
Improvisation

Two sound artists on noise, fractals, Bach, Cecil Taylor, the new 7 PM ritual, and whether we still have use for the word improvisation.

Paramodernities juxtaposes scholarly texts with movement, deconstructing iconic dances by Ailey, Balanchine, Cunningham, Fosse, Graham, and Nijinsky.

The composer and percussionist’s Autoschediasms language invites collaborative composition between a conductor and musicians by employing a lexicon of gestures and textual cues.

Sisters Lydela and Michel Nonó conduct performative interventions at their art space/home in Puerto Rico, using improvisation to process family memories and trace the wounds of colonialism.
The two musicians converse about their working-class upbringing, the elitism of the avant-garde, and the politics of goofiness.

Before the premiere of their multimedia collaboration LIGATURE, visual artist Auerbach and saxophonist Hillmer talk about connectivity, geometry, and the nature of mind.

The vocal improviser discusses the visceral tactility of the voice as a medium for organic and synthetic sound.

A selection of recently reissued music by Basil Kirchin, High Rise, Michael Cosmic, and Phill Musra Group.

The percussionist combines martial arts, herbalism, acupuncture, and technology to concoct a healing potion equal parts ancient tradition and pioneering experimentation.

“I think that creative improvisation music models the democratic principle. Heads of state and legislative bodies could learn a lot from this practice.”