The Vienna Improvisers Orchestra (VIO) was founded in 2004 by sax player and composer Michael Fischer. It is dedicated to the vision of absolutely ad-hoc free improvisation meeting instant compositions, corresponding with Lawrence D. ‘Butch’ Morris’ conduction method. It is one of the earliest and most continuously active improvisation orchestras in the world, and the first large ensemble in Austria to take up a discourse on non-notated sound organisation.
Fischer acts a VIO’s artistic director and instant composition conductor with only a few rules: no preprepared or agreed-on parts, modules or designs; No rehearsals, except a short introductory explanation and try-out of a small vocabulary of about 15 hand-signs, dynamics, timbre, or groupings of instruments; the instant composition usually creates musical space for 35 – 50 minutes; Within the course of an instant composition, only a few hand-signs are given. Each of VIO’s performances features a new ensemble constellation, usually with at least one new musician. So far, about 350 musicians have taken part in VIO’s performances.
live at moers festival 2022 is only VIO’s second album (available only in vinyl format), following the double album 2006-2010 (2012). It features a 16-musician constellation of the VIO, divided into a vocal section, woodwind section, string section, and electronics section. This 45-minute composition develops organically but in completely experimental, unpredictable courses. The vocal section of Nika Zach, Isabell Kargl, and Oglárka Bábiczki, along with the electronics section of synth player Edward Reardon and modular electronics player Bernhard Loibner, sounds at first as if more eager for eccentric, free associative, and mysterious sonic experiments, with its poetic vocalizations and vintage electronic sounds. Eventually, this Dadaist-subversive spirit takes over and stimulates the tension of a passionate, fearless, intense and quite wild improvisation. Fischer wisely maintained a fragile yet balanced equilibrium that explores the compositional undercurrents of this inspired, instant composition.
Eyal Hareuveni
Nika Zach (voice), Isabell Kargl (voice), Boglárka Bábiczki (voice), Tahereh Nourani (flute), Sara Zlanabitnig (flute), Lisa Hofmaninger (soprano saxophone, bass clarinet), Clemens Salesny (alto saxophone, bass clarinet), Emily Stewart (violin), Florian Sighartner (violin), Clementine Gasser (cello), Irmi Vukovich (cello), Martin Burk (double bass), Edward Reardon (synthesizer), Bernhard Loibner (modular electronics), Valentin Duit (drums), Michael Fischer (instant composition conducting)
