SF State’s School of Music is bringing back ImprovisAsians for another set of musical and cultural collaborations, recitals and panels.
Asian Improv aRts, an organization that produces and represents art through Asian American experience in collaboration with SF State’s School of Music, is holding their annual ImprovisAsians events from March 13-17.
“ImprovisAsians is an annual series of performances and discussions exploring the connection between the performing arts and community-building,” according to the Asian Improv aRts website.
Francis Wong, Asian Improv aRts creative director, said students should expect to see an insightful range of performances and a panel with influences from Native American, Filipino and Maguindanaon heritages and cultures.
“We are hoping that students will attend these concerts and engage in conversation with the performers,” Wong said.
SF State’s music professor Hafez Modirzadeh and ethnic studies associate professor John-Carlos Perea will be performing “Improvising Home” and “Resolution of the Soul.”
According to Modirzadeh, the performances will showcase unity amongst different cultures and backgrounds, and he hopes students will take the performance as an example to do the same.
Although the recitals will be hosted by the music department, Wong said he is sure this will attract students interested in cultures beyond theirs, no matter what their major is.
“We expect students in music classes and ethnic studies classes,” Wong said. “Majors and non-majors will find the presentations of interest, particularly at a time in our country’s history that calls for affirmation of our diversity.”
Spanish major Antonia Ford believes this is just one of the many unique events on campus that she and her peers should take advantage of.
“I think that it is an amazing opportunity for SF State students to take advantage of, having one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the nation,” Ford said. “They would be foolish not to reap the benefits of events such as these that are free and sanctioned by the University.”
Modirzadeh hopes the performances will inspire students to immerse themselves in cultures they haven’t experienced before or may experience for the first time at this year’s ImprovisAsians.
“This is to inspire and inform because the heritage that is here is not only African, but Asian and Native and so-called Middle Eastern,” said Modirzadeh.
ImprovisAsians performance, “Improvising Home,” will take place on March 13 and “Resolution of the Soul” will be featured on March 15 in Knuth Hall. “Mapping the Asian Improv Nation” is scheduled for March 17 in the Creative Arts building.
All performances will be free of charge to encourage students to attend and explore culture in a unique, synergic setting.
“The collaborating organization of artists demonstrate how we come together, how we can collaborate in a disciplinary, intercultural way and inspire the students to have courage to do the same,” Modirzadeh said.
