NonSeq Curators photo courtesy of the artists. (L-R): Beth Fleenor, Connie Fu, Kole Galbraith, and Naeim Rahmani
BY NATHAN BLUFORD
Experimental music enthusiasts will be excited to learn that the NonSeq Community Curator Series has returned for its third year. NonSeq began in 2022 as a new branch of Nonsequitur, the non-profit that has been synonymous with boundary-breaking Seattle sounds since it moved to town in 2004.
As in prior years, NonSeq’s schedule is assembled by four curators. Each curator books three shows of their choosing at Wallingford’s Chapel Performance Space (located inside the Good Shepherd Center). The series began in late February with a performance showcase of the curators themselves and continues for the next several months.
This year’s curators are clarinetist and vocalist Beth Fleenor, multidisciplinary artist Connie Fu, interdisciplinary artist and noise musician Kole Galbraith, and classical guitarist Naeim Rahmani. All four have a rich history with the Chapel, which made them a natural fit for bringing NonSeq 2024 to life.
Steve Peters, who co-founded Nonsequitur in 1989, introduced NonSeq to diversify the vision that guides the organization’s performance schedule. “It’s good to get new folks playing here, and new audiences, and getting different audiences to appreciate the same show,” he says.
Describing their intentions, the curators voiced an emphasis on fearless creativity and community bonds. As Galbraith put it, “[I focused on] a selection of artists who I feel are creating some of the most innovative work within their fields, but also, and maybe most importantly, an element of friendship runs throughout each bill. I am particularly excited to bring fellow indigenous artists Warren Realrider and Nathan Young to Seattle for the first time on May 11th.”
Fu, who often performs under the name eneraph, sought out “artists who defy categorization in terms of genre and medium and are doing so through hyper-intimate relationships between body and machine. Their use of instruments and tools is functional and poetic, and infused with feelings that mirror the complexity of human relationships.” Fu’s first curated show for NonSeq included a bill featuring 05elantra and august V. M. alongside video artist Arabella Bautista.
Fleenor aimed “to indulge in the sounds of one single artist per show – solo – long-form improvisation & soundscapes – creating sound seas for audience members to settle into. I am diving into my personal enjoyment of going in deep, up close and personal, with the sounds of artists I admire for myriad reasons.” Fleenor presents saxophonist Skerik on May 24.
Nonsequitur fans might recognize Rahmani’s curations for their continuity with his Seattle-Isfahan Project, which fosters musical connection between its namesakes. “I will be organizing a set of Composer Portraits featuring the works of three Iranian composers and one Seattle-based composer,” he says. “These concerts offer immersive explorations into each composer’s works.” Aida Shirazi and Niloufar Shiri will perform their own compositions on May 23.
Nonsequitur’s website contains bountiful information and links for each performing artist and curator. Peters notes that this year’s dates will move at a faster pace than previously, as concerts at the Chapel will be on hold while the Good Shepherd Center undergoes a seismic retrofitting later this year. Learn more at nseq.org.
