BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//IICSI - ECPv6.16.5//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:IICSI
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for IICSI
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Toronto
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20230312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20231105T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Vancouver
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20240310T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20241103T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20250309T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20251102T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20260308T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20261101T090000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260416T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260416T120000
DTSTAMP:20260319T192357Z
CREATED:20260318T153054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260319T192357Z
UID:16704-1776333600-1776340800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Cacophonie | Bridge to Terabithia: A Somatic Exploration of Childhood Self—A Creative Workshop with Mark LeRoy
DESCRIPTION:Join us at ImprovLab for a workshop by Mark LeRoy\, PhD student in Critical Studies in Improvisation\, as part of Dr. Sharon D. Engbrecht’s “Cacophonie” series! \nFor this event\, prospective participants should read Bridge to Terabithia. Copies are available through the Guelph Public Library. If you are unable to find a copy\, but would like to participate in the workshop\, please e-mail sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca. A limited number will be available through The Bookshelf at no cost to participants! \nThrough exploration and play guided by sensation\, image\, behaviour\, and affect\, we will explore how parts of us emerge within Terabithia\, as we collectively hold space for embodied knowing and self- and group-coherence. \nTerabithia becomes our imagination’s site of exploration and experimentation\, where we are invited to lay down our certainties to wonder and explore the beauty of our fragile highs. \nWhile reading Bridge to Terabithia prior to attending\, you may consider: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow might ritual support your temporal encounter of reading Bridge to Terabithia?\nAs you immerse yourself in Jesse’s and Leslie’s world\, how does your body emerge as a co-narrator?\nHow might we extend curiosity towards what our 10-year-old selves might be experiencing or want to share?\nThe name of your own magical land.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMark LeRoy (he/him) is a PhD Student in Critical Studies in Improvisation at the University of Guelph\, researching how the liminal spaces of improvisation and negative capability\, emerging from postmemory\, might function as a rite of passage to embodied knowing. As a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist\, Mark is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Internal Family Systems Therapist\, supporting those affected by the silencing narrative of trauma.  \nSharon Engbrecht (they/them) comes from a background in theatre\, visual arts\, narrative theory\, and critical studies in gender and sexuality. They have a knack for event planning and facilitating group events focused on storytelling and improvisation. Their research invest igates questions of embodiment\, identity\, and relationality.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cacophonie-bridge-to-terabithia-a-somatic-exploration-of-childhood-self-a-creative-workshop-with-mark-leroy/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cacophonie.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Sharon D. Engbrecht":MAILTO:sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260410T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260410T120000
DTSTAMP:20260319T192340Z
CREATED:20260319T191339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260319T192340Z
UID:16722-1775815200-1775822400@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Cacophonie | choreographies of choice with Ms. Georgia Simms
DESCRIPTION:We’ll see you in ImprovLab on April 10th at 10 AM\, when Ms. Georgia Simms (she/her) will lead this creative\, interactive workshop that invites participants to engage in movement research framed by attention\, shape\, and momentum. Language\, music\, and the energy of the ensemble will create an atmosphere for experimentation\, response\, and reflection. This creative workshop is part of the Cacophonie series\, curated by IICSI Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Sharon D. Engbrecht! \nWe invite everyone who is interested in participating to join the creative workshops. We aim to make these events as accessible as possible\, and they are open to everyone regardless of age\, ability\, ethnicity\, religion\, language\, sexual orientation\, gender identity\, political beliefs\, or status. Folks with children are also welcome to bring them along and their participation will not be part of the study. \nTo confirm participation and/or for more information\, including about consent forms\, please email sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca. \nIf you decide to join us spontaneously\, please do. Doors will be open 30 minutes before each event. There will be coffee\, tea\, and light snacks provided. \nMs. Georgia Simms (she/her) is a PhD student in the Critical Studies in Improvisation program at the University of Guelph. She is also an artist-mother who dances\, performs\, choreographs\, facilitates\, and organizes. Her current work investigates ‘ecstatic survival’\, emotions\, play\, and relational repair through the blending of modern and post-modern sensibilities in solo\, collective\, and site-specific improvised movement composition \nDr. Sharon Engbrecht (they/them) comes from a background in theatre and visual arts\, narrative theory\, and critical studies in gender and sexuality. They have a knack for event planning and facilitating group events focused on storytelling and improvisation. Their research investigates questions of embodiment\, identity\, and relationality.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cacophonie-choreographies-of-choice-with-ms-georgia-simms/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cacophonie.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Sharon D. Engbrecht":MAILTO:sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260408T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260408T210000
DTSTAMP:20260408T134330Z
CREATED:20260114T195432Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T134330Z
UID:16418-1775674800-1775682000@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema presents: Un 32 août sur terre (1998\, dir. Denis Villeneuve)
DESCRIPTION:IICSI Director Dr. Eric Fillion is bringing his cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema curated film series back to The Bookshelf Cinema (41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, ON). \n\nFrom January through April\, Dr. Fillion will present one film per month. These four films share the common theme of Quebeckers on road trips through the deserts of the southwestern United States. This theme has a personal significance for Dr. Fillion\, and so he looks forward to sharing these films with the local community. Intended for cinephiles and Francophones alike\, these films (in French with subtitles) depict young protagonists as they hit the road as an escape and a respite\, in search of thrills and adventure\, connection and purpose\, meaning and closure. The final film in this iteration of the series will be Un 32 août sur terre (1998)\, directed by Denis Villeneuve. \nEach screening begins at 7 PM\, with regular tickets costing $14 and member or student tickets priced at $11 (both are inclusive of taxes and fees). Dr. Fillion will introduce each film ahead of its showing. \nUn 32 août sur terre \nDirector: Denis Villeneuve \nYear: 1998 \nCountry: Canada (Quebec) \nRunning Time: 88 minutes \nAt 26\, Simone is already rethinking her entire life after surviving a horrible car crash. She quits her job and heads off in search of her closest friend Philippe to ask him to have a child with her. Philippe is apprehensive\, but finally agrees on condition that the conception occurs in the desert. \n 
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cinema-francophone-cinema-presents-un-32-aout-sur-terre-1998-dir-denis-villeneuve/
LOCATION:The Bookshelf Cinema\, 41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Fillion_Bookshelf_Series_W20261.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260326T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260326T213000
DTSTAMP:20260319T200008Z
CREATED:20260319T195721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260319T200008Z
UID:16726-1774553400-1774560600@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:IBPOC Artists' Network Tour: From Words to Action 2025/2026—Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre and Coco Collective
DESCRIPTION:Make your way to ImprovLab on March 26th for a double-bill presentation of spectacular live dance and music! Coco Collective and Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre will visit Guelph for one night only to perform at the ImprovLab. \nMovement\, voice\, and percussion harmoniously come together for these individually and culturally expressive dance works. \n“Calabash\,” by Coco Collective\, is a dance and live percussion journey exploring how African-diasporic communities cultivate everyday social bonds. This light-hearted narrative follows a woman’s labor of love in local food sovereignty and nurturing community connections. \nIn “Grandmother’s Drum\,” by Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre\, dance and voice fold into each other\, becoming a single river of presence. Within its silence and its pulse\, the past leans forward; the present opens; the body remembers what the mind forgets. \nThis performance is co-presented by IICSI\, Guelph Dance\, and the IBPOC Artists’ Network Tour\, in collaboration with Wind in the Leaves Collective. \nYou can grab your tickets here!
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/16726/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Guelph-OnToday_Mar26-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260311T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260311T210000
DTSTAMP:20260114T194714Z
CREATED:20260114T194714Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T194714Z
UID:16415-1773255600-1773262800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema presents: Déserts (2016\, dirs. Charles-André Coderre and Yann-Manuel Hernandez)
DESCRIPTION:IICSI Director Dr. Eric Fillion is bringing his cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema curated film series back to The Bookshelf Cinema (41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, ON). \n\nFrom January through April\, Dr. Fillion will present one film per month. These four films share the common theme of Quebeckers on road trips through the deserts of the southwestern United States. This theme has a personal significance for Dr. Fillion\, and so he looks forward to sharing these films with the local community. Intended for cinephiles and Francophones alike\, these films (in French with subtitles) depict young protagonists as they hit the road as an escape and a respite\, in search of thrills and adventure\, connection and purpose\, meaning and closure. The third film in this iteration of the series will be Déserts (2016)\, directed by Charles-André Coderre and Yann-Manuel Hernandez. \nEach screening begins at 7 PM\, with regular tickets costing $14 and member or student tickets priced at $11 (both are inclusive of taxes and fees). Dr. Fillion will introduce each film ahead of its showing. \nDéserts \nDirector: Charles-André Coderre and Yann-Manuel Hernandez \nYear: 2016 \nCountry: Canada (Quebec) \nRunning Time: 93 minutes \nA man chooses to run away from his everyday life in order to lose himself in the desert of Death Valley. While on his journey\, he encounters a woman who accompanies him on his quest. As they embark deeper into the desert\, heat and fever push them to extreme\, psychological limits.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cinema-francophone-cinema-presents-deserts-2016-dirs-charles-andre-coderre-and-yann-manuel-hernandez/
LOCATION:The Bookshelf Cinema\, 41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Fillion_Bookshelf_Series_W20261.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260211T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260211T210000
DTSTAMP:20260114T184203Z
CREATED:20260114T184203Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T184203Z
UID:16403-1770836400-1770843600@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema presents: La Grande Noirceur (2018\, dir. Maxime Giroux)
DESCRIPTION:IICSI Director Dr. Eric Fillion is bringing his cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema curated film series back to The Bookshelf Cinema (41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, ON). \n\nFrom January through April\, Dr. Fillion will present one film per month. These four films share the common theme of Quebeckers on road trips through the deserts of the southwestern United States. This theme has a personal significance for Dr. Fillion\, and so he looks forward to sharing these films with the local community. Intended for cinephiles and Francophones alike\, these films (in French with subtitles) depict young protagonists as they hit the road as an escape and a respite\, in search of thrills and adventure\, connection and purpose\, meaning and closure. The second film in this iteration of the series will be La Grande Noirceur (2018)\, directed by Maxime Giroux. \nEach screening begins at 7 PM\, with regular tickets costing $14 and member or student tickets priced at $11 (both are inclusive of taxes and fees). Dr. Fillion will introduce each film ahead of its showing. \nLa Grande Noirceur \nDirector: Maxime Giroux \nYear: 2018 \nCountry: Canada (Quebec) \nRunning Time: 94 minutes \nWhile a world war rages\, Philippe\, a draft-dodger from Quebec\, takes refuge in the American West\, surviving by competing in Charlie Chaplin impersonation contests. As Philippe makes his long journey home\, he encounters various characters under the sway of a destructive madness borne of the chaotic times. His voyage\, both violent and fascinating\, is a hallucinatory initiation to the darker side of the American dream.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cinema-francophone-cinema-presents-la-grande-noirceur-2018-dir-maxime-giroux/
LOCATION:The Bookshelf Cinema\, 41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Fillion_Bookshelf_Series_W20261.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260205T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260205T120000
DTSTAMP:20260318T152212Z
CREATED:20260129T165053Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T152212Z
UID:16456-1770285600-1770292800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Cacophonie | Just Listening: Experiments with Collective Memory with Dr. Jordan Zalis
DESCRIPTION:This interactive workshop by Dr. Jordan Zalis invites you into the practice of just listening—an approach to storytelling and ethnographic engagement that centres care\, attention\, and the improvised encounters we create together. Through personal narratives about sports\, games\, and gaming\, we’ll examine how play shapes our memories\, identities\, and communities. \nThe workshop unfolds in three movements: 1) a brief introduction to just listening as a practice with some simple listening exercises\, 2) sharing stories about moments of play that stick with us\, listening attentively to each other’s experiences\, and then 3) playing together! We’re interested in the sensorial\, the feelingful\, and\, of course\, the relationships that emerge when we play\, compete\, watch\, game\, or recall—from our experiences playing pickup basketball to board game nights\, from video game marathons to the World Cup. \nWho should come? Everyone is welcome. We especially invite folks with strong connections to sports (basketball\, hockey\, soccer\, etc.)\, games (chess\, trivia\, board games)\, or gaming (video games\, e-sports\, gambling). We aim to make these events as accessible as possible\, and they are open to everyone regardless of age\, ability\, ethnicity\, religion\, language\, sexual orientation\, gender identity\, political beliefs\, or status. Folks with children are also welcome to bring them along and their participation will not be part of the study. \nOn workshop day\, we all play! \nCome ready to share a story\, listen generously\, and learn from each other. \nTo confirm participation and/or for more information\, including about consent forms\, please email Cacophonie’s curator\, Dr. Sharon D. Engbrecht\, at sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca. \nIf you decide to join us spontaneously\, please do. Doors will be open 30 minutes before the event!
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cacophonie-just-listening-experiments-with-collective-memory-with-dr-jordan-zalis/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cacophonie.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Sharon D. Engbrecht":MAILTO:sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260121T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260121T210000
DTSTAMP:20260114T195620Z
CREATED:20260114T182520Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T195620Z
UID:16398-1769022000-1769029200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema presents: L.A. Tea Time (2019\, dir. Sophie Bedard Marcotte)
DESCRIPTION:IICSI Director Dr. Eric Fillion is bringing his cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema curated film series back to The Bookshelf Cinema (41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, ON). \n\nFrom January through April\, Dr. Fillion will present one film per month. These four films share the common theme of Quebeckers on road trips through the deserts of the southwestern United States. This theme has a personal significance for Dr. Fillion\, and so he looks forward to sharing these films with the local community. Intended for cinephiles and Francophones alike\, these films (in French with subtitles) depict young protagonists as they hit the road as an escape and a respite\, in search of thrills and adventure\, connection and purpose\, meaning and closure. The first film in this second iteration of the series will be L.A. Tea Time (2019)\, by Sophie Bedard Marcotte. \nEach screening begins at 7 PM\, with regular tickets costing $14 and member or student tickets priced at $11 (both are inclusive of taxes and fees). Dr. Fillion will introduce each film ahead of its showing. \n\n \nL.A. Tea Time \nDirector: Sophie Bedard Marcotte \nYear: 2019 \nCountry: Canada (Quebec) \nRunning Time: 82 minutes \nA filmmaker stuck in an arid\, jobless Montreal winter embarks on an improbable quest across the United States of America\, taking her director of photography along for the journey. L.A. Tea Time is an unusual travelogue\, at times meditative\, at times haunted\, recounting the adventures of Sophie and Isabelle with humour and a little touch of magic.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cinema-francophone-cinema-presents-l-a-tea-time-dir-sophie-bedard-marcotte-2019/
LOCATION:The Bookshelf Cinema\, 41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Fillion_Bookshelf_Series_W20261.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251208T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251208T203000
DTSTAMP:20251119T170412Z
CREATED:20251119T170223Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T170412Z
UID:16342-1765220400-1765225800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:"Tracing the Life of Violence"— A talk by Dr. Sharon D. Engbrecht\, followed by an open discussion
DESCRIPTION:Be part of Guelph’s “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” as IICSI 2025-26 Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Sharon D. Engbrecht explores systemic violence in Katherena Vermette’s “The Break.”  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs part of Guelph’s iteration of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence\,” Dr. Sharon D. Engbrecht will give a talk tracing lines of systemic violence in Katherena Vermette’s “The Break.” Copies of the book can be picked up at the Main Library’s circulation desk starting November 5\, 2025. Copies are limited\, and a library card is required to check these items out. Enjoy light refreshments and snacks! \nThe talk will be followed by an open discussion about the novel’s themes and intersections of violence\, as well as agency and responsibility in the wake of assault and intergenerational trauma.  \nThe event will be held in the Program Room on the second floor of the Library’s Main Branch (100 Norfolk St.). \nKatherena Vermette: is a Métis writer from Treaty One territory\, the heart of the Métis nation\, Winnipeg\, Manitoba\, Canada. Her first book\, “North End Love Songs” (The Muses Company)\, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. Her NFB short documentary\, “this river\,” won the Coup de Coeur at the Montreal First Peoples Festival and a Canadian Screen Award. Her first novel\, “The Break\,” is the winner of three Manitoba Book Awards and the Amazon.ca First Novel Award. It was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction\, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize\, and CBC Canada Reads. \n“The Break”: The novel opens by describing “the break\,” a series of barren lots in a working-class neighbourhood in Winnipeg. In the winter\, there’s hydro lines that buzz “quiet enough that you can ignore it.” The “buzz” acts as a metaphor for various forms of violence in the novel\, including gender-based violence as something “you can just ignore.” It’s “just white noise\,” the narrator tells readers\, “and some people can ignore things like that. Some people can hear it but just get used to it.” Drawing attention to the “white noise” of gender-based violence allows us to reconsider how it plays out in our larger communities and what it means to take a stance to stop it. This activism\, at once very personal and communal\, is a small way we as individuals can take a stand and be a part of ending gender-based violence in all its forms. \nSharon D. Engbrecht: is a postdoctoral researcher at the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (University of Guelph). Their research delves into how narratives by women authors challenge the systems of power that perpetuate gender-based violence and discrimination. They hail from the Canadian prairies and recently completed their PhD at the University of British Columbia. \nBy participating in this program\, you acknowledge and accept the Guelph Public Library’s Code of Conduct. \nIf you have any questions\, please contact Library Programmer Lauren at lcontini@guelphpl.ca. \nAlternative formats are available as per the Accessibility per Ontarians Act by contacting Library Communications at 519-824-6220.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/tracing-the-life-of-violence-a-talk-by-dr-sharon-d-engbrecht-followed-by-an-open-discussion/
LOCATION:Guelph Public Library\, 100 Norfolk St.\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/thumbnail_image001.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Sharon D. Engbrecht":MAILTO:sharon.engbrecht@uoguelph.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251108T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251108T193000
DTSTAMP:20251105T184733Z
CREATED:20251027T200340Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T184733Z
UID:16303-1762630200-1762630200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Guelph Film Festival: Assembly—2025\, dirs. Rashaad Newsome & Johnny Symons
DESCRIPTION:IICSI is proud to co-present Assembly\, a film by Rashaad Newsome & Johnny Symons\, at this year’s Guelph Film Festival! \nThe film\, which runs for 99 minutes\, will screen in ImprovLab on Saturday\, November 8th\, at 7:30 PM. This event is PWYW\, with $15 suggested. \nAssembly is a multisensory extravaganza featuring a global cast of performers\, who transform New York’s historic Park Avenue Armory from a bastion of white military power into a vibrant celebration of Black and queer culture. Reimagining the military facility through video projections\, AI holograms\, sculptures\, collages\, music\, dance\, and African fractal patterns challenges colonial structures while honouring the complexity and resilience of Black experience\, thereby turning pain into artistic power. One such moment is a memorial for murdered Black trans women that evolves into a protest march\, highlighting art’s capacity for reclaiming agency and inspiring change\, offering a vision of intergenerational resilience\, transformation\, and hope. The film transcends traditional documentary by weaving together Rashaad Newsome’s creative process\, dynamic performances\, and the lives of his collaborators through hybrid storytelling\, visual effects\, and the ongoing presence of ancestors. \nBefore and after the screening\, audiences will be invited to experience interactive and collaborative multi-sensory experiences centring BIPOC and queer communities. For full details and to purchase tickets\, please visit the listing on the Guelph Film Festival website. Don’t forget to check out other GFF events\, too! The festival runs from November 7-15. \n 
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/guelph-film-festival-assembly-2025-dirs-rashaad-newsome-johnny-symons/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Assembly_GFF_25_1080x1350_Revised.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251015T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251015T210000
DTSTAMP:20250922T195634Z
CREATED:20250922T191902Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T195634Z
UID:16205-1760554800-1760562000@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema: Hiroshima mon amour (dir. Alain Resnais\, 1959)
DESCRIPTION:IICSI Director Dr. Eric Fillion is curating a special Francophone Cinema film series at The Bookshelf Cinema (41 Quebec Street\, Guelph). These French-language films (with English subtitles) push the boundaries of cinematic convention to explore urgent\, timely topics. Intended for Francophiles and cinephiles alike\, the fall 2025 program brings together a brilliant constellation of politically minded artists that straddled the line between cinema and literature amid turbulent times (1940s—1960s)\, voicing their opposition to war\, imperialism\, and the spectre of fascism while also enacting and articulating their vision for a better\, more just and equitable society.  \nThe second film in the series will be Alain Resnais’ Hiroshima mon amour (1959). See the film synopsis and specifications below. We hope to see you there for the October edition of this exciting monthly film series! \nHiroshima mon amour\nDirector: Alain Resnais\nYear: 1959\nCountry: France\nRunning Time: 90 minutes \nA cornerstone of the French New Wave\, the first feature from Alain Resnais is one of the most influential films of all time. A French actress (Emmanuelle Riva) and a Japanese architect (Eiji Okada) engage in a brief\, intense affair in postwar Hiroshima\, their consuming mutual fascination impelling them to exorcise their own scarred memories oflove and suffering. With an innovative flashback structure and an Academy Award–nominated screenplay by novelist Marguerite Duras\, Hiroshima mon amour is a moody masterwork that delicately weaves past and present\, personal pain and public anguish.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/cinema-francophone-cinema-hiroshima-mon-amour-dir-alain-resnais-1959/
LOCATION:The Bookshelf Cinema\, 41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cinema-Francophone-Eric-Fillion-Fall-2025-V2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250924T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250924T210000
DTSTAMP:20250922T191512Z
CREATED:20250922T181418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T191512Z
UID:16196-1758740400-1758747600@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:cinéma FRANCOPHONE cinema: Le silence de la mer (1949\, dir. Jean-Pierre Melville)
DESCRIPTION:IICSI Director Dr. Eric Fillion is curating a special Francophone Cinema film series at The Bookshelf Cinema (41 Quebec Street\, Guelph). These French-language films (with English subtitles) push the boundaries of cinematic convention to explore urgent\, timely topics. Intended for Francophiles and cinephiles alike\, the fall 2025 program brings together a brilliant constellation of politically minded artists that straddled the line between cinema and literature amid turbulent times (1940s—1960s)\, voicing their opposition to war\, imperialism\, and the spectre of fascism while also enacting and articulating their vision for a better\, more just and equitable society.  \nThe first film in the series will be Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le silence de la mer (1949). See the film synopsis and specifications below. We hope to see you there at the launch of this exciting monthly film series! \n \nLe Silence de la mer\nDirector: Jean-Pierre Melville\nYear: 1949\nCountry: France\nRunning Time: 87 minutes \nJean-Pierre Melville began his superb feature filmmaking career with this powerful adaptation of an influential underground novel written during the Nazi occupation of France. A cultured\, naively idealistic German officer is billeted in the home of a middle-aged man and his grown niece; their response to his presence—their only form of resistance—is complete silence. Constructed with elegant minimalism and shot by the legendary Henri Decaë with hushed eloquence\, Le silence de la mer points the way toward Melville’s later films about resistance and the occupation (Leon Morin\, Priest; Army of Shadows) yet remains a singularly eerie masterwork in its own right.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/16196/
LOCATION:Ontario
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cinema-Francophone-Eric-Fillion-Fall-2025-V2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250815T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250815T160000
DTSTAMP:20250710T174722Z
CREATED:20250710T173133Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250710T174722Z
UID:15907-1755273600-1755273600@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:MILE Camp Concert: D.D. Jackson + MILE Camp Participants
DESCRIPTION:(Le français suit) \nOn Friday\, August 15th\, at 4:00 PM\, D.D. Jackson will be joined by MILE Camp participants at the Musée culturel de Coin-du-Banc / Corner of the Beach Cultural Museum (294 route 132 East in Coin-du-Banc) for our third and final MILE Camp concert of the year! This performance—a Grand Finale group improvisation—will reflect the collaborative learning and musical exploration that MILE Camp participants have engaged in over the course of their weeklong retreat. \nCome and see a renowned bandleader work with a cohesive unit of gifted improvisers who have come together in the beautiful setting of Coin-du-Banc for a week of close contact and shared experiences! \nAs with all of our public MILE Camp concerts\, this event is free and open to all! \n\nLe vendredi 15 août\, à 16h00\, D.D. Jackson sera rejoint par les participants du camp Coin-du-Banc en folie au Musée culturel de Coin-du-Banc / Corner of the Beach Cultural Museum (294 route 132 Est à Coin-du-Banc) pour notre troisième et dernier concert de l’année ! Cette performance — une grande finale d’improvisation de groupe — reflétera l’apprentissage collaboratif et l’exploration musicale auxquels se sont livrés les participants de Coin-du-Banc en folie au cours de leur retraite d’une semaine. \nVenez voir un chef d’orchestre renommé travailler avec une unité cohérente d’improvisateurs doués qui se sont réunis dans le cadre magnifique de Coin-du-Banc pour une semaine de contact étroit et d’expériences partagées ! \nComme tous les concerts publics du Camp Coin-du-Banc en folie\, cet événement est gratuit et ouvert à tous !
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/mile-camp-concert-d-d-jackson-mile-camp-participants/
LOCATION:Corner of the Beach Cultural Museum\, 294 route 132 est\, Coin-du-Banc\, Quebec\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Camp-MILE-August-2025-Draft-E-2-MILE-Camp-Insta-Story.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250811T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250811T200000
DTSTAMP:20250710T174644Z
CREATED:20250710T172820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250710T174644Z
UID:15901-1754942400-1754942400@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:MILE Camp Concert: D. D. Jackson Solo Piano Improvisation
DESCRIPTION:(Le français suit) \nOn Monday\, August 11th\, at 8:00 PM\, audiences will have a unique opportunity to see an intimate improvised solo piano performance by D.D. Jackson at the Musée culturel de Coin-du-Banc / Corner of the Beach Cultural Museum (294 route 132 East in Coin-du-Banc). \nJackson\, who has played with such jazz luminaries as Little Jimmy Scott\, Laila Biali\, Sammy Jackson\, David Murray\, Dewey Redman\, Oliver Lake\, James Carter\, Milford Graves\, Andrew Cyrille\, Jack DeJohnette\, Hamid Drake\, Larnell Lewis\, Pheeroan Aklaff\, Billy Bang\, William Parker\, Ugonna Okegwo\, James Newton\, Jane Bunnett\, Mino Cinelu\, Mor Thiam\, and Kahil el’Zabar\, will have space to demonstrate the individual skills that make him a gifted and sought-after collaborator by some of the biggest names in improvised music. \nAs with all of our public MILE Camp concerts\, this event is free and open to all! \n\nLe lundi 11 août\, à 20 h\, le public aura l’occasion unique d’assister à un spectacle intime de piano solo improvisé par D.D. Jackson au Musée culturel de Coin-du-Banc / Corner of the Beach Cultural Museum (294\, route 132 Est à Coin-du-Banc). \nJackson\, qui a joué avec des sommités du jazz telles que Little Jimmy Scott\, Laila Biali\, Sammy Jackson\, David Murray\, Dewey Redman\, Oliver Lake\, James Carter\, Milford Graves\, Andrew Cyrille\, Jack DeJohnette\, Hamid Drake\, Larnell Lewis\, Pheeroan Aklaff\, Billy Bang\, William Parker\, Ugonna Okegwo\, James Newton\, Jane Bunnett\, Mino Cinelu\, Mor Thiam et Kahil el’Zabar\, aura l’occasion de démontrer les compétences individuelles qui font de lui un collaborateur doué et recherché par certains des plus grands noms de la musique improvisée. \nComme tous les concerts publics du camp Coin-du-Banc en folie\, cet événement est gratuit et ouvert à tous !
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/mile-camp-concert-d-d-jackson-solo/
LOCATION:Corner of the Beach Cultural Museum\, 294 route 132 est\, Coin-du-Banc\, Quebec\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Camp-MILE-August-2025-Draft-E-2-MILE-Camp-Insta-Story.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250810T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250810T190000
DTSTAMP:20250721T180119Z
CREATED:20250624T195026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250721T180119Z
UID:15872-1754852400-1754852400@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:MILE Camp Concert: Musique du Moment @ Bell House
DESCRIPTION:(Le français suit) \nAs part of this year’s MILE Camp\, a free public concert will be held at the historic Bell House in Percé.  \nOn Sunday\, August 10th\, at 7:00 PM (EDT)\, camp facilitator and multi-Emmy-winning improvising pianist D.D. Jackson will perform in a duo with singer Zoé Jean-Deslauriers. Currently based in New Jersey\, Jackson is a celebrated improviser and composer with numerous awards and nominations on both sides of the border for his work on jazz albums and television scores. \nZoé Jean-Deslauriers is a graduate of McGill University’s Jazz Performance program. The singer and songwriter divides her time between Montreal and the Gaspésie. \nAlso performing will be Montreal harpist Sarah Pagé. A phenomenal solo performer renowned for her skill in going beyond the conventional tonal palette of the harp\, Pagé has also worked in collaboration with musicians spanning several genres\, including Lhasa De Sela\, Nadah El Shazly\, Esmerine\, the Barr Brothers\, and Land of Kush. \nClick here to view the full artist bios! \nAs with all of our public MILE Camp concerts\, this event is free and open to all! \n\nLe dimanche 10 août\, à 19h00\, à l’historique Bell House (167 Route 132 Ouest à Percé)\, D.D. Jackson\, animateur du Camp Coin-du-Banc en folie et pianiste improvisateur plusieurs fois primé aux Emmy Awards\, se produira en duo avec la chanteuse Zoé Jean-Deslauriers. \nActuellement installé dans le New Jersey\, D.D. Jackson est un célèbre improvisateur et compositeur qui a reçu de nombreux prix et nominations des deux côtés de la frontière pour son travail sur des albums de jazz et des musiques de télévision. \nZoé Jean-Deslauriers est diplômé du programme d’interprétation jazz de l’Université McGill. La chanteuse et auteure-compositrice partage son temps entre Montréal et la Gaspésie. \nLa harpiste montréalaise Sarah Pagé se produira également ce soir-là. Interprète solo phénoménale reconnue pour son habileté à aller au-delà de la palette tonale conventionnelle de la harpe\, Sarah Pagé a également travaillé en collaboration avec des musiciens de plusieurs genres\, dont Lhasa De Sela\, Nadah El Shazly\, Esmerine\, les Barr Brothers et Land of Kush. \nCliquez ici pour voir les biographies complètes des artistes ! \nComme tous les concerts publics du camp Coin-du-Banc en folie\, cet événement est gratuit et ouvert à tous ! \n 
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/musique-du-moment-bell-house/
LOCATION:Bell House\, 167 Route 132 Ouest\, Percé\, QC\, G0C 2L0\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-24-at-15-16-39-IICSI_MusiqueduMoment_2025-2-1.pdf.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250626T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250626T190000
DTSTAMP:20250610T180355Z
CREATED:20250610T180355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250610T180355Z
UID:15845-1750957200-1750964400@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Lancement du Livre:  SOUNDTRACK TO THE REVOLUTION BY ERIC FILLION
DESCRIPTION:Mark the date! You are invited to Casa Del Popolo on June 26th for the launch of Soundtrack to the Revolution by Eric Fillion (translated by David Homel). This scintillating book tells the story of Jazz Libre du Québec\, a radical experiment in musical activism that reveals the meaningful role that the art of spontaneity played in the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. \nCo-presented by Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival and Véhicule Press\, the book launch will include a discussion with the writer and artist Joseph Sannicandro. This event is free and open to all. \n* Eric Fillion is director of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation and assistant professor at the School of Languages and Literatures at the University of Guelph. He is the author of Distant Stage: Quebec\, Brazil\, and the Making of Canada’s Cultural Diplomacy. With Sean Mills and Désirée Rochat\, he co-edited Statesman of the Piano: Jazz\, Race\, and History in the Life of Lou Hooper. He lives in Guelph\, Ontario. \n* Joseph Sannicandro is a writer and artist based in Montreal\, studying creative labor and (un)popular culture\, with a particular attention to sound. He is co-founder of the music blog A Closer Listen\, and producer of the Sound Propositions podcast\, and currently lectures in Media Studies at SUNY Purchase.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/lancement-du-livre-soundtrack-to-the-revolution-by-eric-fillion/
LOCATION:Casa del Popolo\, 4873 Boul. St Laurent\, Montreal\, QC\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/153.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250624T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250624T183000
DTSTAMP:20250612T173836Z
CREATED:20250605T142923Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250612T173836Z
UID:15807-1750789800-1750789800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:SOUNDTRACK TO THE REVOLUTION Book Launch (+ Film Screening)
DESCRIPTION:Mark the date! You are invited to The Bookshelf Cinema on June 24th for the launch of Soundtrack to the Revolution by Eric Fillion. This scintillating book tells the story of Quebec’s Jazz Libre\, a radical experiment in musical activism that reveals the meaningful role that the art of spontaneity played in the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. \nThe book launch\, which will include a discussion with writer David Lee (6:30-7:30 p.m.)\, will be followed by a screening of The Cat in The Bag (1964) [in French with subtitles]\, one of the founding films of Quebec national cinema with an original score by John Coltrane’s classic quartet. \nThis event is free and open to all. \nCo-presented by The Bookshelf\, Véhicule Press\, and the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation. \n* Eric Fillion is director of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation and assistant professor at the School of Languages and Literatures at the University of Guelph. He is the author of Distant Stage: Quebec\, Brazil\, and the Making of Canada’s Cultural Diplomacy. With Sean Mills and Désirée Rochat\, he co-edited Statesman of the Piano: Jazz\, Race\, and History in the Life of Lou Hooper. He lives in Guelph\, Ontario. \n*Hamilton-based writer David Lee wrote his 2017 University of Guelph dissertation on Toronto improvised music. His other writings include The Battle of the Five Spot: Ornette Coleman and the New York Jazz Field\, and with the late pianist Paul Bley\, Stopping Time.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/soundtrack-to-the-revolution-book-launch-film-screening/
LOCATION:The Bookshelf Cinema\, 41 Quebec Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events,IICSI events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fillion-Guelph-Book-Launch.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250618T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250618T193000
DTSTAMP:20250605T171208Z
CREATED:20250605T171140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250605T171208Z
UID:15796-1750275000-1750275000@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Audiopollination Guelph
DESCRIPTION:Audiopollination Guelph is wrapping up the season with this\, its last event before the 3rd annual Audiopollination Marathon in August! Local legends Depression 500 will be closing out an evening of familiar faces and Audiopollination Guelph newcomers alike. \nAudiopollination Guelph is devoted to being identity-affirming space for all people\, so please come as you are and/or as you desire to be! \nWednesday\, June 18th\, 2025\nCost: $20/PWYC\nSilence (46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, ON)\nDoors Open at 7:30pm | Music Starts at 8pm \nEnsemble 1: Em Wright\, Claire Whitehead & Benedict Hobson\nEnsemble 2: Nick Perri\, Thomas Rolf & Ana Platanos\nEnsemble 3: Evan Gordon\, Monte Fenske & Chelsea Masse\nEnsemble 4: Depression 500 \nPlease do your part to keep Audiopollination Guelph scent-free.\nWe are so thankful for support to the show from the Guelph Arts Council! \nMasks will be provided at the door.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/audiopollination-guelph/
LOCATION:Silence\, 46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1H 3K8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/AP-June-18.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250612T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250612T210000
DTSTAMP:20250605T203611Z
CREATED:20250220T141846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250605T203611Z
UID:15366-1749754800-1749762000@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:LITHOPHONICA | CD Release\, Concert/Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Thursday\, June 12 at 7:00 PM (ET) to celebrate the release of the marvellous\, eccentric Lithophonica I & II (Bedrock Resonances) by Gayle Young and James Harley on the Farpoint Recordings label in Dublin.  \n \n\nThis CD Release\, Concert\, and Discussion event will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph. Admission is FREE and open to everybody! \nMore About LITHOPHONICA\nStones\, the instruments featured on this album\, are joined by sounds of bells\, sticks and Young’s stringed instruments as Harley expands their resonance\, shaping sounds through granulation\, layering\, transposition\, delays\, and spatialization. \nYoung’s collection of resonant stones from the shores of Newfoundland\, resonant sticks from abandoned beaver lodges in Ontario\, played with bells and assorted hardware\, are combined with stringed instruments she designed and built. \nAs hex-bolts are rolled over stones resting on strings\, their vibrations cause the strings to sound. Bells resonate with stones\, stones rock on strings\, and resonant sticks bounce on strings. \nSignal processing simultaneously expands the depth and frequency range\, adding complexity through layering and subtle shifts over time. \nAdditional details to follow
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/lithophonica-cd-release-concert-discussion/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/image7.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250531T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250531T170000
DTSTAMP:20250415T141646Z
CREATED:20250415T140323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250415T141646Z
UID:15608-1748707200-1748710800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:the space between (Guelph Dance Festival—In the Lab)
DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Saturday\, May 31 at 4:00 PM (ET) for the space between\, part of the 2025 Guelph Dance Festival! \nThis presentation will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph. Tickets are $15 (discounted) or $25. Purchase your tickets here. \nMore About the Event\nthe space between is a research-based creation that explores the intersection between sacred geometry (the transcultural belief that the universe is based on geometric principles such as the Golden Mean and double helix) and our relationship to the embodiment of the unseen and ‘déjà là’ (‘already there’).  \nthe space between navigates the fine line between artistic\, scientific and intuitive practices. I am gathering artists with the intention to bring approachable and friendly ways of experiencing the unseen (but felt) to the Guelph Dance community. \nI wish to cultivate a reciprocal offering with the space between. I want to offer experiences that deepen wonder and inspire sharing. In this time of collective unhinging and chaos\, it is my hope that this creation will offer a window into our human bodies as a site for reconnection and transformation.  \nCHOREOGRPAHY\nKatie Ewald \nPERFORMERS\nAndrea Nann\, Kevin O’Connor\, Julia Garlisi\, Katie Ewald \nDRAMATURGICAL SUPPORT\nComan Poon  \nOUTSIDE EYE\nAme Henderson \nEMOTIONAL SUPPORT\nLeslie Fisher \nBREATH-WORK SUPPORT\nTiago Ferreira \nABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHER\nKatie Ewald lived and worked as a dancer in Montréal for fifteen years. Spliced inside that time she lived in Brussels\, Belgium and went to the dance school P.A.R.T.S.\, which formed her as an artist.  \nShe dedicated her career to working with avant-garde/conceptual artists and choreographers like: Ame Henderson/Public Recordings\, Martin Bélanger/LAPS\, k.g. Guttman\, Lin Snelling\, Chanti Wadge\, Shary Boyle\, Daniel Léveillé Danse and Forced Entertainment. \nDuring her time in Guelph\, she worked with Janet Johnson\, as well as curated/produced six Short&Sweet shows (Wants&Needs)\, as well as two Double Time shows for Guelph Dance and Kazoo! Fest. \nCurrently she is cultivating the dance project the space between\, while pursuing her Masters in Spiritual Integrated Psychotherapy and Art Therapy.  \nACKNOWLEDEMENTS\nThank you\, Asa.  \nThank you\, sacred geometries and source.  \nThank you to all the ancestors before me\, whether they be dance\, movement\, spiritual guidance\, mathematician\, seeker\, believer\, helper and healer\, and truth teller ancestors\, and those working to raise this world in both quiet and obvious ways currently. \nthe space between is in process. It is an unfinished art work. I would like to thank artist Jenn E. Norton for the inspiration for the space between\, and for conversations about our common interests in Chladni plates and sacred geometries\, but most importantly for sharing her knowledge and PHD research with us.  \nthe space between has been supported by both the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/the-space-between-guelph-dance-festival/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/the-space-between-1200x669-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250504T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250504T150000
DTSTAMP:20250414T184334Z
CREATED:20250414T184334Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250414T184334Z
UID:15605-1746360000-1746370800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Listening in the Dark: equilibrium
DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Sunday\, May 4 at 12:00 PM (ET) for a “Listening in the Dark: equilibrium”—part of the 2025 ArtsEverywhere Festival.  \nThis presentation will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph. The event is free and open to everybody! \n\nMore About the Workshop\n\n\nIf we do not live near the ocean are we separate from it? Some would say this is a planet of water with land interruptions. If we listen down into the ground to the tributaries that connect to great lakes\, the brackish waterways towards the ocean\, can we listen with the ocean? If we take a deep breath\, are we sharing the breath of cetaceans? The deep ocean\, this life-giving and complex multi-being body of water\, is described as unknowable. In listening with the ocean we may discover something as yet unknown. \nIn this three-hour gathering with Anne Bourne\, participation stems from Deep Listening practice and the Sonic text scores of Pauline Oliveros\, with standing by artist/osteopath Lesley Greco\, as well as sound interventions by composer/percussionist Germaine Liu. The practice of Deep Listening offers embodied listening\, extreme slow walk\, attunement\, and collective creative expression. \nThe experience invokes notions of interstitial places of rest\, sonic presence\, listening and equilibrium in darkness. No experience necessary. The intention is to create a choral sound field in a particular moment in time\, with movement influenced by the temporality of the wave patterns of water. The workshop invites a deeper attunement to each other\, ourselves\, our bodies\, and the more-than-human by expanding sensory listening imagination. “In listening within my field recordings I propose an environmental attunement experience leading towards the algorithmic text score\, The Tuning Meditation by Pauline Oliveros when we sing!\,” explains artist Anne Bourne. “It is transmitted aurally. I invite participants to listen\, and find equilibrium within the surroundings.” \n\n\nMore About the Festival\nThe ArtsEverywhere Festival is the place where conversations\, ideas\, and artistic experiments presented on ArtsEverywhere.ca come alive in our home community of Guelph\, Ontario\, Canada. \nOver four days\, the festival offers lectures\, conversations\, music\, artistic performances\, circle gatherings\, literary readings\, exhibitions\, and much more. As the publisher of ArtsEverywhere.ca\, Musagetes presents the festival with support from many community partners.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/listening-in-the-dark-equilibrium/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/10.png
ORGANIZER;CN="ArtsEverywhere":MAILTO:curtis@musagetes.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250402T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250402T160000
DTSTAMP:20250325T175423Z
CREATED:20250325T125854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250325T175423Z
UID:15524-1743604200-1743609600@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Sounds Like Us 2.0 | Final Showcase
DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Wednesday\, April 2 at 2:30 PM (ET) for “Sounds Like Us 2.0 | Final Showcase” with Campus Friends Community Members and workshop facilitators jashen edwards and Valentina Morelli. \nJoin us in celebrating the amazing work Campus Friends students have done this semester. Come listen to their original sound explorations\, musical improvisations\, and extended compositions\, as well as their reflections and insights on the creative works they’ll be sharing.\nThis presentation will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph. The event is FREE and open to everybody! \nMore About the Event\nSounds Like Us—presented by the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI) and the Campus Friends (CF) program—brings professional musicians into collaboration with community members of varying developmental and physical needs through a series of fun and playful improvisation-based workshops. This season facilitators include postdoctoral fellow jashen edwards\, PhD student Joe Sorbara\, and community musician special guest\, Valentina Morelli. \nSounds Like Us draws upon IICSI’s 12+ years of co-running “Play Who You Are” workshops in partnership with KidsAbility Centre for Child Development\, a research-outreach project that has offered all participants—from new musicians to the very experienced; from music aficionados and scholars to first-time listeners—revelations about the links between music and community-making\, improvisation and individual/community well-being\, sound and self-expression. (And indeed\, Sounds Like Us 2.0  includes alumni from Campus Friends and Play Who You Are!) This ongoing research has investigated and demonstrated the effectiveness of improvisation as a means of empowering and animating special needs youth. Researchers have documented and analyzed the myriad relationships between specific improvisational activities and their effects on\, for example\, socialization\, self-esteem\, physical coordination\, and mental acuity.  \nAs part of IICSI’s ongoing research into Improvisation\, Wellbeing\, and the Social Determinants of Health\, Sounds Like Us will help us continue investigating how community arts participation impacts social connectivity and equitable participation in society. We have seen how improvisation builds resiliency\, helps develop key skills\, promotes self-expression and leads to greater feelings of belonging for participants. \nPlease join us to celebrate a semester of music and community making at this final public concert for the Sounds Like Us program. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested. \n 
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/sounds-like-us-2-0-final-showcase/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sounds-Like-Us-2.0.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250330T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250330T220000
DTSTAMP:20250227T153855Z
CREATED:20250227T153855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250227T153855Z
UID:15385-1743359400-1743372000@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Turntable Trio: Maria Chavez\, Mariam Rezaei\, Evicshen—Wet Sounds #3
DESCRIPTION:Please join IICSI and Musagetes on Sunday\, March 30 at 7:00 PM (ET) for Wet Sounds #3: Turntable Trio.\n \n\nThis presentation will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph. \nSuggested PWYC tickets of $15 will be donated TBD.\nNo one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF). \nPurchase your tickets here! \nMore About the Event\nOn Sunday March 30th\, 2025\, Wet Sounds: feminist + queer music practices in the polycrisis\, presents a performance and conversation with female pioneers of new turntablism\, Turntable Trio—Maria Chavez\, Mariam Rezaei\, and Evicshen (Victoria Shen). \nPremiered at Counterflows festival in Glasgow and Rewire in The Hague in April 2023\, the project represents the first time three female turntablists of colour have come together in this way. The trio bring together elements of musique concrète\, free improvisation\, noise\, techno and hip-hop with instrument building and modification. Each artist has a wildly different approach to turntablism. Among the techniques deployed will be skratching\, beatjuggling\, sampling and looping\, while the technologies will include double needle head shells and acrylic needle nails. The trio’s compositional aesthetics weave through sound sculpture\, maximalism/minimalism and sonic destruction. Together\, they will show that New Turntablism is beyond technique\, genre or compositional theory; it’s about the unknown. \nThe event launches with a conversation with the artists around queer and feminist performance and practice in the polycrisis. \nMore About the Artists\nMaria Chavez (she/her) is an abstract turntablist\, sound artist and DJ\, renowned for repurposing broken vinyl into sonic sculptures that can sometimes be compared to improvised musique concrète pieces\, or\, conceptually\, improvised sonic sculpture sessions. Her recital style approach focuses on the various forms of Deep Listening\, a practice developed by her mentor Pauline Oliveros. Coincidence\, chance and failure are themes that run through her projects. Chavez’s 2012 book on abstract turntablism\, Of Technique: Chance Procedures on Turntable\, written and illustrated by Maria\, was the first book on abstract turntablism and has developed a reputation as both an academic resource and a foundational text for a new generation of turntablists. Born in Lima\, Peru\, Chavez is based in New York. \nEvicshen is the nom de guerre of San Francisco-based sound artist\, experimental music performer\, and inventor Victoria Shen (she/her). Shen’s sound practice is concerned with the materiality/physicality of sound and its relationship to the human body. Her music features analogue modular synthesizers\, vinyl/resin records\, and self-built electronics. Shen’s music eschews conventions in harmony and rhythm in favour of extreme textures and gestural tones. Notable for her Needle Nails\, Shen uses modified acrylic fingernails with embedded turntable needles\, allowing her to play up to five grooves of a record at once. Her DIY approach extends to hand-made resin records embedded with found materials. Each piece functions not only as playable music media but a unique art object. \nMariam Rezaei (she/her) is a multi-award winning composer\, turntablist and performer. She previously led experimental arts project TOPH\, TUSK FRINGE and TUSK NORTH\, and in November 2022\, she received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation #AwardsForArtists\, in recognition of her contribution to music composition. Her music has recently been described as ‘genuinely ground-breaking’ (London Jazz News 2022) and ‘high-velocity sonic surrealism’ (4* The Guardian 2022). Recent release BOWN (Heat Crimes) charted no.6 in The Wire and no10 in The Quietus’ best albums of 2023. Recent performances include a three-day residency at Café Oto\, soloist with Frankfurt Radio Orchestra for the closing concert at IM Darmstadt 2023\, soloist with London Sinfonietta at HCMF 2023 and Taipei Biennial 2023 in a quartet with DJ Sniff\, Rex Chen and DJ SlowPitchSound. \nTurntable Trio is the third guest in the Wet Sounds series hosted by Musagetes in Guelph\, co-presented by the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI) at their ImprovLab venue. \nSuggested PWYC tickets of $15 will be donated TBD\nNo one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF) \nImprov Lab at the University of Guelph\nMacKinnon Building\, Room 108 \nMasks will be available; we encourage guests to stay home if they’re not feeling well. Please reduce the use of scented products (e.g. perfume\, cologne) for this event. \nMore About the Series\nWet Sounds is a quarterly arts series that presents conversations and performances centring the intersections of feminist and queer musicians’ academic work\, artistic practice\, and collaborations in the polycrisis. This series will examine notions of grief\, ritual\, queerness\, pleasure\, land\, embodiment\, colonialisms\, decay\, noise\, and sound. Wet Sounds will ask how artists see their practice as impacted by or responding to the interconnected crises unfolding around us—climate chaos\, genocide\, fascism\, an erosion of democracy\, and multiple sites of oppression and resistance.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/turntable-trio-maria-chavez-mariam-rezaei-evicshen-wet-sounds-3/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Turntable-Trio.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250228T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250228T213000
DTSTAMP:20250123T175126Z
CREATED:20250123T173646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T175126Z
UID:15308-1740771000-1740778200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:IBPOC ARTISTS NETWORK TOUR: FROM WORDS TO ACTION—Newton Moraes and Meryem Alaoui
DESCRIPTION:Please join Guelph Dance and the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation on February 28\, 2025 at 7:30 PM (ET) for an evening of dance with Newton Moraes and Meryem Alaoui at ImprovLab. The program features two solo works by these fantastic artists. \nTickets: $10 or $20 (sliding scale\, please choose the option that best suits your needs). \n‘My Dance is Not a Hobby’ by Newton Moraes\n“Dance is far more than a hobby for me—it’s a profound expression of my identity\, personal journey\, and deep connection to the world around me\, informed by African Brazilian Spirituality and the love of those who shaped my path. At 63\, I embrace dance as a powerful medium to explore my LGBTQ identity\, navigate my struggles\, and celebrate life’s transformative experiences\, honoring both my past and present. Guided by legendary mentors and fueled by the unwavering love of my partner\, my solo performances honor resilience\, connection\, and the transformative power of dance.” – Newton Moraes \nChoreographer/Dancer: Newton Moraes\nLighting Designer: Eliajah Stefura\nStage Manager: Sharon DiGenova\nMusic: Iyo\, Strobe and Gleymdu. \nPhoto (top left) by Claire Whitaker \n‘Sand Body’ by Meryem Alaoui\n“I see you. You see me. We see objects and their shapes; the marks and traces of the object. We listen\, make decisions and feel our surroundings. Perhaps we also feel the spaces between us. We share a sonic\, visual and textural experience\, together\, for a few moments here and now.” – Meryem Alaoui \nChoreographer & Performer: Meryem Alaoui\nText: Meryem Alaoui and Christopher Willes\nRecording of text: Jonathan Adjemian \nPhoto (top right) by Frederic Chais \nAbout the Artists\nNewton Moraes is a celebrated choreographer and founder of Newton Moraes Dance Theatre. Born in Brazil\, he has brought his vibrant\, cross-cultural dance styles to Canada and beyond. Moraes’ work is deeply influenced by his Brazilian roots and explores themes of identity\, migration\, and the human condition. He has performed and choreographed internationally\, earning acclaim for his dynamic and expressive pieces. Over the past 27 years\, Moraes has contributed significantly to the dance community through performances\, tours\, and workshops in cities such as Toronto\, Montreal\, and internationally. His passion for dance continues to inspire audiences and dancers alike\, solidifying his place as a pivotal figure in contemporary dance. \nNewton Moraes Dance Theatre is a company dedicated to the creation\, performance and production of contemporary dance works to explore\, maintain and develop the links between the arts of Canada and Latin America. Newton Moraes Dance Theatre had toured in Canada and internationally to public and critical acclaim. NMDT has received support over the years from Toronto Arts Council\, Ontario Arts Council\, Canada Council for the Arts\, Laidlaw Foundation\, Goethe Institute Toronto\, Foreign Affair Canada\, Dance Ontario Association\, Polo da Zona Norte in Sao Paulo/Brazil. Newton Moraes Dance Theatre‘s vision is to inspire and provide role models for young people. Support dance artists who work with dance forms of the Latin American Diaspora in Canada and bring together dance professionals who preserve the history and traditions of Latin America and who foster an appreciation of its heritage. Increase the visibility of the sector\, and improve understanding by disseminating information. Raise the level of critical discourse concerning the practice of dance forms of the Latin America diaspora in Canada. This will include creating an awareness of the complexity of Latin American dance as concept and encouraging closer critical engagement with the work of practitioners. Also to provide an environment to support artists in the creation of innovative forms of artistic expression to reach the widest possible audience and to be cultural ambassadors\, nationally and internationally. \nMeryem Alaoui is a dancer and choreographer from Morocco based in Toronto. Founder and co-artistic director of Jasad Dance Projects\, her work is at the intersection of somatic research using movement and voice\, and the exploration of contemporaneity through the reclamation of embodied performance practices\, dances and knowledge from her culture as a Moroccan diasporic dance artist. A graduate of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre\, she has performed in numerous projects led by choreographers such as Amanda Acorn\, Peggy Baker\, Antony Hamilton and Karen Kaeja. She has shared her choreographic work nationally and internationally\, notably in Ontario\, Quebec and Morocco. A certified Body-Mind Centering® Somatic Movement Educator\, Meryem also enjoys being involved in community and arts-education projects. \n\nThis presentation is courtesy of IBPOC ARTISTS NETWORK TOUR: FROM WORDS TO ACTION\, initiated by wind in the leaves collective.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/ibpoc-artists-network-tour-from-words-to-action-newton-moraes-and-meryem-alaoui/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Newton-Moraes-Jasad-February-28.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250213T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250213T163000
DTSTAMP:20250421T175947Z
CREATED:20250113T145237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250421T175947Z
UID:15265-1739460600-1739464200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:[Cancelled due to Inclement Weather] | hakosalo_tuohino: "How a Sound Follows Another" (Performance @ Silence)
DESCRIPTION:* Cancelled due to Inclement Weather * \nPlease join us on Thursday\, February 13 at 3:30 PM (ET) for a performance of “How a Sound Follows Another” with hakosalo_tuohino.\n \nThis presentation will take place in person at Silence\, 46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, Ontario.  \nThis is a free event that follows the duo’s talk at the University of Guelph. \nMore About this Performance:\nThis performance of “How a Sound Follows Another” follows-up on the duo’s talk at the University of Guelph. \nIn this performance\, hakosalo_tuohino will demonstrate their art-theoretical approaches. \nIn their own words: \nOur improvised music comes from the archaic kantele playing tradition\, where you are in the music instead of making it. Drawing from the deep listening method\, our sonic expression is a spatial and temporal experience that cannot be recorded and repeated. \nOur relationship with musical transitions is two-fold: we understand the power of slow transitions when creating our musical structures\, but at the same time they inevitably set up new boundaries and classifications. How can we compose together with each other and the audience without creating new structures and boundaries? \nWith our music\, we aim for sonic freedom\, where we break away from the western understanding of music and our musical backgrounds. The drone has a special role in our music\, because we think of it as a purely experiential unit where compositional logic breaks down. At the end there is only sound\, a resonance. \nOn the other hand\, the importance of silence is even greater: you must be quiet in order to listen. What will thus remain of our musical deconstruction? \nMore About the Performers:\nhakosalo_tuohino\nduo for kantele and computer from Finland \nCHANGE FROM DOING TO BEING\nWhat happens when ancient traditions collide with experimental electronic\nmusic?\n \nThe duo for kantele and computer consists of folk musician Osmo Hakosalo and sound artist Jussi Tuohino. \nThe Finnish ancient traditional instrument kantele is estimated to be 1500 years old and belongs to the Baltic zither family. The tradition of playing kantele relies heavily on archaic\, improvisational techniques where kantele is seen as a vehicle\, rather than a musical instrument\, to travel to the essence of music transferring the experience from making music into being in it. Furthermore\, the prepared kantele and immersive spatialized digital expression will transform the delicate kantele sonicality into the modern art of electroacoustic music. \nIn this journey one reaches other states of consciousness\, and the total communication between the musicians and their dedication provides a fascinating sonic landscape to the audience. \nhakosalo_tuohino duo takes the sonic properties of kantele still many steps further: from the acoustic sound immersive soundscapes are built in an intuitive and open-ended fashion. With both performers having varied musical backgrounds in folk\, classical\, jazz\, and electronic music\, the duo is able to perform without preset plans regarding musical form and microscale decisions concerning sound material. Kantele-playing is traditionally improvised\, and an interesting confluence to freeform electroacoustic live performance can easily be made. \nThe duo builds their soundscapes up from live kantele sound\, which is the only sound source\, and performs with specialized surround sound systems to help the performers and audience to reach their immersive sonic goals. \nDuo was formed in January 2024\, but it has been able to gain success quickly\, with performances already in Finland\, Japan\, Lithuania and Canada. Duo has also prepared a commission piece for a Swedish modern music ensemble Elefantöra. The piece had a premiere in Stockholm in October 2024 and was performed in Nordic Music Days in Glasgow in November 2024. \nIn addition\, the duo started a collaboration with a Japanese film/media artist Keitaro Oshima for a joint multimedia piece in the fall of 2024. The duo is also working in academia with Jussi Tuohino leading the music technology program in Oulu University of Applied Sciences and Osmo Hakosalo working in the same university’s research program of Art Innovations. \nFor more info\, please visit our web page www.hakosalotuohino.com
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/hakosalo_tuhino-how-a-sound-follows-another-performance-silence/
LOCATION:Silence\, 46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1H 3K8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/layers.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250213T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250213T113000
DTSTAMP:20250421T175859Z
CREATED:20250113T145832Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250421T175859Z
UID:15270-1739440800-1739446200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:[Cancelled due to Inclement Weather] | hakosalo_tuohino: “How a Sound Follows Another” (Talk @ ImprovLab)
DESCRIPTION:* Cancelled due to inclement weather * \nPlease join us on Thursday\, February 13 at 10:00 AM (ET) for a public talk: “How a Sound Follows Another” with hakosalo_tuohino.\n \nThis presentation will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph. This is a free event.  \nA free performance by the duo will follow at 3:30 PM at Silence\, 46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, ON. \nMore About this Performance:\nIn this discussion\, we’ll shed light on the art-theoretical approaches of the hakosalo_tuhino duo. Our improvised music comes from the archaic kantele playing tradition\, where you are in the music instead of making it. Drawing from the deep listening method\, our sonic expression is a spatial and temporal experience that cannot be recorded and repeated. \nOur relationship with musical transitions is two-fold: we understand the power of slow transitions when creating our musical structures\, but at the same time they inevitably set up new boundaries and classifications. How can we compose together with each other and the audience without creating new structures and boundaries? \nWith our music\, we aim for sonic freedom\, where we break away from the western understanding of music and our musical backgrounds. The drone has a special role in our music\, because we think of it as a purely experiential unit where compositional logic breaks down. At the end there is only sound\, a resonance. \nOn the other hand\, the importance of silence is even greater: you must be quiet in order to listen. What will thus remain of our musical deconstruction? \nMore About the Performers:\nhakosalo_tuohino\n(duo for kantele and computer from Finland) \nCHANGE FROM DOING TO BEING\nWhat happens when ancient traditions collide with experimental electronic\nmusic?\n \nThe duo for kantele and computer consists of folk musician Osmo Hakosalo and sound artist Jussi Tuohino. \nThe Finnish ancient traditional instrument kantele is estimated to be 1500 years old and belongs to the Baltic zither family. The tradition of playing kantele relies heavily on archaic\, improvisational techniques where kantele is seen as a vehicle\, rather than a musical instrument\, to travel to the essence of music transferring the experience from making music into being in it. Furthermore\, the prepared kantele and immersive spatialized digital expression will transform the delicate kantele sonicality into the modern art of electroacoustic music. \nIn this journey one reaches other states of consciousness\, and the total communication between the musicians and their dedication provides a fascinating sonic landscape to the audience. \nhakosalo_tuohino duo takes the sonic properties of kantele still many steps further: from the acoustic sound immersive soundscapes are built in an intuitive and open-ended fashion. With both performers having varied musical backgrounds in folk\, classical\, jazz\, and electronic music\, the duo is able to perform without preset plans regarding musical form and microscale decisions concerning sound material. Kantele-playing is traditionally improvised\, and an interesting confluence to freeform electroacoustic live performance can easily be made. \nThe duo builds their soundscapes up from live kantele sound\, which is the only sound source\, and performs with specialized surround sound systems to help the performers and audience to reach their immersive sonic goals. \nDuo was formed in January 2024\, but it has been able to gain success quickly\, with performances already in Finland\, Japan\, Lithuania and Canada. Duo has also prepared a commission piece for a Swedish modern music ensemble Elefantöra. The piece had a premiere in Stockholm in October 2024 and was performed in Nordic Music Days in Glasgow in November 2024. \nIn addition\, the duo started a collaboration with a Japanese film/media artist Keitaro Oshima for a joint multimedia piece in the fall of 2024. The duo is also working in academia with Jussi Tuohino leading the music technology program in Oulu University of Applied Sciences and Osmo Hakosalo working in the same university’s research program of Art Innovations. \nFor more info\, please visit our web page www.hakosalotuohino.com
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/hakosalo_tuhino-how-a-sound-follows-another/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/layers.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250209T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250209T150000
DTSTAMP:20250123T175033Z
CREATED:20250123T175033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T175033Z
UID:15314-1739106000-1739113200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Sam Newsome—The Popeye Effect: Unlocking the Artist's Power to Transcend (talk + solo concert)
DESCRIPTION:Please join us on Sunday\, February 9 at 1:00 PM (ET) for “The Popeye Effect: Unlocking the Artist’s Power to Transcend (talk + solo concert)” with Sam Newsome.\n \n\nThis presentation will take place in person at Silence\, 46 Essex Street in Guelph. Tickets are $20/PWYC (available at the door).\n \nAbout the Event\nIn this masterclass\, we explore the importance of moving beyond our earthly selves to reach our true creative potential when improvising. As artists\, our improvisational journeys can take us from the explainable to the unexplainable\, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Using the iconic cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man as a metaphor\, we will discuss what true transcendence looks like in the creative process. We will also delve into how to employ extended techniques and instrument preparations as methods of transcendence\, pushing the boundaries of traditional performance. Active participation from fellow musicians is highly encouraged. \nAbout the Artist\nSam Newsome stands as a multifaceted figure in the world of jazz—a saxophonist\, music professor\, and accomplished writer. In 2023\, his artistic endeavors manifested in two duo recordings: Soprano-Logues\, a collaborative effort with saxophonist Dave Liebman\, and Cosmic Unconsciousness Unplugged\, where he joined forces with pianist Jean-Michel Pilc. These releases showcased Newsome’s ability to engage in sonically-rich musical dialogues across different instrumental landscapes. His contributions to the music world have not gone unnoticed. In 2022\, Newsome received the prestigious Bronx BRIO Award for Instrumental Music and secured the title of Soprano Saxophonist of the Year in the 14th Annual International Critics Polls. His accolades extend to the 2020 Instant Award in Improvised Music\, the 2018 Alpert/Ragdale Prize in Music Composition\, the 2016 NYFA Fellowship for Music Composition\, and he’s been a consistent nominee for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalist Association over the past five years. Beyond his musical accomplishments\, Newsome is a prolific author\, having penned two books of personal essays: “Be Inspired\, Stay Focused” (2022) and “Life Lessons from the Horn” (2015). In 2023\, his piece\, “From NoHa to SoBro” was featured in the Bronx Memoir Project Anthology\, VII. Newsome’s avant-garde approach\, particularly in the realm of prepared saxophone\, has positioned him as a sought-after player in New York’s improvised music scene. His innovative voice has resonated in collaborations with notable artists such as Elliot Sharpe\, William Parker\, Fay Victor\, Daniel Carter\, Joe Morris\, and Dave Liebman. Through his diverse talents and contributions\, Sam Newsome continues to shape and enrich the landscape of contemporary jazz.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/sam-newsome-the-popeye-effect/
LOCATION:Silence\, 46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1H 3K8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SamNewsome_Silence_ii2025.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250206T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250206T203000
DTSTAMP:20250113T162953Z
CREATED:20250113T162846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250113T162953Z
UID:15275-1738868400-1738873800@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Book Launch—Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry\, Music\, and Citizenship\, by Paul db Watkins
DESCRIPTION:We are pleased to announce the initial book launch for Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry\, Music\, and Citizenship\, by Improvising Futures team member\, Paul db Watkins on Thursday\, February 6\, at 7:00 PM (PST).\n \nThe event will take place in person at The Vault Café\, (499 Wallace Street\, Nanaimo\, BC). The book launch is by donation (5$ suggested).\n \nLearn more about the book and pre-order by following this link! \n\nMore About the Event:\nThis initial book launch will feature poet and musician Sonnet L’Abbé (Sonnet’s Shakespeare) and Nanaimo Poet Laureate Neil Surkan (Unbecoming). The author will also be performing remixed versions of sections from the book.  \nDoors open at 6:30 p.m.\, and the readings will run from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.  \nMore About the Book:\nPart exploration of a key group of Black Canadian poets\, part literary\, cultural\, and musical history\, Soundin’ Canaan demonstrates how music in Black Canadian poetry is not solely aesthetic\, but a form of social\, ethical\, and political expression. \nSoundin’ Canaan refers to the code name often used for Canada during the Black migration to Canada. The book analyzes the contributions of key Black Canadian poets\, including their poetic styles and their performances. The book has several key objectives\, including recuperating the collision of the historical and the Biblically derived figure of Canaan\, the promised land of freedom and security for an African American population seeking to leave the shackles of slavery behind and the northern terminus of the underground railroad. Centering around the poetry of George Elliott Clarke\, Dionne Brand\, M. NourbeSe Philip\, Wayde Compton\, and rapper K’naan\, it delves into how these poets draw inspiration from African American and Afro-diasporic musical genres\, such as blues\, jazz\, reggae and dub\, hip-hop\, and remix\, to reshape the notions of identity and citizenship. Soundin’ Canaan asks: what does Canadian citizenship sound like\, especially when voiced by Black Canadian poets who embrace a fluid and multicultural form of citizenship that moves between local and global spaces\, much like music does? \nMore About the Presenter:\nPaul db Watkins is a Professor of English at Vancouver Island University. He is also a research team member with the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI). He has published widely on multiculturalism\, hip-hop\, Canadian poetry\, jazz\, DJ culture\, and improvisation. Under his DJ alias\, DJ Techné\, he has completed several DJ projects that explore the spaces between poetry\, hip-hop\, and jazz.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/book-launch-soundin-canaan-black-canadian-poetry-music-and-citizenship-by-paul-db-watkins/
LOCATION:The Vault Cafe\, 499 Wallace Street\, Nanaimo\, BC\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/book-launch-poster-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250125T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250125T213000
DTSTAMP:20250123T134025Z
CREATED:20250121T142450Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T134025Z
UID:15302-1737831600-1737840600@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Wet Sounds Series Presents: Pantayo
DESCRIPTION:Please join us Saturday\, January 25 at 7:00 PM (ET) for Wet Sounds 2: Pantayo\, presented by our friends at Musagetes.\n \n\nThis presentation will take place in person at ImprovLab\, MCKN 108 at the University of Guelph.\n \nSuggested PWYC tickets of $15 will be donated to Filipinos United for Palestine. No one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF). \nPurchase your tickets here! \nMore About the Event\n6:30 doors open\n7:00 Talk\n8:00 refreshments + cash bar\n8:30 performance \nOn Saturday January 25th\, 2025\, Wet Sounds: feminist + queer music practices in the polycrisis presents a performance and conversation with PANTAYO. The second guest in the series hosted by Musagetes in Guelph\, Pantayo are queer Filipinx kulintang gong punks based in Tkaronto\, Canada. The ensemble combines traditional Kulintang music from the Philippines with contemporary influences and experimental sounds derived from their experiences as queer diasporic Filipinxs on Turtle Island. \nMore About the Series\nWet Sounds is a quarterly arts series that presents conversations and performances centring the intersections of feminist and queer musicians’ academic work\, artistic practice\, and collaborations in the polycrisis. This series will examine notions of grief\, ritual\, queerness\, pleasure\, land\, embodiment\, colonialisms\, decay\, noise\, and sound. Wet Sounds will ask how artists see their practice as impacted by or responding to the interconnected crises unfolding around us—climate chaos\, genocide\, fascism\, an erosion of democracy\, and multiple sites of oppression and resistance.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/wet-sounds-series-presents-pantayo/
LOCATION:ImprovLab\, MacKinnon Room 108\, 87 Trent Lane\, University of Guelph\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1G 1Y4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/https___cdn.evbuc_.com_images_928790283_74265215811_1_original.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20241218T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20241218T220000
DTSTAMP:20241211T174554Z
CREATED:20241211T174554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241211T174554Z
UID:15237-1734552000-1734559200@improvisationinstitute.ca
SUMMARY:Audiopollination Guelph—Season 3\, Episode 2
DESCRIPTION:Audiopollination Guelph returns for our second episode of Season 3\, featuring new lineups of musicians and performers performing improvised music never before heard! It’s most likely going to be a chilly evening\, but I hope you can make it for the final night of improvisation and community in 2024! (more to come next year) \nThe 2025 shows still have open slots\, but they’re filling up quick! Sign up here! \nAudiopollination Guelph is devoted to being identity-affirming space for all people\, please come as you are and/or as you desire to be! \nWednesday\, December 18th\, 2024 \nCost: $20/PWYC \nSilence (46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, ON) \nDoors Open at 7:30pm | Music Starts at 8pm \nEnsemble 1: Nico\, Connor Kurtz & Claire\nEnsemble 2: Thomas Rolf\, Tyson & Monte Fenske\nEnsemble 3: Jamie Eriksen\, David Sait & Tess Martens\nEnsemble 4: Wettendrop \nPlease do your part to keep Audiopollination Guelph scent-free. \nWe are so thankful for support to the show from the Guelph Arts Council! \nIt’s flu season\, so masks are encouraged and will be provided at the door. \nNote: While the suggested payment is now $20\, the show is still fully PWYC and NOTAFLOF.
URL:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/event/audiopollination-guelph-season-3-episode-2/
LOCATION:Silence\, 46 Essex Street\, Guelph\, Ontario\, N1H 3K8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://improvisationinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/AudioPollination-1208.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR