WESTERN FRONT – The New Improvisers Studio

At the centre of the stage in the Grand Luxe Hall, five musicians play their instruments. Two stand, playing double basses. The others sit, one with a violin, another with a bass guitar, and the last in front of a drum set.

Western Front, in partnership with Coastal Jazz, is pleased to present 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.

Now in its third year, The New Improvisers Studio supports collaborative exploration in musical improvisation, guided by a leading international artist featured in the festival. This year, participants will work closely with Los Angeles-based Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist and composer Patrick Shiroishi, who is hosted at Western Front as one of the festival’s artists-in-residence.

Central to the studio is the practice of listening to foster deeper awareness, connection, and responsiveness as improvisers. Participants will explore improvisation as an extension of the self, looking inward while remaining attentive to the world around them. Together, they will investigate what constitutes an individual artistic voice—not only through their instruments, but also through graphic scores and other visual approaches to composition—and what it means to express that voice both independently and within an ensemble.

This year’s participants are Jack Blanco (drums), Ben Cai (tenor 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).

The program will culminate in a public performance on Saturday, Jul 4 at noon offering audiences a glimpse into the sonic discoveries made over the course of the week.

About the Artist

Patrick Shiroishi stands outdoors in front of a dense wall of deep red and magenta bougainvillea flowers. He has long dark hair, round wire-framed glasses, and wears a white ribbed tank top. The photo has a warm, film-like quality with dappled sunlight.

Patrick Shiroishi is a Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Los Angeles who is perhaps best known for his extensive and incredibly intense work with the saxophone. Over the last decade he has established himself as one of the premier improvising musicians in Los Angeles, playing solo and in collaborative projects. He has toured around the world in solo and band configurations including The Armed, contemporary classical ensemble Wild Up, and Upsilon Acrux.

Accessibility

The Grand Luxe Hall is located on the second floor of Western Front, which is accessed by a flight of twenty-six stairs. While plans for a full building upgrade to facilitate access for wheelchair users are still underway, all events in the Grand Luxe Hall are made available virtually via high-quality livestream (link above). Further details about accessibility at Western Front can be found here.

Acknowledgements

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

Concert by The New Improvisers Studio, photo documentation, Jun 28, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.

Concert by The New Improvisers Studio, photo documentation, Jun 28, 2025. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Portrait of Patrick Shiroishi. Photo by Jack McBride.

Portrait of Patrick Shiroishi. Photo by Jack McBride.

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.