The structures of free improvisation are different from the ones of composition – even though the borderlines may be indistinct in specific cases. The main difference derives from the fact, that the improviser can influence, change the meaning and react on everything, that has already been played before, at any stage of the performance. This again means that the improviser is in charge of the structure of the piece till the very last sound, can totally change its architecture at any stage of the performance and thus totally holds responsibility for the piece as musician.

This workshop focuses on free improvisation with a deep sense of soundmaterial and structure. We will concentrate on timing, listening, and various methods of sound producing on the instruments. Experiments, communication and musical games as well as exercises how to create concepts (instant composing), forms and structures - groupwise or solo.

For all, who feel an urge to actively deal with improvisation within the impuls Academy: welcome to join any time - Its open to everybody, but we want to know if you are experienced in improvisation or just beginning.

There will be a daily offer, and most likely different groups as well as collective phases of the "impuls-band", depending on your participation. (Manon-Liu Winter)

Frank Gratkowski and Manon-Liu Winter will work together in team and individually as well.

Shifting focus to contemporary music and free improvisation led to a period of intense experimentation with the instrument for expanding the piano sound and technical capabilities – various preparations, string piano, the inside/outside of the corpus, ways of amplifying.
Frequent participation at important festivals for contemporary music, e.g. “Oesterreich Heute/ Hoergaenge”, “WIEN MODERN” Konzerthaus Wien, V:NM-Festival Graz, “Ensemble of the 20th Century” at the Salzburg Festival, “TON:ART” Bern, Ullrichsberg Kalleidophon, Studio akustische Kunst Köln, Germany, Kulturschutzgebiet Tirol, Dampffabrik Bern, member of “Ensemble 2001”, “The wild bunch”, participation in “Klangforum Wien”Festival, Konfrontationen Nickelsdorf, NOWnow Festival Sidney and many others.
The recent repertoire includes works of Earle Brown, Pierre Boulez, John Cage, Henry Cowell, Morton Feldman, Philip Glass, Mauricio Kagel, György Kurtág, Helmut Lachenmann, György Ligeti, Stephen Montague, Steve Reich, Dieter Schnebel, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Galina Ustwolskaja; and of Austrian composers Christian Ofenbauer, Alexander Stankovski, Katharina Klement, Peter Ablinger, Konrad Rennert, Olga Neuwirth, Hannes Raffaseder, Nader Mashajekhy, Erich Urbanner, Rudolf Jungwirth, Klaus Hollinetz, Friedrich Cerha, Gerhard E. Winkler, etc.
In the field of improvisation collaboration with the musicians Christian Wolff, John Tilbury, Jon Rose, Veryan Weston, Otomo Yoshihide, Peter Herbert, Franz Hautzinger, Burkhard Stangl, Radu Malfatti, Cordula Boesze, Andrea Neumann, Josef Novotny, Christoph Kurzmann, Axel Dörner and others.
Career as soloist and chamber musician, specializing both in music of the classical and modern periods and being in contact with composers such as Luca Lombardi, Christian Ofenbauer, Mayako Kubo and John Cage. Recitals in France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Spain and throughout Austria. Collaborations with members of the Vienna Philharmonics, Haydn Sinfonietta, Jeunesse Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra.
Professor for piano performance, piano pedagogy, specialist class “Improvisation & New Developments in Contemporary Music” at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna.

Manon-Liu Winter will be present at impuls until February 18th.

manonliuwinter.at