We are excited to announce a new venue for the Improv Spaces Music Festival…

Sunday, Sept 6th, 2026 from 11am-9pm Improv Spaces Music Festival will be showcasing the work of more than 20 musicians and artists working in improvisation at the newly renovated Saratoga Arts at 320 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. From experimental electronics and percussion to percussive tap dancing, from contemporary classical and new music to free improvisation on the piano, modular synth, electric harp, and immersive projection, this unique festival will enthrall audiences with top talent from the Capital Region, NYC and beyond. Advanced tickets are only $20 and the festival is FREE for children under 12.

Featured artists include Next Jazz Legacy artist and tap dancer Melissa Almaguer, presenting a solo set and Q&A combining tap, percussion, and electronics; acclaimed percussionist and improviser Andrew Drury with veteran improvising pianist Alexis Marcelo performing a new original improvisation with artist Q&A; and innovative new-music quartet Hypercube (Andrea Lodge, piano; Jay Sorce, electric guitar; Erin Rogers, saxophones; and Chris Graham, percussion) performing contemporary works across electric and acoustic worlds including:
Spinning, Touched, Undreamt; Snow (2022) by Corie Rose Soumah
Don’t Panic- II, Maze, (2023) by Mike Zhou
Color Fields (2006) by Mikel Kuehn
Voided Cross (for Michael Heizer) IV. Relentless, Clangorous, (2018) by Eric Wubbels

NYC synthesist and composer-improviser Matthew Ryals will present Rotational Motifs – An Improvisation for Solo Modular Synthesizer and lead a workshop, Developing an Improvisational Language with the Modular Synthesizer. Percussionist and composer Matt Weston will perform his original work For Arthur Brooks and discuss his innovative practice.

Improv Spaces resident trio Rock City Falls Trio (Alex Chang, electric harp; Jason Handron, bass; and Adam Forman, drums) will collaborate with Seattle-based multidisciplinary artist Carlin Ma on a new experimental work Re:evolution: The World at Play. The piece explores the Earth, environment, improvised music, video, and audience experience with an audience/performer discussion following the performance.

Joseph and Jesse Bruchac will open the festival with storytelling and improvisational music with Native flute and drum. The Improv Spaces Ensemble will close the performance program with a collaboratively composed, site-responsive work featuring Chuck Ver Straeten, Bernadette Speach, Jeffrey Schanzer, Christian Cocco, and Alex Chang, with improvised video projection by Derick Noetzel.

Throughout the day, audiences can also experience A Place by the Name of Hell, a multimedia installation by Athens-based artist Adrianos Efthymiadis with improvised music by Capital Region musician djdrummernk, alongside local artists, independent labels, music organizations, vendors, merchandise, and more.

Community vendors and orgs will be present and have info out at tables including Paper Moon — a wonderful supporter of improvisation through presenting and carrying artist merch among their array of things we love, Roust Records — a new indie label supporting improvised music, Matthew Klane — the artist who created our wonderful festival artwork this year, The Silver Factory — which carries a whole range of hard to find vinyls and other items for those of us who love physical media! Mt. Ida Preservation Hall — which is one of Improv Spaces’ homes in the region and a wonderful community space providing important services to the area including as a presenter of improvised music, and The Sanctuary for Independent Media — which provides an array of creative and social services for the region including as just a part of that — radio and live performance.

Special Thanks to sponsor Yesfolk Tonics which is an important community partner for so many in the region and are themselves involved in the improvised music scene here and beyond.

ISMF + TOPOS:

We are also excited to be working with EMPAC the day before the fest on Sept 5th with Topos Music Festival featuring two Improv Spaces-curated sets by Rock City Falls Trio and Sun Dogs. AND for every ISMF ticket purchase, you gain access to a 30% discount for EMPAC’s Topos 2026 Music Festival, taking place during the days leading up to ISMF.

Tickets for Improv Spaces Music Festival

$20 Advance
$25 Standard
$35 Ticket + Festival Shirt Bundle
$15 Seniors/Students
FREE for children under 12

Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026
Location: Saratoga Arts
320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY
Time: 11am-9pm

We purposefully keep the festival’s ticket prices at an affordable range for a whole day of activities — with children under 12 free! So bring the family and join us for a full day of innovative and boundary-pushing music, interdisciplinary performance, installation, workshops, vendors, and improvisation at Saratoga Arts on September 6. Please support our festival by purchasing your tickets in advance and getting your gear. We have our special T-shirt bundle available for just $35 and you can wear your support of improvised music and access to live music! We have sizes in limited quantities from S-2XL—Check it out!

Improv Spaces actually started in the basement of Saratoga Arts — we can tell you the story another time! But it’s really wonderful to be welcomed here for the third annual festival and appreciate their ongoing support of our work.
See you at Saratoga Arts in September!
Alex and Adam
Co-Directors, Improv Spaces