Catalyst Improvisational-Experimental Ensemble
Friday 28 February @ EMP Lab, 16:00 - 18:00
We’re are starting a student-driven group dedicated to free improvisation, experimental music, and avant-garde performance. Whether you play an instrument, create with electronics, or simply love sound, this ensemble is a lovely opportunity to dive into spontaneous composition creation. Inspired by artists like Pauline Oliveros, Cornelius Cardew, Keith Rowe, James Tenney, and Michael Pisaro, we’ll explore unconventional approaches to music-making in a supportive and creative environment.
/// Details
- Location: EMP Lab
- Time: 16:00 - 18:00
- Room available: 15:30 - 18:30 for setup/teardown
- 💥 Sign up -> HERE
- Rehearsal schedule listed below
What to expect:
- Collaborative improvisation & experimental performance
- Graphic & text scores (Cardew, Pisaro, Tenney, etc.)
- Sound walks, electronic integration & alternative notation
- Deep listening & sonic meditation (Oliveros)
- Re-interpretations of avant-garde works (e.g., Morton Feldman’s Projections)
- Opportunities for structured & free-form performances
Rehearsal Dates
- February 28
- March 21
- April 4
- May 2
- May 16
/// Who can join?
This ensemble is open to all music students interested in experimental approaches—regardless of instrument or genre. No prior experience with improvisation is required. Just bring your instrument, voice, laptop, or anything that makes sound! Our first meeting we will discuss the ensemble’s goals, set expectations, and maybe even come up with a cool name together! If you’re curious but unsure, this is the perfect chance to check it out.
/// Led by Martina Bertoni
Guided by EMP tutor and cellist Martina Bertoni, these sessions will introduce key concepts of experimental music, facilitate group dynamics, and encourage you to find your unique artistic voice through improvisation. Martina Bertoni is an experimental cellist and composer whose work bridges the physical and emotional realms of sound. Classically trained, she has developed a distinctive practice centered on electronic music, drones, synthesis, modern composition, and generative systems. Her music explores liminal spaces where perception, sound, and emotion intersect, challenging conventional listening paradigms. Using time, proximity, and timelessness as compositional tools, Martina crafts immersive sonic structures that evoke introspection and transformation.