Calgary-born violinist Parmela Attariwala has been mesmerized by sound for as long as she can remember; most especially 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 devotional music and Canadian cultural policy, respectively). Over a twenty-five year sojourn in Toronto meant to last only one year, Parmela cultivated an eclectic and interdisciplinary practice alongside the performance of traditional Western classical music and a teaching practice devoted to vulnerable youth.
Parmela moved to Vancouver in 2019. Since then, she has continued to engage music-making that pushes the boundaries of tradition and to advocate for equity in Canadian musicking. In 2021, Parmela co-founded Understory, a network and creation platform for Canadian improvising artists.
