Ayesha Lye is a sound artist and filmmaker working in Peterborough, Ontario. They have a deep love for sound as a catalyst for ideas, art and community formation.
For many years, Ayesha worked as a radio journalist at the CBC. In 2019, they developed and established Peterborough Currents as a reader-funded media start-up. They’re also the founder of Peterborough Independent Podcasters, a small not-for-profit enterprise that supports local audio workers and podcasters.
They are now very happily pursuing a career in film as a sound technician and producer.
Education
B.A. (Hons.) Trent University
Graduated 2015 on the Dean’s Honour Roll
Majored in International Development Studies and Anthropology
Professional experience
Director, writer, producer Independent
December 2023 – present
Lye is a burgeoning filmmaker, learning the ropes for directing, writing, and producing their own independent productions. Currently they are developing scripts for both documentary and narrative fiction films.
Sound technician Freelance
June 2019 – present
Lye is a sound mixer-recordist and boom operator working on film, television, radio, podcast and other productions in Ontario.
Click here to see my sound credits.
Sound artist Independent
October 2016 – present
Lye is a sound composer. They work primarily with field recordings and interviews to create art pieces that reflect on topics such as the sense of self, the self among others, honesty and the capacity for sound to resonate in memory. Their long running podcast Sounds Like Life uses ambience, music and narration to craft compositions that blend diary-keeping with acoustic ecology.
Lye has participated in several group showings of sound art, including the LUCIA sound festival in Italy. They also completed a sound art residency at New Adventures in Sound Art in 2020.
Writer Freelance
March 2019 – present
Lye pitched, researched, and wrote articles for outlets such as CBC Radio, Briarpatch Magazine, Broadview Magazine, Electric City Magazine, Bello Collective and more. Pieces include profiles of a textile artist that uses his medium to promote understanding between religious factions, a profile of how student newspaper editors were using creative ways to raise funds, and a definitive how-to for the audio editing software Reaper.
Café operator Mickaël’s Café Librairie
February 2023 – December 2023
During a career interlude, Lye managed and operated a café/French bakery outlet in Omemee.
Publisher & co-founder Peterborough Currents
September 2017 – November 2022
Lye co-founded the Peterborough Currents podcast in 2017 with creative partner Will Pearson, and for several years, the team published insightful documentaries about the Peterborough area as an independent podcast.
In January 2020, Lye and Pearson developed a business plan and re-launched Peterborough Currents as an independent local news outlet. By the time they left Currents in Fall 2022, they had helped build over $4,000 of monthly sponsorship and audience revenue, worked with colleagues to publish hard-hitting investigative news, and maintained strong audience-centered editorial products.
Founder & managing director Peterborough Independent Podcasters
September 2016 – July 2022
In 2016, Lye founded Peterborough Independent Podcasters, a not-for-profit organization with the mandate to foster a local community of podcasters and audio enthusiasts. They oversaw the development of the organization from an ad-hoc committee to a registered non-profit corporation. They also helped hundreds of community members learn about podcasting and start their own shows through workshops, teaching, one-on-one mentorship, and providing podcast resources.
In 2021, Lye organized the Peterborough Audiocraft Festival which brought together dozens of audio enthusiasts to learn from each other during online workshops.
Executive director Sadleir House
July 2019 – February 2020
Briefly, Lye led operations and administration of a small charity and community center called Sadleir House, which is a Victorian house turned student center. They administrated accounting, inventory, cleaning, contractors, staff, and reported to the board of directors.
Producer CBC Radio & CBC Podcasts
May 2015 – June 2019
In May 2015, Lye received a prestigious Gzowski internship at CBC Radio; during the four-month internship they learned how to produce interviews, documentaries and online content for shows such as As It Happens, Metro Morning and Fresh Air.
After their internship, they worked with Cross Country Checkup as their digital producer, producing interactive stories for the program. They also pitched stories and filled in for radio producers, producing phone-in specials and assisting in live in-person events.
Lye also worked with shows like Day 6, Ontario Morning, The Next Chapter, and Podcast Playlist as an on-call producer. And they were placed on several special assignments including producing a podcast series called The Next 150, a holiday special called The Disclosure Dilemma, and a cross-vertical promotional project called Being Black in Canada. They also were a contract producer on the Front Burner Podcast.
Reporter Arthur Newspaper
September 2014 – April 2015
Lye got their start in journalism as a student reporter with the Trent University student press, Arthur Newspaper. They pitched, wrote and edited articles about campus life and the Peterborough community, including features on city hall, library services, and the arts.
Producing Credits
Films
Ayesha Lye & Zachary Barmania (Writers & directors). 2024. The Comeback of Eugenia St. Clair [Short film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl3Xm5P2etc
Books
Brazil Gaffney-Knox (Writer & illustrator), Will Pearson (Reporter), Ayesha Barmania (Editor). 2022. Creek Week [Pamphlets]. Peterborough Currents. ISBN 978-1-7782943-0-3 https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/creek-week/now-in-print-our-local-creek-walking-guides/
Podcast series
Ayesha Barmania (Producer & host). 2016-present. Sounds Like Life [Audio podcast]. https://soundslikelife.ptbopodcasters.ca/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson (Producers & hosts). 2022. Provincial election 2022 [Audio podcast]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/tag/provincial-election-2022/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson (Producers & hosts). 2021. Federal election 2021 [Audio podcast]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/tag/federal-election-2021/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson (Producers & hosts). 2021. Budget Week [Audio podcast]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/series/budget-week/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson (Producers & hosts). 2021. Neighbours [Audio podcast]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/series/neighbours/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson (Producers & hosts). 2017-2019. Peterborough Currents podcast [Audio podcast]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/series/peterborough-currents-podcast-archives/
Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe (Host), Cesil Fernandes (Senior producer). 2017. The Next 150 [Audio podcast]. CBC Podcasts. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcasts/arts-culture/the-next-150/
Radio shows
Ayesha Barmania & Jeffrey Moore (Hosts). May – Aug. 2022. Trust Us We’re Right About This. [Radio show]. Trent Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Producer). Mar. – May 2020. Pandemic Update. [Radio show]. Trent Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Producer). Sep. 2015 – May 2020. Sounds Like Life. [Radio show]. Trent Radio.
Devon Wilkins & Justin Evangelo (Host & Producers), Ayesha Barmania (Producer). Jan. 2020. Accessibility PSA series. [Radio segments]. Trent Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Host & producer), Jeffrey Moore (Producer). Sep. 2018 – May 2019. Peterborough Currents [Radio show]. Trent Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Host & producer). Sep. 2018 – May 2019. Peterborough Independent Podcasters Showcase [Radio show]. Trent Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Joan Melanson (Executive producer). Jan. – Jun. 2017. The Walrus Talks: Conversations About Canada. [Syndicated audio segments] CBC Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Producer). Jan. – May 2014. Esoterikos. [Radio show]. Trent Radio.
Other series & newsletters
Brazil Gaffney-Knox (Writer & illustrator), Will Pearson (Reporter), Ayesha Barmania (Editor). 2022. Creek Week [Email newsletter]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/creek-week/creek-week-walking-guide/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson, Brett Throop (Writers & editors). 2020-2022 News & Updates [Email newsletter]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/newsletter/
Will Pearson, Ayesha Barmania (Writers & editors). 2020-2021. The Undercurrent [Email newsletter]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/newsletter/
Ayesha Barmania, Will Pearson (Writers & editors). 2020. Peterborough Currents COVID-19 Newsletter [Email newsletter]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/announcements/browse-our-covid-19-newsletter-archive/
Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Nick Davis (Executive producer). Oct. 2017 – Feb. 2019. Being Black in Canada [Curated content series]. CBC Diversity & Inclusion. www.cbc.ca/beingblackincanada
Ayesha Barmania, Bria John (Producers), Nick McCabe-Lokos (Executive producer). Jul. – Sep. 2017. WorkShift [Email newsletter]. CBC Radio.
Ayesha Barmania (Reporter), Pat Reddick & Matt Rappolt (Editors). Sep. 2014. Election Focus [Article series]. Arthur Newspaper.
Ayesha Barmania (Reporter), Pat Reddick & Matt Rappolt (Editors). Nov. 2014. Students & Media [Article series]. Arthur Newspaper.
Episodes
Vinh-Kim Nguyen (Guest), Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Nick McCabe-Lokos (Executive Producer), Jayme Poisson (Host). Apr. 23, 2019. “How mistrust and fear make fighting Ebola more difficult.” [Podcast episode]. Front Burner (CBC Podcasts). https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/how-mistrust-and-fear-make-fighting-ebola-more-difficult-1.5104946
Charles Rusnell and Jennie Russell (Guests), Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Nick McCabe-Lokos (Executive Producer), Jayme Poisson (Host). Mar. 19, 2019. “Inside Alberta’s ‘House of Cards’ scandal.” [Podcast episode]. Front Burner (CBC Podcasts). https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/inside-alberta-s-house-of-cards-scandal-1.5061918
Ayesha Barmania (Composer), Michelle Macklem and Jess Shane (Curators). Mar. 15, 2019. “quiet contemplations.” [Sound composition]. Constellations Sounds. https://constellationssounds.org/sounds/quiet-contemplations
Ayesha Barmania (Producer & Host). Oct. 13, 2018. “Meet the candidates for school board trustee running in the City of Peterborough.” [Podcast episode]. Peterborough Currents. https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/politics/special-coverage-of-the-2018-kprdsb-board-of-trustees-election/
Sheyfali Saujani (Host & Producer), Ayesha Barmania (Producer). Aug. 2017. “The Disclosure Dilemma.” [Radio special] CBC Radio. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/blogs/the-disclosure-dilemma-talking-about-disability-at-work-1.4277118
Ayesha Barmania (Reporter-producer), Marichka Melnyk (Senior producer). Dec. 28, 2016. “Those donkeys have real character.” [Audio documentary]. CBC Ontario Morning. https://soundcloud.com/abarmania/those-donkeys-have-real-character-primrose-donkey-sanctuary-doc
Ayesha Barmania (Composer). Oct. 13, 2016. “Trans-Canada Trail.” [Podcast episode]. Sounds Like Life. https://soundslikelife.ptbopodcasters.ca/podcast/episode-1-trans-canada-trail/
Ayesha Barmania (Composer). Oct. 3, 2016. “Bay & Bloor.” [Podcast episode]. Sounds Like Life. https://soundslikelife.ptbopodcasters.ca/podcast/episode-0-bay-bloor-trumpet/
Ayesha Barmania (Reporter-producer), Marichka Melnyk (Senior producer). Sep. 2015. “Manoomin // The Wild Rice Harvest.” [Audio documentary]. CBC Fresh Air. https://soundcloud.com/abarmania/manoomin-the-wild-rice-harvest
Ayesha Barmania, Andrew Sampson, Christine Coulter, Melissa Fundira (Producers & Hosts). Aug. 2015. “The Other Side of Addiction.” [Radio special]. CBC Radio. https://soundcloud.com/abarmania/the-other-side-of-addiction
Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Marichka Melnyk (Senior producer), Mary Ito (Host). Jun. 2015. “Healthy Parks, Healthy People.” [Audio documentary]. CBC Fresh Air. https://soundcloud.com/abarmania/healthy-parks-healthy-people
Ayesha Barmania (Producer), Sandy Mowat (Senior Producer), Wei Chen (Host). “The Gilmour Street Garage Sale.” [Audio documentary]. CBC Ontario Morning. https://soundcloud.com/abarmania/gilmour-street-garage-sale