Rhythm Without Borders – University of Windsor (Windsor, Ontario)

The Canadian Percussion Network brings together percussionists from across the country, building connections between research, performance, pedagogy, and community. Since 2022, our The Space Between (TSB) events have created opportunities for percussionists to cross traditional boundaries between research and artistic practice, share their work, develop new collaborations, and connect with colleagues from across Canada and beyond.

Beginning with TSB I at McMaster University in 2022, The Space Between travelled across Canada, with subsequent events hosted at McGill University, Acadia University, the University of Manitoba, and a return to McMaster University in 2026. Along the way, these gatherings brought together researchers, performers, educators, students, and independent artists and provided the foundation for an expanded approach to connecting Canada’s percussion community.

Rhythm Without Borders — Research, Performance, Community (RWB) builds on that foundation while expanding its scope. Hosted in Windsor, Ontario, on May 28–29, 2027, RWB will explore and break down borders within the percussion community: between research and practice, across musical genres and regions, between professionals and enthusiasts, and across the Canada-U.S. border.

Through research and performance presentations, posters, collaborative performances, and participatory music-making experiences, RWB will bring together percussionists with varied backgrounds and levels of experience for two days of knowledge exchange, collaboration, networking, and community-building. Windsor’s unique location at the Canada-U.S. border will also create new opportunities to connect Canadian percussionists with performers, educators, researchers, and students from neighbouring American communities.

Thanks to support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the University of Windsor, RWB is free to attend for presenters, attendees, and members of the public.

Event Hosts

Nicholas Papador is Nicholas Papador is a percussionist and composer based in Windsor, Ontario who specializes in contemporary music. His book project, Vessels of Song: A Collection of Klezmer Suites for Mallet Ensemble, released by Heartland Marimba Publications in 2024. He is a founding member of Noiseborder Ensemble and Marassa Duo. Papador has presented at The Space Between, Transplanted Roots Percussion Research Symposium, Puerto Rico Conservatory International Percussion Festivals, the Open Ears Festival, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). His recording credits include 2022’s Marimba Collage and 2015’s Points of Departure. He was an on-screen performer in Matthew Barney’s six-hour film opera, River of Fundament. An Associate Composer with the Canadian Music Centre, his compositions appear with Heartland Marimba Publications, Keyboard Percussion Publications, Alfred Publications, Studio 4 Music, House Panther Press, and Bachovich Music. Papador has received grants from the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Social Sciences Humanities Research Council, and Canada Foundation for Innovation. Nicholas Papador is a Yamaha Performing Artist and an artist endorser for Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Sabian Cymbals, and Evans Drumheads. He holds the rank of Professor of Music at the School of Creative Arts | Music at the University of Windsor..

Nadia Azar is an Associate Professor of Biomechanics and Ergonomics at the University of Windsor. As the founder and director of the Drummer Mechanics & Ergonomics Research (DRUMMER) Lab, her overall research goal is to help drummers to achieve their peak performance while reducing their risk of injuries. She has presented at premier conferences (e.g., Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Performing Arts Medicine Association Annual Symposium) and published in top peer-reviewed journals in the field (e.g., Medical Problems of Performing Artists, Research Studies in Music Education); and has successfully translated this work to members of the music community at large (e.g., CBC Radio, Drum Talk TV, the Drumeo Beat, and interviews on multiple podcasts). Dr. Azar has received research funding from the GRAMMY Museum® and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Follow her work on social media @DrNadiaAzar (Instagram, Facebook).