Aaron Lightstone, MMT, RP, MTA

Aaron Lightstone, MMT, RP, MTA, NMT is the founder and director of Music Therapy Toronto, a clinical practice that specializes in the rehabilitation of neurologic injury and disease. He is an award-winning music therapist, musician, composer, educator, and researcher. Aaron holds a Master of Music Therapy and a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University where he is occasionally enlisted as a part-time faculty member (in the faculty of music and the faculty of graduate studies). He has been performing on oud, guitar, and related instruments in performances and recordings for over 2 decades. He is best known as the founder and bandleader of the world music group JAFFA ROAD which has been recognized with a Canadian Folk Music Award and two JUNO award nominations. Aaron has always had a strong interest in the music of different cultures. This interest has lead to study and performance experience in Sephardic and Arabic music, classical guitar, jazz, classical Indian music, and blues. In the late 1990s, Aaron spent a year living on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia where he conducted original Ethnomusicology research on the island’s unique, Indigenous folk music. His Master’s research focused on the therapeutic value of creating original rap and Hip Hop in Toronto’s Homeless shelters.