Zorn @ 70: A Walker Art Center John Zorn Marathon

“A towering pillar of a new-music universe he has worked tirelessly to foster and enrich.” —New York Times

Category-defying composer and instrumentalist John Zorn celebrates his 70th birthday with a 12-hour immersive festival featuring 20 key musical collaborators. Taking place across multiple venues—ranging from the Walker galleries, McGuire Theater, and the Basilica of Saint Mary—this one-of-a-kind marathon brings together Zorn and major figures such as guitarists Bill Frisell and Julian Lage, keyboardist John Medeski, the Jack String Quartet, as well as percussionists Ches Smith, Kenny Wollesen, and Sae Hashimoto.

The festivities begin with free acoustic concerts throughout the galleries, and continues in the evening with three concerts in the McGuire Theater. The day culminates with Zorn’s free midnight Hermetic Organ recital on the Basilica of Saint Mary’s massive 1949 Wicks Opus 3047 organ.