WESTERN FRONT – Talk by Eve Risser with Dylan van der Schyff

Description:

As part of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Western Front presented a conversation with French musician, composer, and improviser Eve Risser. Renowned for her visionary approach to sound and the prepared piano, Risser explored her creative process, influences, and the role of improvisation in contemporary music. The talk, moderated by scholar and percussionist Dylan van der Schyff, blended conversation with live musical improvisation, offering rich insight into her artistic practice through both words and sound.

During their conversation, Risser discussed her background as a flutist, her process of collecting objects for prepared piano, and her collaborative work with Kogoba Basigui—the double group of Red Desert Orchestra, led by Risser, with the all-female instrumental ensemble Kaladjula Band, based in Bamako, Mali.

Presented in partnership with Coastal Jazz with support from Institut français du Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada, and SOCAN Foundation.

Eve Risser sports a green, white, purple and yellow windbreaker, black jeans and dark sneakers as they speak through a microphone, sitting in front of a grand piano, in the Grand Luxe Hall. Their hair is wavy with a half up and half down hairstyle.

Dylan van der Schyff wears a brown sweater, grey dress pants and pale blue sneakers, as they speak through a microphone, sitting behind a drum set, in the Grand Luxe Hall.

In a daylit Grand Luxe Hall, Eve Risser wears a green, white, purple and yellow windbreaker as they look at an A4 x-ray, facing away from the camera. Beside them stands an open grand piano and their hair is curly in a half up and half down hairstyle.

In a daylit Grand Luxe Hall, Eve Risser speaks through a microphone while expressing their right hand, as Dylan van der Schyff listens with their back towards the camera. Risser stands beside an open grand piano while Schyff stands by a drum set, with only cymbals within the shot.

In a daylit Grand Luxe Hall, in a medium shot, Eve Risser plays an open grand piano with their back towards the camera. Risser sports a green, white, purple and yellow windbreaker, and a curly, half up half down hairstyle.

In a daylit Grand Luxe Hall, Eve Risser smiles at the camera as they lean behind in front of an open grand piano, as if getting up after their performance. They sport a green, blue, yellow and white windbreaker, and a curly, half up half down hairstyle.

In a daylit Grand Luxe Hall, Eve Risser stands behind an open grand piano while they speak to a crowd around them, gesturing with their hands. They sport a green, blue, yellow and white windbreaker, and a curly, half up, half down hairstyle.

Captions:

Talk by Eve Risser with Dylan van der Schyff, video documentation, Jun 25, 2025. 52 min. 55 sec. Camera by Qiuli Wu.
Eve Risser at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Dylan van der Schyff at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Eve Risser at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Eve Risser and Dylan van der Schyff at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Eve Risser at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Eve Risser at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Eve Risser at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 25, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.

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Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.