Coastal Jazz and Western Front present the second annual New Improvisers Studio, a free week-long educational initiative for up to ten young musicians aged 17 to 24.

The New Improvisers Studio supports collective explorations in musical improvisation through the mentorship of a world leading improviser from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. This year the Studio will be led by the acclaimed composer, percussionist, and sound artist Susie Ibarra, and will explore listening, field recording, spatial mapping, playing, practicing, and notations of rhythm in the natural world.

Selected musicians will participate in five daily workshops scheduled from June 24th – 27th (11 am – 2 pm) and a public performance at the Western Front on June 28, 2025 at 1pm.

Please note, participants are responsible for bringing their own instrument and managing their transportation to and from the workshops. All participants will be provided with lunch daily and a free festival pass for the Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

How to Participate

The New Improvisers Studio is open to young musicians aged 17 to 24 from all music backgrounds and levels of experience. To participate, please submit an expression of interest to [email protected] with the subject line “The New Improvisers Studio EOI” no later than May 28, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Successful applicants will be notified by June 1, 2025.

Expressions of interest can be submitted in writing, video, or audio recording of no more than 500 words or 3 minutes length, and should address the following questions:

  • What is your chosen instrument?
  • Describe your musical background and experience
  • Why are you interested in exploring improvisation?
  • What is your ambition as a musician and how will this opportunity help you to achieve this?

Susia Ibarra

Susie Ibarra is a Filipinx-American composer, percussionist, and sound artist. Her work encompasses performance, mobile sound-mapping applications, multichannel audio installations, recording, and production. Across her interdisciplinary practice, many of Ibarra’s projects are based in cultural and environmental preservation. Her sound research focuses on the stewardship of glaciers and freshwaters, and she has published writing on the ecology of rhythm in the environment.

Presented in partnership by Coastal Jazz and Western Front, with the support of the Government of Canada, Creative BC, Deux Mille Foundation, and the SOCAN Foundation.