... promotes performance, education, and research in improvised music, and illuminates connections between musical improvisation and creativity across fields.

ISIM Fourth Annual Conference
Call for Proposals

Improvisation, Diversity, and Change: Uncovering New Social Paradigms Through Spontaneous Musical Creativity 
Dec 3-6, 2009 
University of California, Santa Cruz, USA 

A collaborative event between the International Society of Improvised Music and the University of California at Santa Cruz Improvisation Festival, with generous support from the Porter Festival Fund.  Keynote conference/festival artists and speakers will include Geri Allen, Ashwin Batish, Rob Dz, George Lewis, Charles Lloyd, and Jin Hi Kim.  

If the history of the world’s music may be seen as a an epic movement toward global syncretism, the advent of what has come to be known over the past few decades as “improvised music” may be seen as an escalation of this trans-cultural, creative synthesis.  First coined to describe the further reaches of jazz, the phrase now encompasses a musical mosaic so vast that the very notion of style categories conjures up images of a distant and perhaps outmoded past.  Upon closer inspection, however, strong grounding in one or more musical traditions is often the basis for the most compelling forms of multi-stylistic synthesis, revealing the dynamic interplay between style-specific and trans-stylistic awareness and skills to be central to navigating one’s way—as artist, listener, teacher, student, critic and scholar—through the contemporary musical landscape.  

Even with the trans-stylistic riches that abound, however, schisms prevail between communities and sources of knowledge and inspiration that have only to gain from collaborative exchange.  The racial divides in the improvised music community, while not commonly talked about, are one example.  The gender imbalance in the field is another, where participation among women is conspicuously low, thus perpetuating limiting patterns related to access, power, value, and expression.  The long-standing inertia in musical study is yet another example, where even after decades of appeals for reform, the majority of music students graduates with little or no hands-on contact with music outside of the European classical tradition.  At this juncture in human history, when the ability to traverse boundaries—intellectual, political, racial, ethnic, creative, spiritual, etc.— has never been more urgent, music has the capacity to emerge as an important agent for change. 

Proposals are invited for the following kinds of presentations related to the conference theme: 
performances, workshops, lecture/recitals, papers, panel discussions. Proposals can only be reviewed from ISIM members.  Membership application or membership renewal may be submitted with proposal. 

Proposals are due July 1.  Announcement of accepted proposals will be made by August 15.  For more information, contact Kate Olson, ISIM Conference Director, kate@isimprov.org

Download Conference Proposal Form Here

Submit Proposals By Email: info@isimprov.org

By Postal Mail: International Society for Improvised Music, P.O. Box 1603, Ann Arbor, MI  48106

Past Events

Music Education for the 21st Century: Exploring Improvisation
A Master Classes Series at the Bienen School of Music of Northwestern University
February 11, 2009 "Improvisation, Creativity, and Consciousness: New Pedagogical Horizons in Music and Beyond" Presented by Ed Sarath
March 5, 2009 "Free Play: The Art of Improvisation" Presented by Stephen Nachmanovitch
April 8, 2009 "Deep Listening: From Practice to Theory" Presented by Pauline Oliveros
May 13, 2009 "Teaching Improvisation: Is it Possible?" Presented by Maud Hickey

This series was made possible through the support of the Alumnae of Northwestern University, Music Studies Department, the Bienen School, and the International Society for Improvised Music.

Deep Tones for Peace
An international internet music performance for peace in the Middle East April 26, 2009. Performed simultaneously on the internet between internationally recognized bass players located in both Jerusalem and New York and streamed world-wide. Artists: Thierry Barbe (France), Mark Dresser (USA), Trevor Dunn (USA), Irina-Kalina Goudeva (Bulgaria/Denmark), Henry Grimes (USA), Lindsey Horner (USA), James Ilgenfritz (USA), J.C. Jones (Israel), Michael Klinghoffer (Israel), Chi-chi Nwanoku (UK), William Parker (USA), Barre Phillips (USA/France), David Phillips (USA), Bertram Turetzky (USA), Sarah Weaver (USA). Sponsors: American Embassy in Israel - Public Affairs OfficeBritish Council in partnership with Bi Arts - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Science, Culture, and Sport, Centre Culturel Français Romain Gary a Jerusalem, Office of Cultural Affairs - Consulate General of Israel in New York, Danish Composer's Society's Production Pool/Koda's Fund for Social and Cultural Purposes, Electronic Music Foundation, Experimental Television Center’s Presentation Funds Program Supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, Hors Oeil Editions, International Society of Bassists, International Society for Improvised Music, Jerusalem Foundation Arts & Culture Department, Jerusalem Municipality Cultural Department, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Kadima Collective Recordings, Omanout Habama, Service Culturel de Ambassade de France en Israel, University of California San Diego, World Association of Former United Nations Internes and Fellows, Zfunot Tarbut www.deeptonesforpeace.org.

ISIM Third Annual Conference 2008
Improvisation and Identity: Discovering Self and Community in a Trans-Cultural Age
December 5-7, 2008 at the Lamont School of Music, University of Denver, Colorado USA with support from The Playground, Creative Music Works, jazz89 KUVO Radio Denver 89.3FM, KGNU Radio 88.5FM/1390AM Boulder/Denver
Featured Artists and Presenters: Roscoe Mitchell, Joëlle Léandre, India Cooke
Download Conference Program Here

ISIM Benefit Event 2008
May 17, 2008  7:00pm-10:00pmEST
Lotus Music and Dance
Hosted by Thomas Buckner and the ISIM New York City Professional Chapter.
Featured artists and presenters:
Oliver Lake and Geri Allen, Thomas Buckner and Tom Hamilton, Dom Minasi, Ursel Schlicht and Robert Dick, TranceFormation: Connie Crothers, Ken Filiano, and Andrea Wolper, NYC Professional Chapter Ensemble: Julianne Carney, Chris Chalfant, Adrian Coburn, James Ilgenfritz, and Carol Purdy, Panel: Ed Sarath, Earl Howard, and Stephen Nachmanovitch, Environmental Dialogue by Pauline Oliveros, facilitated by Sarah Weaver

ISIM Second Annual Conference 2007

Building Bridges: Improvisation as a Unifying Agent in Education, Arts, and Society

December 14-16, 2007 at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois USA  

Featured Artists and Presenters: Jane Ira Bloom and Mark Dresser, Mazen Kerbaj and Michael Zerang, Oliver Lake with the University of Michigan Creative Arts Orchestra, Bennett Reimer, Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians

Download Conference Program Here

Download Conference Biographies Here

ISIM Inaugural Conference 2006

Time, Sound, and Transcendence: Forging a New Vision for Improvised Music Pedagogy and Practice

December 1-3, 2006 at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

Featured Artists and Presenters: Stephen Nachmanovitch, Pauline Oliveros,

Janne Murto, Steve Coleman

Download Conference Program Here