Magnolia Rohrer will kick of the festival with a 27 minute original piece for viola and pre-recorded tracks exploring micro-tonal harmonic tension and release, based on sustained long tones.

This set will include compositions by Leonard King, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, and Gunther Schuller. 

More on Sofia's set:

"I will perform ""Etude for a Kitchen"", an intermedia performance work for vibraphone, colander, voice, movement, and projection. In this work I juxtapose a video and audio recording of myself cleaning my kitchen and a phonecall with my brother about horror movies alongside live performance of the sounds of these everyday experiences. Inspired by foley techniques, I mimic sounds of cleaning the kitchen on the vibraphone, and echo my own voice. 

To complement ""Etude for a Kitchen,"" I will premiere a new solo work, "A Credible Paradise,"" which takes information from the constantly moving objects and furniture in my home, makes characters of the stuffed animals and figurines that inhabit it. This domestic space fantastically comes to life, overlaid with audio recordings discussing my father’s fascination with the American stock market, and my ongoing settlement in Australia."

This set will feature arrangements of unique family melodies collected from our own families, families in our wider community, and the historical archive for trio.

Taqsim, meaning “improvisation” in Arabic, is inspired by the textures of Arab folk melodies and the need to find healing and home. Their sounds connect Detroit to the restless and resilient energy of Beirut’s underground music scene using synthesizers, sampled drums, and soundscapes.

With a style that’s equal parts groove and gut-punch, deadbeatdad is here to make you move and give you something to cry about. Drawing inspiration from electronic, pop, and indie sounds, deadbeatdad is crafting tracks that fuse dance-floor energy with brooding storytelling.

Michael Malis will present a performance environment which centers on the piano, free improvisation, and presence of sound. Supplemented by synthesizers, pedals, and various auxilary keyboards like melodica and accordion, Malis sculpts sound worlds that are patient, inviting, provocative, and full of texture.

Northwoods plays creative improvised music influenced by free jazz, bebop, Arab, Native American and other world musics, and will perform original material that is appearing on their upcoming album.

Topouzian’s trio will perform traditional music style that keeps to his Armenian heritage, but has expanded to include music from around the Middle East with jazz and world music influences.

The Ella Grace MNTET is a group of elite emerging musicians with ties to the Twin Cities jazz scene. Led by acclaimed trumpeter Ella Grace, the group performs Ella's original compositions in the style of contemporary jazz with an emphasis on improvisation. 

Sean Monaghan will present a solo electronic set performing with handmade portable instruments, including either sample-based or generated-from-scratch synthesis. Very texture oriented with a focus on fast and slow polyrhythms.

'Junk Jazz' is a duo; Aya Sekine & Djallo Djakate that will present a set featuring improvisation with multiple instruments, electronics and voice. 

Mike Vial will play a joyful and reflective set of original pop folks songs. Vial, known for his guitar styles on stage (and ranting stories!), has been described as folk rock for the highly caffeinated. 

FLYDLPHN is a contemporary classical chamber group who strives to create engaging musical experiences for all audiences. FLYDLPHN cultivates a distinctive panoramic soundscape making extensive use of electro-acoustic, multimedia, and improvised performance. We desire to build a community that empowers the sharing of art from early-career composers and underrepresented voices. FLYDLPHN will perform new works by Nora Farley and Nicole Knorr alongside Anuj Bhutani's improvised work flightpath. 

The set is a electroacoustic based live looping set invoking both the timbre and texture of minimalist classical music such as Terry Riley or Steve Reich, while at the same time embracing the sinuous textures of free jazz improvisation influenced by Ornette Coleman and John Lurie.

Recognized in the Jazz Times Critics Poll, the DAVE SHARP WORLDS QUARTET

masterfully blends rhythms, sounds, and textures from across the globe with world music inspired original compositions. Featuring oud, violin, electric bass, synthesizer and world percussion, the WORLDS QUARTET is fueled by the spirit of jazz, world music and dynamicexploratory improvisation. They will perform original compositions and traditional tunes from around the world.