Chamber Improv
Chamber improv is music collaboratively improvised by a group of musicians.
In chamber improv jams, we use Conduction ® - a vocabulary of conducted gestures - mixed with improvisational theater games and concepts to get everyone improvising stories and scenes together. By the end of 90 minutes, we'll be composing together in real time. I believe this form of improvisation and collaboration can do a lot to unleash the inner creativity in professional musicians, and deepen the connections and collaboration experiences in both traditional and improvising chamber ensembles. I hope it catches on!
Sound Worlds is the chamber improv theatre company founded by myself and Ali Pappa. Find out more at soundworldsimprov.com.
Natatorium was a virtual theatre show I produced in April 2021 with Density512 and American Berserk Theatre, which featured a quartet of musicians live-scoring, using chamber improv.
You can watch clips of chamber improv jams on my YouTube channel.
Conduction: Bridging the Divide
On February 16th, 2020 I produced and conducted my first full chamber improv show, at Big Medium in Austin, presented by new music collective Density512. We have great media from it and an album coming out at some point, but right after this show I moved to Los Angeles and then COVID showed up, so if you're reading this, I haven't quite gotten it together to share yet.
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It was a hit though! We sold out the intimate space with a 40-person audience, and had a great interactive time with the 11-piece ensemble (2 sopranos, flute, violin, cello, double bass, 2 keyboards, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, percussion, and me conducting! This was really a launching point for me when I realized, "I can produce really meaningful shows!"
Ali attended this show and that's how we got started working and playing music together. While promoting this show we got to do a cool TV and radio spot, with their own unique improvisations:
WATCH us play an improvised piece on 'We Are Austin,' aired on CBS on February 10, 2020.
LISTEN to us improvise three conducted tunes on KUTX's Eklektikos (aired on February 15th, 2020).
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Conduction with Liminal Sound Series
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On March 8th, 2018, Density512 partnered with Liminal Sound Series to put on a concert of conducted improvisations. Dino Deane conducted us and blew my mind with the possibilities. I played flute on it and conducted one piece:
Conducted by Kenzie:
Conducted by Dino, Kenzie on flute:
Conducted by Kenzie: