Sandhya Mylabathula

Violin

How many years have you been with EPO? What is your experience as a musician?

I have been with the EPO since 2012, so I’m approaching a decade, holy mackinaw! I heard about the EPO in a very roundabout way – I travelled to another part of the world where I met then-manager Judy. We crossed paths as we happened to both be involved in brain injury research and were in Scotland to present at a conference. The conversation turned to music, and I was hooked :) I started playing the violin in grade 6, where I had a wonderful teacher in Clare Carberry. I continued in high school under the remarkable Charita Holod and the incredible Zlatka Boudakova. I love being able to continue playing and performing through the EPO!

What do you love the most about the violin?

I love music! The violin was my second instrument, and I really enjoyed the quality of its sound and its expressiveness. It is such a versatile instrument, as well – when I picked up the sitar, I started to learn about the different ways that the violin is played in various cultures as we performed pieces that included both instruments. The sound is wonderful on its own, but also blends well with many other instruments. I am also really interested in fiddling, which is yet another compelling aspect of this beautiful instrument for me :)

Last year you were learning to play spoons. How cool! How is that going? Have you joined a band?

I was indeed, and thank you! :) I really enjoy traditional folk music, and when I had the chance to visit a cabane à sucre near Québec City a few years ago, I had the opportunity to try out the spoons myself. Since then, I was lucky to get a couple pairs and played around with metal and wooden versions. Nancy from our percussion section kindly gave me a few tips, as well :) These days I’m using YouTube videos to help me practice, but I don’t know if I’m good enough yet to join a band :P However, I wrote a poem on maple syrup and am trying to pair it with some music – including a part for the spoons :)

What do you do outside of music?

Music is one of a few passions for me :) I am a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, where I research concussions and am a returning CIHR Fellow in Public Health Policy. I have investigated concussion risk factors, policy, education, sex/gender considerations, and management, and am currently completing a project on concussion recovery experiences. I co-developed a national concussion strategy with my sister, and consulted on provincial concussion policy, and co-delivered a TEDx Talk on these topics. I am very involved in science communication and outreach as a coordinator and contributor with various organizations. I love playing and watching sport, learning and practicing languages, reading, travelling [in non-pandemic times!], engaging in other creative arts, and learning to cook new dishes from around the world :)

It looks like you have a passion for science literacy. Why is that important?

Science literacy is so important for many reasons! It helps us to understand the world around us, to think critically and make informed decisions, and to explore the wonder of discovery and science around us! I love sharing my passion through science communication initiatives in many ways. My twin sister and I share our adventures in STEAM [science, technology, engineering, art, and math] as the STEAM Sisters on Instagram @steam.sisters, on our YouTube channel [The STEAM Sisters], and at steamsisters.ca. We just launched the second season of our show, The STEAM League, where we feature incredible superheroes in STEAM careers – including musicians! :) In addition, we recently shot an award-winning series on women in STEAM careers and another on science boredom busters, and we love doing public events for youth and adults alike. I have also created interactive STEAM exhibits for the Ontario Science Centre and the University of Toronto, am an occasional science journalist, and contribute to a podcast – lots of ways to get involved and lots of fun :)