About Outsound

The mission of Outsound Presents is to encourage experimental musical composition, improvisational performance, and the invention and use of new musical instruments. Genres include jazz, the avant-garde, found sound, noise art, musique concrète, minimalism, and the unnamable. We support the presentation of original works of new, creative, and experimental music and sound while raising public awareness of local and touring musicians as an alternative to both traditional and market-driven music.

Currently, Outsound Presents produces at least two weekly music series throughout the year, actively promotes artists who have participated in Outsound performances, and seeks to introduce a wider audience to new music through talks, demonstrations and performances at local schools and colleges and other educational venues. The organization’s premiere showcase is the weeklong New Music Summit, held each year in July.

Current Board:

• Jason Berry, Production Consultant
• Sheila Bosco, Co-Director, Board Secretary
• Amanda Chaudhary, Production Consultant, Board President
• Philip Everett, Production Consultant
• Bill Noertker, Production Director
• Ray Scheaffer, Production Consultant
• John Vaughn, Production Consultant
• Rent Romus, Executive Director, Board Treasurer
• Polly Springhorn, Grant Writer
• Tim Walters, Production Consultant

Past support volunteer roster includes:

• Kathleen Quillian, Grant writer
• Suki O'Kane, Production Director
• David Katz, Funding consultant
• Jennifer Chu, Grant Writer, Board member
• Matt Davignon, Production Director, Board member
• Pete Martin, Production Consultant, Board member
• Robert Anbian, Production Consultant, Board member
• Collette McCaslin, Production Director, Board member

Additional staff of five to seven volunteers annually. Selling Merchandise, Helping to set up stage, chairs etc. Working the door.

Outsound New Music Summit FAQ

Booking for the Summit is by invitation only. We welcome discovering new artists for consideration. If you are an experimental/improviser in any format, musician, or sound artist please contact us. More information about the Summit can be found at its home page.

S.I.M.M. (Static Illusion Methodical Madness) Series FAQ

Alternating Sundays, Studio 6 @ The Music Union Hall, 116 9th Street @ Mission St., 1.5 blocks from Civic Center Street BART, San Francisco. The SIMM Series is a musician run/audience funded music series for experimental and original chamber music now in it's 7th season bringing highly professional and truly adventurous music that would not normally be heard or supported by mainstream society. We ask audience to contribute $10-25 in support of the artists. All Ages welcome.

We are currently taking proposal performance requests. If you would like to be considered for the series contact Rent Romus at Outsound. There is no sound system, one piano, and can seat 30-40 depending on performing group size.

Directions : BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Station: Civic Center /Walk down Market Street from station exit Turn left on 9th St. 116 9th St.

History

Outsound began in February 2000 as a monthly music performance series at 848 Divisadero under the name Static Illusion/Methodical Madness (SIMM). As the series grew, performances moved to the Musician's Union Hall. Presently, Outsound is offering three performance series at different locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Performances feature international as well as local talent in a broad range of new music and improvisational genres.

The Outsound New Music Summit, presented during the last week in July in San Francisco, has been showcasing the most innovative and pioneering new music in California and beyond since 2002. The Festival includes music and sound ranging from free improvisation, to electronic manipulation, to noise, to sonic sculptural art reflecting genre busting exploration and creativity.

The SIMM Series is a musician run/audience funded music series bringing highly professional and adventurous music that would not normally be heard or supported by mainstream venues. The series presents sixteen to twenty performances a year, bi-weekly on season (Spring-Fall) and monthly off season.

The Luggage Store New Music Series presented weekly Thursday night performances until it was retired in December of 2024. It was the longest standing experimental music series in the S.F. Bay Area. Operating since 1991, Outsound was given curator-ship in 2001.