EMAS Presents is an experimental and improvised music series curated by Seth Andrew Davis + Evan Verploegh. An extension of the collective Extemporaneous Music & Arts Society, EMAS Presents highlights local, national, and international music practitioners to grow Kansas City’s improvised music community.
2026 Series
March 18
May 6
July 15
September 16
October 28
Past EMAS Presents
2025
Marshall Trammell’s Pedagogy of the Surveilled
Music Research Strategies (Marshall Trammell)
3 Expressions of Light and Sound
Dwight Frizzell and Ian O’Neill
Extra-Large Electro-Acoustic Big Band (ELEABB)
Aaron Osborne, Dan DiPiero, Dwight Frizzell, Evan Verploegh, Krista Kopper, Patrick Conway, Shanté Clair, Brad Cox, Loren Broaddus, Zak Pischnotte, Leslie Butsch, Ryan Heinlein, Stephanie Priddy, Andrew Tray, Austin Williamson, and Seth Andrew Davis.
EMAS Presents x Making Moves: Improvised Music & Sound
Members of EMAS / Making Moves
KC/EMAS Renegade Cobra led by Jeff Harshbarger
Shanté Clair, Brad Cox, Seth Andrew Davis, Pete Fucinaro, Kelly Gant, Jeff Harshbarger, Jade Harvey, Ryan Heinlein, Brooke Knoll, Aaron Osborne, Zak Pischnotte, and Brian Steever
2024
The Music of Earle Brown
Shanté Clair, Aaron Osborne, Shawn Hansen, Seth Andrew Davis, Krista Kopper, and Luke Helker
Ra Kalam Bob Moses
Ra Kalam Bob Moses, Kevin Cheli, Seth Andrew Davis, Krista Kopper, Aaron Osborne, Drew Williams, and Evan Verploegh.
Galaxxu Choral Toward Seeping Handfuls of Petrol
Adams, Labratio, Lyons, Maerbach, and Yeck-Stouffer
Smith & Jessen
Phil Smith and Kyle Jessen
Extra Large Experimental Big Band (ELEBB)
Shanté Clair, Brad Cox, Ben Baker, Krista Kopper, Aaron Osborne, Seth Andrew Davis, Evan Verploegh, John Kizilarmut, Kaydee Gabel, Matthew Brahl, Kelley Gant, Leslie Butsch, Zak Pischnotte, Nick Howell, Ryan Heinlein, and Mike Stover
2023
Jack Wright + Ron Stabinsky
Jack Wright, Ron Stabinsky, Dwight Frizzell, Krista Kopper, Seth Andrew Davis, Evan Verplouegh
Gala Flagello’s Graphic Climate
Krista Kopper, Evan Verploegh, Benjamin Baker, Aaron Osborne, Seth Andrew Davis, Daniel Yung, Alberto Racanati, and Brandon Cooper
Black Artists’ Group “Creation Equals Movement” Film Screening
Bryan Dematteis
Hellen Gillet
Hellen Gillet
OKAPI
OKAPI (Scott Gorski and Lindsey Miller)
Intersect and Interdependence
DANCERS: Christine Kraus, Carolyn Radke, Nora Burkitt-Davis, Katarina Fitzpatrick; MUSICIANS: Shanté Clair, Ben Baker, Brooke Knoll, Krista Kopper, Aaron Osborne, and Seth Andrew Davis; VIDEO: Ian O’Neill
2022
Making Moves x EMS Presents: Improv Session
Making Moves, EMAS
Second Nature Ensemble + Kwan Leung Ling
Second Nature Ensemble, Kwan Leung Ling, Even Verploegh, and Ben Baker
Kelley Gant / Brandon Cooper / Drew Williams
Kelley Gant, Brandon Cooper, Drew Williams, Aaron Osborne, and Seth Andrew Davis
Jeff Kaiser / Brooke Knoll
Jeff Kaiser, Brooke Knoll, Even Verploegh, and Seth Andrew Davis
Alex Cunnigham / Damon Smith / Weasel Walter
Alex Cunnigham, Damon Smith, and Weasel Walter
Zachary Hickerson / Brandon Cooper / Krista Kopper
A Night of Time-Based Poetry and Dance
Seth Andrew Davis, Brooke Knoll, Evan Verploegh, Krista Kopper, Rachel Lovelace, Iris Applequist, Nora Burkitt-Davis, Evan Verploegh, and Aron Osborne
Sounds of Silence w/ Stray Cat Film Center—He Who Gets Slapped
Stray Cat Film Center, Ben Baker, Seth Andrew Davis, Shawn Hansen, Luke Helker, Brooke Knoll, Krista Kopper, Aaron Osborne, Daniel Yung
2021
Kyle Hutchins / Aaron Osborne / Seth Andrew Davis / Evan Verploegh
Kyle Hutchins, Aaron Osborne, Seth Davis, and Evan Verploegh
Seth Andrew Davis / Krista Kopper / Evan Verploegh
Seth Davis, Krista Kopper, and Evan Verploegh
Alberto Racanati / Meagan Conley / Seth Andrew Davis / Evan Verploegh
Alberto Racanati, Meagan Conley, Seth Davis, and Evan Verploegh
Ben Baker / Kevin Cheli / Jeff Kaiser / Aaron Osborne
Ben Baker, Kevin Cheli, Seth Andrew Davis, Aaron Osborne, Jeff Kaiser, and Evan Verploegh
Making Moves x EMS Presents: Community Improv
DANCERS: Nora Burkitt, Katarina Fitzpatrick, Kyle Mullins, and Jeramy Zimmerman MUSICIANS: Ben Baker, Seth Andrew Davis, Aaron Osborne, and Alan Voss
Jeff Harsbarger’s KC Renegade COBRA
Jeff Harshbarger