Contemporary Improvisations/ Instant Composition is an interactive acoustic and electro-acoustic workshop exploring perspectives on themes such as: sound/noise, tonality/atonality, “total serialism,” polyrhythm, primal ritualistic rhythms and sounds, eclectic sources, and intuitive instant composition.

Short audio and video excerpts as well as short live examples provide input for discussions, and the participants are also encouraged to present short improvisations at the end. 

Contemporary Improvisations is a serious artistic quest that can be relevant and inspiring to any composer and instrumentalist. 

The workshop introduces eclectic approach through Instant Composition that is based on improvisation on composed motifs. It is inspired by both Western classical/contemporary aesthetics and Non-Western ritualistic music of indigenous cultures. Combining this fundamentally diverse aesthetics under the same compositional medium can inspire different creative responses, including also gaining fresh perception into musical elements.

Connecting musical abilities with intuitive -compositional improvisation is a process that promotes artistic growth and originality for composer and instrumentalist. It also allows for a development of interpretational independence within the classical repertoire, and the contemporary repertoire that include improvisational elements. 

Platform for Ideas Exchange  
Although it is inherently spontaneous and experiential, Contemporary Improvisation and Instant Composition still demands familiarity and continuous training. It is the process of developing one’s individual voice as well as mental resources that correspond to collective aesthetics. Thus, this workshop can eventually develop into a platform for exchanging improvisational -compositional ideas, where students and participants can present regularly works-in-progress for solo or ensembles. 

Album reviews
– “a unique phenomenon on a number of accounts…realizing [Bach] in terms of what the flute does best…greater flexibility and fluency of Kat’s flute… Kat’s solo flute pieces…track the poet’s thoughts as perfect correlative, in beautiful sine curves of sound that enrapture and illuminate our minds.” By Phil’s Review, Atlanta Audio Club (2020)

– “’Flute Soundscapes’ offers the key to describing these pieces. Added percussion, electronic manipulation, and sound effects too abstract to describe contribute to the music. Extended playing techniques such as simultaneous singing and playing, air attacks with no tone, bending pitches, and glissandos are fundamental to the sound palette. The tone quality in these pieces is great well centered and deployed with much variety. “ By Gorman, CD Review- Guide to Records, American Record Guide (2021).

Video and Audio on Contemporary Media Projects

Please feel free to contact with any inquiries and comments.