Contemporary Kids: Creative Music-Making
June 14
1-2:30 PM or 3-4:30 PM
Workshop
Join us for a special musical workshop in collaboration with the Sound Atlas New Music Festival! The sessions will be led by the talented musicians from the Festival’s Contemporary Performance Lab (CPL) Fellowship.
We will start with a special live musical tour of Erdem Taşdelen’s graphic scores. Kids will then team up to create their own seasonal graphic score, exploring how visual elements can shape the way music sounds. They will also learn how to collaborate on improvisation and creative music-making. Together, we'll transform the graphic scores into original musical pieces that tell stories about the nature that surrounds us.
No experience required—just bring your imagination! The workshop will offer a unique blend of hands-on activities and live performances by SAF musicians, bringing the visual artworks to life through an immersive sonic experience.
Our free onsite Contemporary Kids programs invite children to learn about modern and contemporary art through unique and engaging art activities.
For children ages 5-12. Maximum group of 25 children, with one guardian per child.
Questions? Please visit our FAQ page.
Contemporary Calgary Educational Programs are often photographed. This photography includes the participants, parents or guardians and their creations. If you wish not to be photographed, please let Contemporary Calgary education staff know upon arrival, and they will assist you.
The same workshop is offered in four sessions for your convenience: two sessions on June 14. Choose one session that suits your schedule best.
Sunday, June 14
1:00-2:30 PM
Sunday, June 14
3:00-4:30 PM
About Sound Atlas New Music Festival (SAF)
Sound Atlas New Music Festival (SAF) embarks on its fourth year by gathering sound as a living geography—charted not by borders, but by forces that shape how music is imagined, made, and shared. We are thrilled to present season IV Realms of Influence, with our ears fixed on the currents that move through contemporary creation: lineage and rupture, place and displacement, technology and touch. Across three days, the festival becomes a meeting ground where composers, performers, and listeners step into overlapping worlds, each shaped by distinct gravitational pulls and soundscapes rooted in modern composition, sound design, and inspiring performances of chamber music.
With this year's featured composer, Kevin Day, the artist lineup reflects influence not as hierarchy, but as conversation. Established voices share space with emerging ones; acoustic ritual collides with digital speculation; local histories resonate alongside global idioms. Some works trace their power back to mentors and traditions, while others are shaped by machines, networks, and the altered acoustics of modern life.
Sound Atlas Festival 2026 and the Contemporary Performance Lab are sponsored by Walt and Irene Deboni.
About the Instructors
Yuan Ge, Director of Education, Sound Atlas Festival
Yuan Ge holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Business & Management from Berklee College of Music and a Master’s degree in Music Industry Leadership from Northeastern University. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Music Education at the University of Calgary.
Originally from the music business world, Yuan spearheaded marketing efforts for artists such as Christina Aguilera and Kenshi Yonezu in his previous positions. Now with over four years of music education experience in both private and public capacities, he brings his expertise in creative marketing and education as the Director of Education for the Sound Atlas Festival. He is also the social media manager for the JUNO-nominated band, Ginger Beef, and serves as the chairperson of the board for the Young Professional Musicians Collective.
Matthew Barnett (Piano)
Matthew is a 22-year-old pianist from Calgary, Canada with an interest in contemporary works and collaborative music experiences. A Recent graduate of the Bachelor of Music Program at the University of Calgary, Matthew has also sought specialized education in Collaborative work with Vocalists, attending the Collaborative Piano Institute in June of 2024 and earning an Advanced Performance Diploma from the Mount Royal Conservatory. Matthew has worn many hats, performing wherever will take him, as the pianist for Cowtown Brass Band, Calgary Unitarians, featured pianist for the UCalgary Jazz Orchestra and the Alberta Winds Ensemble, and more. When he can escape the practice room, Matthew explores his fascination with history and how we discuss our past. Matthew is very excited to be a part of the Sound Atlas Festival and to work with so many amazing people.
Gabrielle Marquis (Flute)
Gabrielle Marquis is currently in the final year of her Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance at the University of Calgary, where she studies with Dr. Lucie Jones. A dedicated ensemble musician, she served as principal flute for the University of Calgary Orchestra from 2022 to 2024 and has been a member of the Wind Ensemble since the beginning of her degree. Outside of university, Gabby is a long-time participant in the Academy Programme for Young Artists at the Mount Royal University Conservatory, through which she has received chamber and performance coaching, and performed in masterclasses for guest artists such as Jim Walker, Carolyn Christie, and Joanna G’froerer. In addition to her performance work, she is passionate about music education and teaches privately. Gabby also has a growing interest in flute repair and preventative maintenance, particularly regarding school band instruments.
Sweta Babladi (Flute)
Sweta Babladi is a Calgary-born flautist, singer and teacher who is currently completing her Bachelor of Music at the University of Calgary studying flute performance with Dr. Lucie Jones. Her passion for music started with her early training in vocal Carnatic music and the piano, and she found her love for the flute through her school bands at the age of 12.
Currently, Sweta is Co-Principal Flute in the MRU Conservatory’s Calgary Youth Orchestra and the University of Calgary Orchestra, as well as a member of the University of Calgary Wind Ensemble. She performed with the Mount Royal Chamber Flutes in 2023, and is a founding member of the recently established Seraphina Flute Quartet.
Sweta is dedicated to music education and advocacy in the performing arts. As a private studio instructor, she regularly works with young children one-on-one to teach them the flute and piano. During her time in the Calgary Pro Musica’s 2025-2026 Young Artists Development Program, she had the opportunity to develop her skills as a performer while working to create school concerts that captivate young audiences.
Henry Wu (Percussion)
Henry Wu (b. 2001) is a percussionist born in China and based in Montréal, Canada. As a percussionist, Henry enjoys working with a full range of percussion instruments in many contexts, as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. He has performed with many orchestras and wind ensembles in Canada and China, including the McGill Symphony Orchestra, Ammolite Opera, the Alberta Winds, Calgary Civic Symphony, Orchestra Academia China, and the Beijing Wind Orchestra. As a soloist, Henry was the first-prize winner of the 2024 University of Calgary Bach Competition. He has performed at conferences such as The Space Between IV, hosted by the Canadian Percussion Network. Henry obtained his Bachelor of Music degree from University of Calgary and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Percussion Performance at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University, under the instruction of Fabrice Marandola, Kristie Ibrahim, Alexandre Lavoie and Shawn Mativetsky.
About our Education Facilitators
Vicky Xingyu Gu
(she/her)
TD Education Facilitator
Vicky Xingyu Gu is a Chinese animator who holds a BFA in Animation from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MFA in Digital Arts & Animation from the University of Southern California. During her studies, she explored narrative, documentary, and experimental forms of animation. Her works draw inspiration from cultural conflicts, emotional struggles, and societal issues, while experimenting with both digital and traditional media to create layered, hybrid, and provocative forms of storytelling. Since relocating to Calgary, she has become an active participant in the local arts community. She has been teaching various forms of animation with Quickdraw Animation Society and enjoys guiding participants of all ages through creative practices such as drawing, collage, mixed media, and visual storytelling. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and baking, watching animated movies, and playing horror games.
Shaghayegh (Poppy) Ghasemi
(she/her)
Education Facilitator
Shaghayegh (Poppy) Ghasemi is a PhD candidate at the University of Calgary, with research focusing on children. She holds a bachelor's degree in Museum Studies and a master's in Anthropology. Awards from both the University of Manitoba and the University of Calgary have supported her research on child neglect. Poppy has over six years of hands-on experience working with children and youth in museums and schools across Iran, Turkey, and Canada. Before joining Contemporary Calgary, she was a program educator at the Manitoba Children's Museum. She is passionate about activating children's critical and creative thinking through programs delivered in English, French, Farsi, and Turkish. In her leisure time, she enjoys cooking and playing chess.
Dandan Gu
(she/her)
Education Facilitator
Dandan Gu graduated from the Alberta University of the Arts with a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication Design. Prior to that, she obtained her first bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, China. Dandan has worked as a graphic designer for various companies and creative projects. Currently, she passionately serves as an educational assistant for art-making programs within the community, sharing her creative expertise with young learners. In her free time, Dandan enjoys practicing ink art, Chinese calligraphy, and illustrating cats and people around her.
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