13th edition of the Intersection Festival returns to downtown Toronto

Toronto’s annual festival of experimental music returns with three days of groundbreaking, and diverse artistry

TORONTO, August 21, 2023 — Intersection, Toronto’s annual festival of experimental music returns with three days of groundbreaking, and diverse artistry running from September 1 to 3, 2023. This vibrant weekend features intimate concerts, main-stage features, and street-level performances that invite audiences into a world of music that many have never experienced before.

Now in its 13th year, Intersection is an annual multi-day festival known for pairing internationally renowned artists alongside local counterparts in a decidedly kaleidoscopic variety of styles. Its storied alumni include the likes of Shalabi Effect, Bang On A Can, John Oswald, Elliott Sharp, Sarah Hennies, Joan LaBarbara, Suzanne Ciani, Eli Keszler, Morton Subotnick, Nihilist Spasm Band, Mick Barr, Wolf Eyes and many more.

Day One Sept. 1

On Friday, September 1, Intersection returns to the historic St. Anne’s Church for its opening night following an appearance from the legendary Anthony Braxton there last year. This time around, the church hosts a rare performance from celebrated NYC experimentalist William Basinski (of Disintegration Loops infamy), who will be presenting his work The Last Symphony. He will be joined by special guest, the Detroit-based experimental electronic audio/visual artist Kuuma.

Intersection’s music marathon has always been the cornerstone of the festival’s programming. Founded in 2007 as the Toronto New Music Marathon, this unique happening at Yonge-Dundas Square has tirelessly shattered preconceptions about experimental music, taking music that would typically be found in small, underground venues, and mounting it for free at one of the most accessible and public locales in the city for anyone and everyone to engage with. 

Day Two Sept. 2

On Saturday, September 2, Intersection continues this tradition from 2 pm until 10 pm. This year’s lineup maintains the spirit of wild eclecticism and encompasses many different forms of sonic exploration. It will feature Baroque-pop rebels Tiger Balme; electro-acoustic saxophonist Naomi McCarroll-Butler (member of Labyrinth Ensemble, Queer Songbook Orchestra); New York post-minimal violinist and Western Vinyl recording artist Christopher Tignor; guitarist Emmanuel Jacob Lacopo (recently featured on CBC’s Hot Thirty Under Thirty list) interpreting iconic iconoclast Julius Eastman; local stalwart Sci-Fi turntablist SlowPitchSound with movement artist Lybido; and the newly formed free-jazz collective Giui (featuring local scene mainstays Andrew Furlong, Kurt Newman, and Mark Zurawinski). Michael Palumbo’s Exit Points ensemble opens the annual marathon with a main stage set, before interacting throughout the day with sound installations by Adam Mirza and Colin Tucker.

Day Three Sept. 3

The final day of the festival (September 3rd) offers a glimpse behind the curtain and several entry points into festival artists’ process through interactive workshops and performances. The day will feature an early afternoon (2pm) performance and lecture by Christopher Tignor at Sonic Boom Records; followed in the evening by a livestreamed roundtable artist discussion with Saturday’s featured artists and workshop/performance of Julius Eastman’s Buddha, led by Emmanuel Jacob Lacopo at the Canadian Music Centre. 

Intersection 2023 catapults musical experimentation into the core of the city over the Labour Day Weekend, and promises to be a stand-out event as the summer festival season winds down.

Other articles from totimes.ca – otttimes.ca – mtltimes.ca