Improvised Music Series: Nathan Hanson/Steve Hirsh - October 15, 2026

Nathan Hanson and Steve Hirsh create spontaneously composed music that starts from an impulse informed by jazz. Their shared musical language derives from a wide variety of sources including folk, classical, rock and other musics. Together they make soundscape dialogues that explore aspects of our shared humanity. This tour is in support of "Memory is Subjective", a 2026 release on Mahakala Music. Saxophonist and 2026 American Composers Forum McKnight Fellow Nathan Hanson (he/him) makes music that invites listeners to stand outside themselves and the flow of time. His improvisations are “lithe and soaring, engaging in judicious honk 'n' splatter” (New York City Jazz Record). In Europe, Hanson has performed at the Atlantique Jazz Festival, Splendor in Amsterdam and the Sons d’Hiver Festival in Paris. In the US he’s played at New York’s Knitting Factory, the Outpost in Albuquerque, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and Chicago’s Elastic. Whether it’s a cathedral, concert hall, tree farm, or sculpture garden, Hanson investigates how to channel the sound of each performance space. The energy of the audience circulates with the music, silence and breath. The effect leads listeners to become more present to the unfolding of each moment. Steve Hirsh (he/him) composes music on the drumset. His music is created in real-time, on the bandstand. This music cannot be defined, limited or categorized by genre. It is a process for creating that draws from all the influences of all the players. Based in Minnesota, Steve tours nationally and collaborates with improvising musicians around the world. Among those he has worked with are Daniel Carter, William Parker, Dave Sewelson, Matthew Shipp, Eri Yamamoto, Steve Swell, Sally Gates, Matt Hollenberg, Zoh Amba, Ellen Christi, Luke Stewart and Joel Futterman. His collaborations with top free-jazz innovators have shaped a responsive, interactive style that anchors the ensembles with both rhythmic drive and creative color.