets, and more information, please visit: www.promiseofmusic.com
About The Glenn Gould Foundation
The Glenn Gould Foundation, established in 1983, is a registered Canadian charitable organization dedicated to celebrating excellence in the arts and promoting cultural enrichment globally. As a beacon of excellence across multiple arts disciplines, The Glenn Gould Foundation continues to draw upon the legacy of Glenn Gould to envision a more enlightened world, dedicated to fostering cultural understanding, expressing our shared humanity through the arts and inspiring creativity worldwide.
Through tentpole initiatives such as The Glenn Gould Prize and Instrumental: Music and Mental Health, in addition to myriad programs, presentations, collaborations and co-presentations with arts organizations, artists and scholars worldwide, the Foundation honours the legacy of the iconic Canadian pianist, thinker, broadcaster, and recording artist Glenn Gould’s legacy through cultural diplomacy.
The Foundation awards its esteemed $100,000 Glenn Gould Prize biennially to an individual in any creative discipline who has enriched the human condition through the arts. Each Glenn Gould Prize Laureate chooses a young artist of outstanding promise and gifts to receive the $25,000 Glenn Gould Protégé Prize, in recognition of the vital importance of mentorship and as a symbol of the continuous line of creative inspiration that extends from one generation to the next.
Tune into the Gould Standard podcast, follow our social channels @glenngouldfoundation or visit our website www.glenngould.ca for more information.
