Due to ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus, this year’s Seattle Improvised Music Festival will not include any live performances. HOWEVER! A scaled-back version will be presented via streaming video in two programs. The first program will be presented in conjunction with Baltimore’s High Zero Festival, which is this year spread over four nights (Sept. 24 – 27), curated by presenting organizations in four different cities. Each night features a soloist, an ensemble, and an experimental video/sound project from the featured city + a soloist from Baltimore. SIMF also presents a second night separately from High Zero (Oct. 4). The two SIMF nights also feature video solos by out of town guests, along with Seattle artists recorded at the Royal Room. See the full schedule below.
The Seattle Improvised Music Festival is presented by Nonsequitur, with generous assistance from 4Culture and the Raynier Institute & Foundation. We are especially grateful to the Royal Room for providing a venue in which to record our video programs.
2020 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
(all events subject to change – watch here for updates)
Thur. Sept. 24, 5 PM Pacific Time
Curated by Elastic Arts, Chicago
STREAMING LINK
Soloists:
Alejandro Acierto, artist/musician (Chicago)
Luke Stewart, bass (DC/NYC)
Ensemble:
Norman Long, sound/art/design
Mallory Linehan (Chelsea Bridge), violin
Billie Howard, various instruments
Video + Sound:
Jonathan Woods, video
ABZyrd, sound
Fri. Sept. 25, 5 PM Pacific Time
Curated by High Mayhem, Santa Fe
STREAMING LINK
Soloists:
Marisa DeMarco (Bigawatt), voice (Santa Fe)
Jamal Moore, reeds/percussion/electronics (Baltimore)
Ensemble:
Raven Chacon, electronics/guitar
Carlos Santisteven, bass/electronics
Tatsuya Nakatani, percussion
Video + Sound:
ACVilla, video
Thollem, sound
Sat. Sept. 26, 5 PM Pacific Time
Curated by High Zero, Baltimore
STREAMING LINK
Soloists:
Lucas Yasunaga, ecosystem of synthetic animals (Baltimore)
Jamal Moore, reeds/percussion/electronics (Baltimore)
Ensemble:
Neroj Patrick, bass
Shelly Purdy, percussion
Duncan Moore, electronics
Susan Alcorn, pedal steel guitar
Sue-C, live video processing
Video + Sound:
Timothy Nohe
Sun. Sept. 27, 5 PM Pacific Time
Curated by Seattle Improvised Music Festival
STREAMING LINK
Soloists:
Allison Clendaniel, voice (Baltimore)
Marina Albero, piano (Seattle)
Ensemble:
Jim Knodle, trumpet
Casey Adams, percussion
Heather Bentley, viola
Evan Woodle, drums
Jenny Ziefel, clarinets
Video + Sound:
Dana Reason, piano (Corvallis)
Melody Owen, video (Portland/Sydney)
Sun. Oct. 4, 7 PM Pacific Time
Curated by Seattle Improvised Music Festival (not part of High Zero)
STREAMING LINK
Ben Goldberg, clarinet (Berkeley)
Galin Hebert, drums; Laurel Evers, clarinet
Sam Newsome, saxophones (Brooklyn)
Thomas Campbell, drums; Dick Valentine, flutes, sax; Tamara Zenobia, voice
Joe McPhee, sax (Poughkeepsie)