The New Improvisers Studio

Jun 30, 2026

Field:

Workshop

Location:

Grand Luxe Hall, Western Front

Time:

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Description:

Western Front, in partnership with Coastal Jazz, presented the third edition of The New Improvisers Studio—a free, weeklong educational program for emerging musicians aged 17 to 24, offered as part of the 2026 Vancouver International Jazz Festival. The New Improvisers Studio supported collaborative exploration in musical improvisation through workshops led by a festival artist in residence, who was hosted at Western Front.

It was led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Patrick Shiroishi with special guest Wendy Eisenberg.

Shiroishi centred the practice of listening to foster deeper awareness, connection, and responsiveness as improvisers. Participants explored improvisation as an extension of the self, looking inward while remaining attentive to the world around them. Together, they investigated what constitutes an individual artistic voice—through instrumentation, graphic scores, and other visual approaches to composition—and what it means to express that voice independently and within an ensemble.

The program participants were Jack Blanco (drums), Ben Cai (saxophone), Thomas Chen (alto saxophone), Jaiden Christie (violin), Erin Kim (bass), Duncan Krywolt (trumpet), Yang Lai (piano), Aya Maranda (violin), Valentina Oh (guitar), and Klee Zubot (guitar).

This culminated in a public performance that was presented as a programmed event of the festival in the Grand Luxe Hall on July 4, 2026.

Presented in partnership with Coastal Jazz, with the support of the Deux Mille Foundation and the Government of Canada.

A wide shot of Patrick Shiroishi, Wendy Eisenberg, and the New Improvisers Studio participants in the Grand Luxe Hall. Shiroishi and Eisenberg are sitting in a circle with participants as they play their instruments.

A close-up shot of Patrick Shiroishi and Jack Blanco in the Grand Luxe Hall. On the left, Blanco plays the drums. To the right, Shiroishi is sitting next to Blanco with a smile.

A close-up shot of three participants of the New Improvisers Studio sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall. On the left, Valentina Oh is holding an electric guitar, slightly turned to the right. In the middle, Erin Kim is sitting beside a contrabass, while holding an electric bass guitar. To the right is Jack Blanco, sitting behind a drum kit facing left, in conversation.

A close-up shot focused on four participants of the New Improvisers Studio sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall. From left to right, Klee Zubot plays the electric guitar, Aya Maranda holds a violin in an active rest position, Thomas Chen plays an alto saxophone, and Ben Cai holds a saxophone in an active rest position.

A full body shot of participants Valentina Oh and Erin Kim in the Grand Luxe Hall. On the left, Oh plays the electric guitar while sitting, crouched slightly within herself, while Kim stands to the right playing the contrabass with her head down.

A full-body shot of three participants of the New Improvisers Studio, sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall, playing their instruments. On the left, Thomas Chen plays the alto saxophone. In the middle, Ben Cai plays the saxophone. To the right, Duncan Krywolt plays a trumpet.

A full-body shot of Patrick Shiroishi and Wendy Eisenberg in the Grand Luxe Hall. On the left, Eisenberg is sitting, holding an electric guitar while smiling. To the right, Shiroishi is standing and smiling, while holding a mug.

A close-up shot of Yang Lai sitting and tuning a piano in the Grand Luxe Hall. Lai’s gaze is turned to the left.

A close-up shot of Jack Blanco playing the drums in the Grand Luxe Hall.

A close-up shot of Erin Kim playing the electric bass guitar in the Grand Luxe Hall. Kim’s gaze is low, slightly turned to the left.

A close-up shot of Valentina Oh playing the electric guitar in the Grand Luxe Hall. Oh’s gaze is low, towards the instrument.

A close-up shot of Jaiden Christie playing the violin in the Grand Luxe Hall. Christie’s gaze is low, towards the instrument.

A close-up shot of Duncan Krywolt sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall, holding a trumpet in playing position towards his mouth.

A close-up shot of Ben Cai, sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall, playing the saxophone.

A close-up shot of Thomas Chen, sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall, playing the alto saxophone.

A close-up shot of Aya Maranda, sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall playing the violin. Maranda’s gaze is towards the instrument.

A close-up shot of Klee Zubot, sitting in the Grand Luxe Hall playing the electric guitar, with his gaze pointed in front of him.

A posed group shot of Patrick Shiroishi and the participants of the New Improvisers Studio in the Grand Luxe Hall, smiling for the camera.

Related People

Wendy Eisenberg (Related)

Related Events

2026

Concert by The New Improvisers Studio

Captions:

The New Improvisers Studio, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Jack Blanco and Patrick Shiroishi at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
The New Improvisers Studio, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
The New Improvisers Studio, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Valentina Oh and Erin Kim at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Thomas Chen, Ben Cai, and Duncan Krywolt at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Wendy Eisenberg and Patrick Shiroishi at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Yang Lai at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Jack Blanco at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Erin Kim at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Valentina Oh at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Jaiden Christie at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Duncan Krywolt at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Ben Cai at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Thomas Chen at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Aya Maranda at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Klee Zubot at Western Front, photo documentation, Jun 30, 2026. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Klee Zubot, Jaiden Christie, Patrick Shiroishi, Erin Kim, Wendy Eisenberg, Yang Lai, Duncan Krywolt, Valentina Oh, Thomas Chen, Jack Blanco, Ben Cai, and Aya Maranda, Jun 30, 2026. 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.