From October 6 to 10, 2025, Toronto will play host to The Promise of Music: the First World Congress on the Social Impact of Music, presented by The Glenn Gould Foundation. The inaugural event brings international artists, leaders, scientists, technologists, educators, and others together to talk about the role that music can play in dealing with the issues posed by today’s world.
Music isn’t just a matter of frivolous entertainment. It’s a vital and powerful force that affects humanity in many ways, from health and behaviour to creating a strong community.
Just a glance at headlines or social media will confirm that collectively, mental health issues are on the rise. The Promise of Music showcases innovative ideas involving music that are based on the evidence, in a combination of music festival and conference.
It’s not just talk. It’s about using the research to create positive impacts that can be put into practice on a large scale.
The congress will feature a wide range of events and activities, including:
The participants include a wide range of names drawn from multiple disciplines: AR Rahman, Viggo Mortensen, Bob Ezrin, The Hon Romeo Dallaire, Gabor Maté, Chilly Gonzales, Lil Buck, The Recycled Orchestra of Catuera, Afghan National Institute of Music, Jerusalem Youth Chorus, Firdaus Orchestra, Lara Somos, Mully Children’s Family Choir, OrKidstra (Canada), Sinfonía por el Perú Youth Choir (Perú) Sistema New Brunswick Children’s Orchestra, Sistema Toronto, Social Impact Through Music-Making (SIMM), Sunshine Orchestra.
Speakers will present the latest in research and ideas, and include: Dr. Ahmad Naser Sarmast, Tod Machover, Jamie Bernstein, Matthew Bell, Dr. Lukas Pairon and leading international neurologists, developmental psychologists, music therapists, scientists, economists, community organizations, policy makers, educators, arts advocates, and more.
Events for kids include the 145 musicians of the Sistema New Brunswick Children’s Orchestra and Sistema Toronto in concert to perform Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony, with narration by Oscar-nominated actor Viggo Mortensen.
For audiences, it’s a chance to experience performances by an international roster of artists, many of whom will be making their Canadian debuts, and tap into cutting edge research that’s looking into how music affects issues like learning, health, and overall community well being.
Performers and others from more than 20 countries will be participating in the event. There will be workshops, conversations, and community events such as performances for schools and youth audiences. Along with public concerts, The Promise of Music Film Series (curated in partnership with Hot Docs), will also emphasize the joy of making music. The events are spread across multiple venues in the Greater Toronto Area.
Partners include 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 core of its message is that music is central to being human. Music education should be the birthright of every child. It changes lives, and plays a key role in society.
Many of the performers and other participants in the Conference exemplify that principle.
The musicians of The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura are children from Asunción, Paraguay who live in a community that surrounds the Cateura landfill. They play on instruments made from scrap metal and other materials they’ve collected from that landfill, which is one of the largest in Paraguay.
They transform junk into art via the magic of music, and have become a well known ensemble. Along the way, they’ve succeeded in funding the construction of a music school, along with the essentials for learning, and scholarships. They’ve become students and performers, rather than scavenging from the landfill for a living.
It’s about the science.
With all this evidence that continues to accumulate, why are governments around the world still cutting music education, at times down to nothing?
It’s an excellent question.
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