Sunday Oct. 25
X AVANT SYMPOSIUM
“Convergence and Collaboration”

Location: The Music Gallery (Fellowship Room)
Time: 3pm
Admission: FREE

Panelists:
Chris Cutler
Christine Duncan
John Kameel Farah
Scott Thomson
Jennifer Waring

With moderator, Jeremy Strachan

A distinguished panel of musicians and theorists discuss this year’s festival theme of “Convergence and Collaboration.” Inspired by ambient music forefather Brian Eno’s idea of “scenius,” the 2009 installment of X AVANT celebrates the notion of co-operation in modern music making, as opposed to the glorification of individual genius.

Chris Cutler is the legendary English percussionist, composer, lyricist and improviser, known for his work with “Rock in Opposition” groups Henry Cow and Art Bears, as well as U.S. punk pioneers Pere Ubu, as well as countless collaborations.

Christine Duncan is a vocalist and teacher who is one-half of post-everything improv duo Barnyard Drama (with Jean Martin) and convenor of the structured-improvisation collective, the Element Choir.

John Kameel Farah is a pianist, composer, improviser and electronic music artist who most often works alone but has collaborated with artists including cellist Nick Storring and video artist Eamon MacMahon. His latest CD Unfolding is out on Dross:tik Records.

Scott Thomson is a trombonist and also the Administrative Director of the AIMToronto Orchestra and the Artistic Director of Somewhere There, performance space for creative music in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.

Jennifer Waring is a flutist and the Artistic Director of Continuum Contemporary Music. From 2005 to 2007, Jennifer was engaged in a research residency in Amsterdam at the Gaudeamus Foundation. An outcome of that experience was SHIFT, a festival of Dutch and Canadian music and art that took place at the Muziegebouw in Amsterdam (2008) and Harbourfront Centre in Toronto (2009).