West Coast String Summit 2024

FEATURING:

Laura Ortman (NYC) • Chamber of Bones: Jesse Zubot & Pura Fé with Strings (Saskatoon/Vancouver) • Marina Hasselberg (Vancouver)  • Toni-Leah C. Yake (Vancouver) •  Anju Singh (Vancouver) • Julia Ulehla (Vancouver) • And more! 

VENUES:

The Ironworks  (235 Alexander Street)

8EAST (8 East Pender Street)

TICKETS:

Tickets for May 25th at The Ironworks $12-23 in advance and $15-25 at the door. Advance tickets available on Eventbrite.

Tickets for May 26 at 8EAST by donation. Available at the door.

CONCERTS:

Saturday, May 25; 8pm – The Ironworks, Main Room (235 Alexander Street)

Artist chat at 7:30pm

Laura Ortman • Chamber of Bones: Jesse Zubot & Pura Fé with Strings • Marina Hasselberg

Sunday, May 26; 8pm – 8EAST (8 East Pender Street)

A night of improv with local and visiting artists.

WORKSHOP

Sunday, May 26; 5-7pm – 8EAST (8 East Pender Street)

Improvisation as a process of discovery; a workshop for bowed string instrument musicians with Lan Tung 

Free workshop. Space is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your spot at [email protected].

improvisedarts.ca • newmusic.org • nowsociety.org • theonlyanimal.com

Back for its second year, the West Coast String Summit, presented by Vancouver Improvised Arts Society, in partnership with Vancouver New Music, The Only Animal Theatre Company, KW Studios, and NOW Society, brings an annual celebration of creative music and the power of strings to The Ironworks and 8EAST in Vancouver, BC, on May 25 and 26, 2024.

VIAS will host its second annual West Coast String Summit on May 25th and 26th, 2024. Alongside community partners Vancouver New Music, NOW Society, The Only Animal Theatre Society, and KW Studios, VIAS will present a two days of concerts, workshops,and artist talks that showcase contemporary improvising and experimental string players, composers, and bandleaders, both emerging and fully established in their fields. The West Coast String Summit is a place to meet, collaborate, listen, learn, and create new connections within the experimental string world, which Western Canada, and Vancouver in particular, is known for worldwide. Sharing ideas through composition, improvisation, and dialogue, artists and audiences will benefit from hearing diverse local and visiting musicians perform their genre-defying works by gaining inspiration for what is possible on traditional stringed instruments and a deeper understanding of the cultures they come from.

VIAS is thrilled to be presenting Brooklyn-based Apache experimental violinist and vocalist, Laura Ortman, who creates visceral, all-consuming, and powerful performances. Pairing the immense talent and skill of renowned violinist, Jesse Zubot, and vocalist, Pura Fé, backed by an 8-piece ensemble of highly experienced local string players, we are sure that this concert experience will bring immense joy to listeners. An opening set by acclaimed local cellist, Marina Hasselberg, will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase her recent album, presenting both original compositions and improvisations using acoustic, prepared, and processed performance techniques.

In addition to evening concerts at The Ironworks and 8EAST, the 2024 West Coast String Summit is offering several opportunities for our expanding community of experimental string lovers to gather in social and educational settings: A public workshop (co-presented with Sound of Dragon); a Slow Social (co-presented with The Only Animal); An open rehearsal showcasing the working process of Pura Fé, Jesse Zubot and Strings; An artist talk preceding the main concert at The Ironworks; and, a collaborative improvised music event (co-presented by NOW) featuring local and visiting artists.

Host or Publisher Vancouver Improvised Arts Society