https://www.understorysound.ca/events daily 0.75 2022-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1626222148580-V0TV38MEBQR5TQM8VTLK/CCA_RGB_black_e.png Events https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1626221933482-1U9QW40YF4XIF5WVB8OZ/cmclogo-black-en.png Events https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1626222248043-8TCG5SO0LPJBJFWWQT1D/Asset+1.png Events https://www.understorysound.ca/events/show-one monthly 0.5 2021-09-25 https://www.understorysound.ca/events/show-two monthly 0.5 2021-09-25 https://www.understorysound.ca/events/show-three monthly 0.5 2021-09-25 https://www.understorysound.ca/events/episode-four monthly 0.5 2021-11-16 https://www.understorysound.ca/events/episode-five monthly 0.5 2021-11-17 https://www.understorysound.ca/events/episode-six monthly 0.5 2022-01-19 https://www.understorysound.ca/events/episode-seven monthly 0.5 2022-01-19 https://www.understorysound.ca/home daily 1.0 2022-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1624579896608-30W2QY86UZK1C2O45F8E/IMG_9590.jpg Home Understory endeavours to illuminate the rich worlds of creative improvisation taking place in Canada; to cultivate and nurture an ever-expanding network as a way of building a nation-wide collective. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/7b17577c-5b8b-472d-9375-93c947a029bc/Episode+7+Premiere+Banner.jpeg Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1627936133975-YKP2MWTJVQD73I0T5XC7/CCA_RGB_black_e.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1627936158405-60EBQT5E8L3AJEBWT987/Asset+1.png Home https://www.understorysound.ca/history-vision daily 0.75 2021-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621815837646-7GG3HZSBAPP2PBXSYQSG/IMG_1060.jpeg History & Vision - The Beginning Co-founders Nicole Rampersaud, Germaine Liu and Parmela Attariwala met when we all lived in Toronto. When Nicole moved east and Parmela west, we came into contact with incredible improvisers who didn’t know the people we knew. Our inspiration to initiate Understory arose from the opportunity provided by the pandemic to re-imagine technology as a potent medium for changing mainstream performance ecologies; to engender cross-community collaboration and creation and bridge Canada’s vast geographic distances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621900844278-FTUEOYCUGONDHPAYMLWQ/IMG_1059.jpeg History & Vision - Re-Imagining Curation In Understory, we want to cultivate a national collective for creative sound makers. To keep the network of artists (and audiences) continually expanding, we are dispensing with the traditional way of curating by having curatorship last only one season and by having the responsibilities of selecting artists and managing the series shared by three people. We believe that the richness of handing over artistic direction is akin to churning soil each season. It allows for the cultivation of new growth and an ever-expanding community. New creative direction means new momentum each season. It also means not getting stuck in a singular vision of the “what” and the “how”. The understory will be always changing—nourishing new and different connections. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621816193035-YW3YH1IUQFZASKI0J949/IMG_8509.jpg History & Vision - Technology We were inspired by the imaginative ways artists have used technology over the past year to create and disseminate art. Some of the new modes of creation have highlighted the unique capacity of improvisers to create multi-authored works of sonic art, works that showcase improvisers’ empathetic and collaborative listening skills, along with technical fluency of their instruments/voices/media. Understory uses technology as a pollinator for a new kind of art-making and artist meeting; breaking us away from our local pods, activating the emergence of new conversations, enriching exchanges of knowledge. It is not traditional improvised music, nor is it intended to be a replacement for real-time playing (dancing, singing, rhyming, painting) together in one space improvisation. Yet, the process relies upon our skills of being present with each other and with ourselves; Of creating something magical in the space between us that goes beyond what we can create individually. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622995399415-IJK3JPRHQX51OQ2OA1A5/P1000041.JPG History & Vision - Geography By using technology, we can connect the geographic distances that have kept improvising artists across the country from knowing about one another and from working together. While many improvising artists in Canada have links to international communities, we miss out on the wealth of creativity within the country. We also recognize that there are many soundmakers and visual artists who have not been part of the improvised music community (due to genre/discipline/geography), but who could be. We want to open the community to them, and at the same time, open us to their sounds, visions, and ideas; so that the “us” and “them” dissolves into an abundance of artistic possibility and potency. https://www.understorysound.ca/contact daily 0.75 2021-06-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622412948294-NL03UBUAA9MY3MQPFEFT/IMG_9265.jpg Contact - Contact us. For general inquiries, please email: understorysound@gmail.com For press related inquires, please contact Riparian Media. Please note we do not accept unsolicited submissions. https://www.understorysound.ca/curators daily 0.75 2021-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622399090699-W3E5IHU69IB4Q2T8TEGG/germaine+liu+photo+by+mark+zurawinski.jpg Curators - Germaine Liu Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622419508359-B380V6E8XHF9FZFSTCI7/Nicole+Rampersaud.jpg Curators - Nicole Rampersaud Composer, improviser, and trumpet player Nicole Rampersaud has a unique voice that cuts across a broad range of musical practices and traditions. Her intrepid listening and boundless curiosity have made her an internationally sought-after collaborator throughout several musical communities. Nicole’s individualistic versatility has led to collaborations with many of the leading innovators in contemporary music: Anthony Braxton, Joe Morris, Ra-kalam Bob Moses, Sandro Perri, and many more. Her primary groups include Brass Knuckle Sandwich (with pianist Marilyn Lerner), a duo with guitarist Joel LeBlanc, and she is a founding member of the trio c_RL alongside Allison Cameron and Germaine Liu. She relentlessly seeks out and creates spaces to work with a diverse and expanding group of music-makers as a means of exploring and nurturing new connections between creative practices. Since 2008, Nicole has been building a catalogue of solo compositions that deconstruct the trumpet’s sonic possibilities. In solo performances, Nicole improvises composites of her pieces in the moment, resulting in compelling structures that engage audiences in the creation of a connected experience. nicolerampersaud.com marilynlernernicolerampersaud.bandcamp.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621901647000-431Q7KBZBQ6LF8VAK6U9/Parmela_prayer+pose+%28cr.+Sue+Howard%29.jpg Curators - Parmela Attariwala Violinist Parmela Attariwala interweaves life as a performer-creator, academic, and music educator. Parmela trained formally in violin performance at Indiana University and in Bern, Switzerland, and studied ethnomusicology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (UK) and the University of Toronto. Her creative work explores the liminal space between musical genres, artistic disciplines, and identities; often using improvisation as a point of departure. She has recorded three Attar Project albums featuring violin and tabla. Parmela has also collaborated extensively with choreographers (butoh, contact and bharata-natyam) as composer and movement artist. Parmela’s recent creative output includes multi-authored comprovisations, sonic memorials based on end-of-life bhakti poetry, and collaborations with visual artists Peter Morin and Luciana Santos (Brazil). She is co-composer (with Ian Cusson) of the opera-in-progress Namwayut (Calgary Opera) and has contributed to the Esker Foundation’s permanent collection (Heme :: Stand Healing) in response to works by Jeffrey Gibson and Nep Sidhu. Parmela’s ongoing research and advocacy centres around equity, identity and ethics in Canadian music and education. https://parmela.com https://www.understorysound.ca/the-process daily 0.75 2021-06-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1624117296591-3KV9VHCF3SK80B1D4MBD/IMG_9592.jpg The Process One artist creates a part. That part is passed to the next player in the chain, who adds their overdub inspired by what has been created by the previous player. A synthesis of the two parts is passed to the third player who adds their contribution. Ultimately, these three parts are mixed to create a whole piece. This process occurs three times, with each player in the trio having the opportunity to be the first, second, and third person in the chain. Each trio creates three pieces. The delight comes with the unveiling of the completed piece! (full disclosure: the artists do have the opportunity to hear the final mix of their parts - and to collaborate with the audio and video engineers) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1624117951737-0RNIPFMFDGYUVACC71TS/P1000044.JPG The Process In multi-authorship, each person’s contribution becomes part of an artifact. How do we bring empathy as individual contributors in negotiation with our co-authors? How do we want to be represented as a collective? How do we listen? We hope that as these questions arise, finding answers to them becomes part of the wonder of Understory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1624117572154-VV5NAYYFM6Q6924Q2XHT/IMG_1381.jpeg The Process The process in this game allows us to delve into the fun and the challenges of what a collaboration entails. When does one take up, hold, or make space? How do we explore the negotiations and conflicts of leadership, voices, production, creative approaches, taste, logistics and resources? What needs to be questioned, challenged, dismantled or nourished in building a self-determined community? In real-time improvisation, the experience is ephemeral. Ideally, we receive each moment as it unfolds with openness. How do we bring the same generosity to the Understory process? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622412608040-SBCXKPYXF0ISH1R300S9/IMG_1468.jpeg The Process The first season of Understory involves forty-two artists. Each artist is part of a trio. Each trio creates three pieces over the course of four weeks using an adaptation of the Surrealist “Exquisite Corpse” formula. “Exquisite Corpse” is a collaborative game in which artists assemble words, images, or—in our adaptation—sound, visuals, poetry. In the game, each artist works separately from their collaborators. (For example, one person might be in New Brunswick, one in Ontario and one in British Columbia!) https://www.understorysound.ca/production-team daily 0.75 2021-06-19 https://www.understorysound.ca/land-acknowledgement daily 0.75 2021-08-06 https://www.understorysound.ca/artists daily 0.75 2021-06-05 https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/gabriel-dharmoo monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621989597155-SJLGJ3HE0OR9E1FA8PHA/Gabriel+Dharmoo.jpg Artists - Gabriel Dharmoo https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/ben-grossman monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621984864955-GX5ZLLFPEU49RZ1IQAA0/BenGrossman.jpg Artists - Ben Grossman Photo Credit: Céline Côté https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/brandon-auger monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621985592700-HM4PKOQZHBI0OEM4LD9I/Brandon+Auger.jpeg Artists - Brandon Auger https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/carlie-howell monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621986336992-OJGLO6RAWROR009P1T48/CARLIE+HOWELL+%28116+de+124%29.jpg Artists - Carlie Howell https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/danielle-jakubiak monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621986553795-57DY0ZPTEXXBTHPM2ZVS/Danielle+Jakubiak.jpg Artists - Danielle Jakubiak https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/debashis-sinha monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621987894554-IQBY3WWN208U1OYVWV8E/Debashis+Sinha+Headshot_AndreasLammers.jpg Artists - Debashis Sinha Photo Credit: Andreas Lammers https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/ellen-waterman monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621988459786-7KO78WO9QUHQXILZFQ05/Ellen+Waterman.JPG Artists - Ellen Waterman https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/emily-kennedy monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621988875099-MN6HVDHYRU83STYBHGXM/Emily+Kennedy.jpg Artists - Emily Kennedy https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/gabi-charron-merritt monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621989352213-3B5LUMZHQRHKPZL56K53/Gabi+Charron-Merritt.jpg Artists - Gabi Charron-Merritt https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/geordie-haley monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621990375579-KNGUO5YAL3TS5SXO2WPG/geordie+haley-2.jpg Artists - Geordie Haley https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/gurpreet-chana monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621990850490-PRTA6QBUGBMYXDB7Z142/Gurpreet+Chana+6+-+Photo+Credit+-+Ludwig+Nikulski.jpg Artists - Gurpreet Chana Photo Credit: Ludwig Nikulski https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/isaiah-ceccarelli monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621991181778-QXBZ2ORQEL6M9WY0LSJO/Isaiah+Ceccarelli+neige.JPG Artists - Isaiah Ceccarelli https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/jennifer-thiessen monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621991473177-ZKLNJ2Q64WZN8I7368DF/Jennifer-Thiessen_Photo+Greg+Locke.jpg Artists - Jennifer Thiessen Photo Credit: Greg Locke https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/jing-xia monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621992008795-UFVXMBRU198HAE41UY4X/Jing+Xia.jpeg Artists - Jing Xia https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/kayla-milmine monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621992413440-62JJTG12VR3TY83IFOGC/Kayla+Milmine.jpg Artists - Kayla Milmine https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/lan-tung monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621993100975-JQ2LC3VP5YQ7QT3F4IIJ/Lan+Tung.jpg Artists - Lan Tung Photo Credit: Nenad Stevanovic https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/louise-campbell monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621993448992-HW6FWS2ZDSKG8828NC4T/LouiseCampbell_09.jpg Artists - Louise Campbell https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/mira-martin-gray monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621993993231-E7BGVHLTR22Y4DJAFTVF/Mira+Martin-Gray.jpg Artists - Mira Martin-Gray - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/naomi-mccarroll-butler monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621997728113-4GK8DLA481G6ZY3OZOD4/Naomi+McCarroll-Butler%C2%A0%28wfs%29.jpeg Artists - Naomi McCarroll-Butler https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/nilan-perera monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621997852582-B2Z89K304889RZ7RBKNN/Nilan+Perera.jpeg Artists - Nilan Perera - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/peter-morin monthly 0.5 2021-06-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621998121279-MBRLAXKHDJ4ED01CAOFY/Peter+Morin.2014.jpg Artists - Peter Morin https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/stephanie-chua monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621998368346-NW6JGKB1IEMHMFKRDBU5/Stephanie+Chua+2.jpg Artists - Stephanie Chua - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/yunjin-claire-lee monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621998484414-YKIEKOJ64I3TLLMZGR4P/Yunjin+Claire+Lee+credit+Adam+Li.jpg Artists - Yunjin Claire Lee Photo Credit: Adam Li https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/slowpitchsound monthly 0.5 2021-05-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621998714751-N8361WCI8W9QMAS77WR0/Portal+Heads2.jpg Artists - SlowPitchSound - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/chik-white monthly 0.5 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1621998924783-7AGS1HMGNP7HA0SBCHHM/unnamed.jpg Artists - chik white https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/arthur-bull monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622309633752-Z7EYC6PQW06GJK8NW0LA/DSC00277.JPG Artists - Arthur Bull - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/bea-labikova monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622310017749-7PILNLG35EFTZBQ2Z7S1/Bea+Labikova4.jpg Artists - Bea Labikova - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/bianca-palmer monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622310285027-IAAWOM6H40A48VGIV6DQ/BIANCA+PALMER+PRESS+SHOT.jpg Artists - Bianca Palmer https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/elysha-poirier monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622310570271-BUDCFF7QTRRB1QDO89ZT/Elysha+Poirier.jpeg Artists - Elysha Poirier https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/mei-han monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622310722409-JK2DN0TTR3OLRNNQJ63U/meizheng2ccmc.jpg Artists - Mei Han - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/lori-freedman monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622310971319-POWK664GAGDJGN0V3BQT/Resonance+29+05+%28300%29+copy.jpeg Artists - Lori Freedman - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Elaine Louw Graham https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/joel-leblanc monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622311726165-WAOHGDOI13CLRBQLEY57/Joel+LeBlanc.jpg Artists - Joel LeBlanc - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/viviane-houle monthly 0.5 2021-06-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622312235725-LQ2YMARPUXGBPL4Y7W1J/Viviane+Houle.jpg Artists - Viviane Houle - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Jonathan Dy https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/aisha-sasha-john monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622312532248-H624GNRYYRSMI30BR5SS/Aisha+Sasha+John.jpg Artists - Aisha Sasha John https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/randy-raine-reusch monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622312846365-LU4F8OWRG0JKKRR38AIK/r3+studio.jpg Artists - Randy Raine-Reusch - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/laura-swankey monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622313290905-RIQCDEDQ76EBB4U5EY1W/Laura_Swankey_Mickle+Lynn+-+Intersection+Festival+-Septmeber+2017.png Artists - Laura Swankey - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Mickle Lynn https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/leslie-ting monthly 0.5 2021-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622313599484-UKQ4NLXV42GDDM0TH1HU/LeslieTing-photobyDahliaKatz-0458.jpg Artists - Leslie Ting - Make it stand out Photo credit: Dahlia Katz https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/tim-crofts monthly 0.5 2021-06-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622807589670-L6SYJQ9TE6JIS4GEP1XC/eight.jpg Artists - Tim Crofts - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.understorysound.ca/artists/michelle-lafferty monthly 0.5 2021-06-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60aa893b03324b14cba130cc/1622807819064-FUODKQ4LNPZ1LV0AROGE/Headshot+1.jpg Artists - Michelle Lafferty - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.