The Karl Berger Improvisers Orchestra
Performs Its 75th Concert!

Fall Season Kicks Off
Wednesday, September 24
at Shapeshifter Lab
September 15, Woodstock, NY – The Karl Berger Improvisers Orchestra kicks off its fall season on Wednesday, September 24 at 7pm at Shapeshifter Lab with the 75th performance since its inception in 2011.  Each show features an open workshop/rehearsal and typically consists of an orchestra of 30 or more professional string, horn, reed, and percussion soloists who turn improvisational ideas developed in the open workshop/rehearsals into fully formed performances.

The KBIO Orchestra Fall Schedule:

  • Wednesday, Sep 24, 7pm at Shapeshifter Lab (75th KBIO performance)
  • Saturday, Oct 4, 7:30pm at El Taller (final concert there)
  • Thursday, Oct 9, 7pm at Shapeshifter Lab
  • Thursday, Nov 20, 7pm at Shapeshifter Lab

Conducted in Karl’s inimitable style developed at the legendary Creative Music Studio, the Karl Berger Improvisers Orchestra of extraordinary improvisers explores original compositions by Karl Berger as well as melodies from the world’s folk traditions, and themes written by visionaries such as Don Cherry or Ornette Coleman, as well as musical ideas that arise spontaneously in solo/duo/trio improvisations by the orchestra’s musicians. Karl’s conducting blends and harmonizes improvised sounds and rhythms in constantly shifting instrumentations.  One of the orchestra’s trademarks is Ingrid Sertso’s uncanny vocalizations and poetry.

The growing roster of KBIO musicians include: percussionists: Warren Smith, Joe Hertenstein, Lou Grassi, John Pietaro, Hollis Headrick;  bassists: Ken Filiano, Max Johnson, Joe Fonda, Nicolas Letman, Kevin Ray, John Murchison; cello: Tomas Ulrich, Federico Papi;  viola: Judith Insell, , Alva Anderson;  violin: Jason Hwang, Ernesto Llorens, Sana Nagano, Chern Hwei Fung, Leonor Falcon;  trumpets: Ben Syversen, Thomas Heberer, Brian Groder, Steven Bernstein; cornet: Matt Lavelle; trombone: Westbrook Johnson, Rick Maurer; euphonium Yasuno Katsuki; shakuhachi: Ken Ya Kawaguchi, Andrew Laties; flutes: Sylvain Leroux, Yukari Watanabe, Haruna Fukazawa, Nick Gianni; clarinet: Blaise Siwula, Jason Candler, Miguel Malla, Don Payne; bass clarinet: Michael Lytle, Josh Sinton, Christof Knoche; oboe: Richard Keene; soprano sax: Avram Fever, Gene Coleman; alto sax  Welf Dorr, Patrick Brennan, Mercedes Figueras, Rocco John,; tenor sax Peter Apfelbaum, James Brendon Lewis, Ras Moshe, Yoni Kretschmer, Steven Gauci; baritone sax: Bill Ylitalo, Sean Sonderegger; guitar: Harvey Valdes, Kenny Wessel, Michael Gassmann; mandolin: John Ehlis; voice/poetry Ingrid Sertso.

KBIO performances benefit the Creative Music Studio Archive Project, preserving, digitizing and re-mastering over 400 historic CMS concert recordings from the 1970s and 80s. Some artists heard in these recordings include: Dave Holland, Don Cherry, Jimmy Giuffre, Wadada Leo Smith, The Art Ensemble Of Chicago, George Lewis, Carla Bley, Nana Vasconcelos, Trilok Gurtu, Collin Walcott, Kalaparusha, Oliver Lake, Ismet Siral, Ed Blackwell, and Cecil Taylor. The CMS Archive is being housed for posterity at Columbia University Library and has received support from the Grammy Foundation.

The Creative Music Foundation makes it possible to profoundly experience and express our deep connection with the transforming energies of music, our universal language. CMF programs focus on the common elements of all music, emphasizing keen awareness, personal expression, intensive listening and cross-cultural communication, and providing unique opportunities for musicians, students and listeners from different backgrounds and traditions to explore together, share, develop, and broaden their musical understanding and sensitivity. CMF pursues its mission through workshops, residencies, coaching, concerts, recordings and archival projects that engage both listeners and musicians in the USA and around the world.

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