SOUND ATLAS FESTIVAL: Realms of Influence
June 26–28
Heather Edwards Theatre
Sound gathers as a living geography—charted not by borders, but by forces that shape how music is imagined, made, and shared. Sound Atlas Festival 2026 presents Realms of Influence illuminating the currents that move through contemporary creation: lineage and rupture, place and displacement, technology and touch. We invite you to join us over three days where composers, performers, and listeners step into overlapping worlds, each shaped by distinct gravitational pulls and soundscapes rooted in modern composition, sound design, and exceptional chamber music performances.
Joining our Realms of Influence as a first time Sound Atlas Festival goer? Take 50% off with discount code NEW2SAF (limit 2 discounted tickets per person). We are pleased to offer Full Access festival passes and Ambassador passes to all three days and nine distinct sets so you don't miss a note. As always, you can expect world-class performances by local, national, and international artists of music solely by living composers in a dynamic and interactive coalescence of musical possibilities!
Featured artists: Kevin Day (2026 featured composer), Holly Roadfeldt, NUM, Kensington Sinfonia, Timothy Steeves, Rod Thomas Squance & Zaheer-Abbas Janmohamed, Contemporary Performance Lab fellows, and host ensemble Latitude 49.
Artistic Directors: Jani Parsons & Chris Sies
Block Party
June 24 | 7-9 PM
Free Event, Contemporary Calgary Front Plaza
Bring lawn chairs or a blanket, big ears, and all good spirits as we feature a selection of artists of the Sound Atlas Festival in an evening of laughter, storytelling, fellowship, great beer, and of course LIVE MUSIC at the 2026 Sound Atlas Festival! Featuring Calgary’s own The Establishment Brewing Company, beer will be available for purchase and consumption inside of Contemporary Calgary, our festival partner. Outside, expect one-of-a-kind performances by world-renowned artists in a pop-up stage in the front plaza of Contemporary Calgary. The inaugural SAF Block Party offers a sneak preview of Sound Atlas Fest in a relaxed, joy-filled setting, and is a family-friendly event. FREE event, no ticket required.
Day 1: Lineage and Rupture
June 26 | 7 PM
The 2026 Sound Atlas Festival's Realms of Influence begins where past and present collide with Day 1 - Lineage and Rupture. Here, composers, performers, and listeners step into overlapping worlds, each shaped by distinct gravitational pulls and soundscapes. Featured artists include Holly Roadfeldt, Latitude 49, Rod Thomas Squance and Zaheer-Abbas Janmodhamed
Day 2: Altered Currents
June 27 | 7 PM
Welcome to Day 2 - Altered Currents where works are shaped by nature, machines, networks, and the altered acoustics of modern life. Journey with us through various performance spaces in Contemporary Calgary, as we bring you the best of contemporary music by living composers and sound artists in dynamic performances that will fill you with wonder. Featured artists include Contemporary Performance Lab fellows, Latitude 49, and NUM
Day 3: Coalescence
June 28 | 2 PM
Welcome to Day 3 - Coalescence, in which we wander through zones of exchange, where music reveals the invisible forces acting upon it—and upon us. Here, influence is not something we escape, but something we inhabit, reshape, and send forward, carrying its echoes into new terrain. Featured artists include Timothy Steeves, Kensington Sinfonia with Jani Parsons, and Latitude 49