Violinist Dr. Parmela Attariwala, born and raised on Treaty 7 territory, has been mesmerized by sound for as long as she can remember, particularly by how un-worded sounds and music carry meaning. She pursued this passion through an undergraduate degree in performance, and postgraduate degrees in ethnomusicology (specializing in Sikh kirtan and Canadian cultural policy, respectively). Over a twenty-five-year sojourn in Toronto, Parmela cultivated an eclectic interdisciplinary practice alongside performances of traditional Western art music, a teaching practice devoted to vulnerable youth, and the release of three Attar Project albums. Since moving to Vancouver in 2019, Parmela has continued to create works that push the boundaries of tradition, with recent commissions including scores for dance, film, mixed media installations and opera. In 2021, Parmela co-founded the online improvisation network, Understory. She is a lecturer in Jazz Studies at Capilano University; and she also works with many local and national presenting and arts service organizations, advocating for equity and ethics in Canadian musicking.