IF: Improvisers Forum Concert Series

Frederick Experimental Music Association, Inc. (FEMA) announces its first concert series – IF: Improvisers Forum – beginning October 15th at the Frederick YMCA Arts Center in Frederick, Maryland. Funded by a grant from the FAC/National Endowment for the Arts Create and Activate Now (CAN) program – and curated by author, critic, and Frederick resident, Bill Shoemaker – IF features internationally renowned improvising musicians performing as duos.

Concerts will begin at 8pm at the Frederick Y Arts Center, located at 115 East Church Street, with doors opening at 7:30. Suggested donations are $10, with free admission to children and students with ID.

Pending future mandates in Frederick, wearing masks is recommended, but not mandatory. Seating will be arranged to facilitate distancing without diminishing the concert experience.

Michael Formanek, double bass, and Brian Settles, tenor saxophone

Michael Formanek: Double bassist and composer Michael Formanek has led some of the more acclaimed jazz ensembles of the past 25 years, including his Elusion Quartet, Very Practical Trio, and the 18-piece Ensemble Kolossus. His compositions have been supported by Chamber Music America, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and other institutions.

Brian Settles: Since earning his Masters of Music from Howard University, Brian Settles has become an in-demand tenor saxophonist, performing in acclaimed ensembles like Luke Stewart’s Silt Trio. The New York Times identifies Settles as “one of several young improvisers [who are] insightful and invigorating.”