The Instigation Orchestra is a large ensemble made up of performers from the Festival’s pool of artists. 

This year, the Instigation Orchestra celebrates its 8th year of bringing Chicago and New Orleans music-and-movement artists together for a week of interdisciplinary collaboration by partnering with the 2023 Hyde Park Jazz Festival to premiere a new composition by multidisciplinary artist Aurora Nealand.

Previous iterations of the orchestra have premiered pieces by Jeff Albert, Katinka Kleijn, Lia Kohl, Damon Locks, and Mars Williams.

The musicians:

Jeff Albert - trombone

Anton Hatwich - bass

Ben LaMar Gay - cornet, voice

Helen Gillet - cello, voice

Katinka Kleijn - cello

Quin Kirchner - drums

Damon Locks - electronics

Steve Marquette - guitar

Sasha Masakowski - electronics, voice

Aurora Nealand - saxophone, composition

Dan Oestreicher - saxophones

James Singleton - bass

Macie Stewart - violin, voice