Improv Karaoke #27
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Improv Karaoke #27

Free, public, monthly community event open to improvising musicians of all genres and experience levels to play collaboratively.

By Improv Karaoke Team

Date and time

Wed, Nov 27, 2024 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM PST

Location

8EAST

8 East Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6A 1T1 Canada

About this event

  • Event lasts 4 hours

On the last Wednesday of every month...

Come play improvised music in a collaborative setting! Open to improvising musicians of all genres and experience levels. Small ensembles will be randomly created from musicians that register (that’s you!) to play short sets together.

  • Free/$10/$20/$xx
  • Admission is free; donations are welcome at the door (cash only).
  • Cash bar by donation.
  • Set up 6pm-7pm, Music 7pm-10pm
  • Occasionally *free* tea and snacks - mugs provided.
  • Listeners are always welcome and do not need to register.


*This event is recorded via photograph, short videos, and audio for archival purchases. Photographs and short videos may be posted via Instagram in the spirit of sharing. Please reach out to us if this is not within your comfort and we will absolutely respect your request no questions asked!


To Participate:
Please register via Eventbrite if it is your first time coming.

  • Registrations will open 1 week prior to each monthly event.
  • Drop-in registrations at the door are available but capacity-dependent
  • If it says Sold Out, come anyway and we'll do our best to slip you into an ensemble!

    Bring with you:
  • your instruments, cables, amps, and smiles!
  • Available on-site: drum set, piano, two guitar amps, bass amp.
  • *Electronic Instruments and Laptops welcomed.

    When you Arrive:
  • Please check in with us before 7pm in-person to play in Round 1 (starts 7pm sharp).
  • Priority will be given to those who have signed up and check in on a first-come-first-serve basis. Latecomers will be moved to Round 2 (starts ~8:30pm).


    This event will be co-hosted by Andrea Wong, Mike WT Allen, Matthew Ariaratnam.

*Thank you for coming out and supporting the improvised music community!

*This event is presented as part of the NOW Society sponsored Residency Program, hosted by the NOW Society at 8EAST. Please visit nowsociety.org and 8east.ca for more details.


Frequently asked questions

What do I need to bring?

Bring your instruments, cables, and smiles! We have available on-site: drum set, piano, two guitar amps, bass amp. Drummers: bring your sticks (optional: your favourite cymbals)! It sometimes gets loud so you may decide to bring some *earplugs*.

Tags

Organized by

Improv Karaoke Team

The Improv Karaoke Team consists of four music friends with a passion for free improvisation. They are on a mission to fuse musicians from different genres, practices, and experiences to further connect, support, and strengthen our local music community.

More info about your Improv Karaoke hosts/organizers: Andrea Wong & Spencer Schoening of Public Dreams, Mike WT Allen, and Matthew Ariaratnam.

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What is Improv Karaoke?

Improv Karaoke developed from a desire to create more regular opportunities for collaboration, discovery, and innovation within our local improvising community. Co-hosted by Andrea Wong, Spencer Schoening, Mike WT Allen, and Matthew Ariaratnam, this artist-run community event started in December 2022 and has been a monthly series where improvising musicians of all genres and experience levels drop in, sign up, and play in new ensembles created from a pool of names freshly drawn out of a bowl.

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Of all the ways to play collaboratively, why free improvisation?

Because of its ease, widespread relevance, and accessible nature! Improvisation can be approached by musicians from any culture, any generation, and with any amount of experience, breaking down many practical and creative barriers to collaboration. Free improvisation additionally removes barriers to making music including any necessity for a particular instrumentation; shared knowledge-base such as Western music notation fluency; specific qualifications, merit, or credentials; or a pre-curated set-list of standards or repertoire selection. Musicians merely need to be open-minded to improvise with each other. With minimal preparation required, the flexible nature of improvising provides an excellent creative setting to focus on musical connection and innovation. By facilitating opportunities for our community to mindfully improvise together - a setting that practices adaptability and attentive listening - the desired outcome of this project is a stronger, more diverse and interconnected music ecosystem. This project invites people to gather and play together, with hopes it seeds new musical collaborations and branches outwards as a more nourished and sustainable music community.