‚visiting improvisation‘ is an attempt to explore the various fields in music where improvisation takes place. Many music cultures incorporate improvisation as one of their main characteristics. The film project tries to find out where sources of improvisation lie and how we can gain access to that state of flow, which allows a musician to reach his full musical potential and creativity.
I made the experience that lyrics and harmony during improvisation seemed to be poured through me as if they were coming from an outer source. Scientific tests by Prof. Charles Limb show that during improvisation the brain areas of communication and subconsciousness are active while areas of ratio remain silent. In talking to musicians and musicologists from various genres and by filming artists during their performance, I want to illustrate the phenomenon of improvisation – as if opening windows to different musical landscapes.
Combining interviews with musicians and film sequences of rehearsals and concerts „visiting improvisation“ becomes a documentary film on…
improvisation in …
… free jazz
… Gypsy swing
… classical music
… Indian music
… new classical music and it‘s composition
… and their fusions
seen from the point of view of professional musicians
with examples for…
… guitar (Lulo Reinhardt / gypsy swing – latin jazz, …)
… vocals (Audrey Chen /free improv, Phil Minton / free improv…)
… percussion and drums (Ramesh Shotham / India…)
… strings (Mivos Quartett / improv)
… oud (Raed Khoshaba Shamoon / Iraqi, … )
… saxophone (Peter Brötzmann / freejazz, …)
… organ (Prof. Wolfgang Seifen, …)
… composition (Bojan Vuletic, …)
the aim
The video sequences of interviews, concerts and rehearsals build the basis for the film. Photographs taken during the improvisation sessions will document the project.
After each meeting a blog entry with some of the photos will provide an insight into the progress of ‚visiting improvisation‘ inviting the audience to share and discuss the topic.
A trailer of the film will be shown at Diesner‘s photo exhibition at Tonhalle Düsseldorf in September 2011.
The final film version will be accompanied by a prototype for a catalogue, which will include the transcripts of the interviews and photos of the project‘s protagonists.
All participating interview partners will receive the photos, which result from the meetings in resolution for their free use.
acknowledgments
Unfolding the concept was process nourished and inspired by many people during the last months. Special thanks go to Michael Becker (general manager, Tonhalle Düsseldorf), Udo Flaskamp (public relations and marketing manager, Tonhalle Düsseldorf), Dr. Wolfram Goertz (music critique, Rheinische Post), Isolde Ruck (music consultant, KURWENALKULTUR), Elisabeth von Leliwa (dramaturge, Tonhalle Düsseldorf), Katrin Weizel (public relations manager, Tanzhaus NRW) and of course to all musicians and scientists who take part
in this „field work“. The interview partners for the film have been collected by recommendation and through research.
The project would not be possible without helping hands behind the camera:
Arne Birken or Nicola Neuse joined the appointments to provide their experience in film making.
interview questions
• How do you use improvisation in your personal musical work?
Do you think the ability to improvise reflects to other areas of your life?
• What are your sources of improvisation? spiritual components?
• If someone wants to learn improvisation – what advice would you give?
methods, teachers, rules (and how to apply them), borders
• What is the best state for improvisation and (how) do you prepare for it?
setting, physical and mental (flow)
• Advice for the project: venues to visit (sessions) / Who should I also talk to?
• With whom would you like to improvise together (past and future)?
example for a great concert / session
• Please describe improvisation with max. five keywords…
(your feelings during improvisation)
susanne diesner
Susanne Diesner was born in Düsseldorf in 1978. Diesner has studied art history, English and information science at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf and SOAS (School for Oriental and African Studies), College of the University of London. During her studies she began to take photos of art and music and started to work as a freelance photographer in 2004. In summer 2006 Susanne Diesner became the house photographer of the concert hall Tonhalle Düsseldorf and specialized in stage photography for classical music. Meanwhile she took part in a University seminar in which she constructed a concept for an university art path. The results of this seminar were presented in talks at Heinrich-Heine University and Kunsthalle Düsseldorf and were published as a book. Diesner graduated in 2007 with final exams on „the information
market“ and „John Cage.“ In her masters thesis she developed an ethnological approach to the topic „Buddhism and Shinotism as motive sources in contemporary Japanese photography.“
Susanne Diesner‘s photos of conductors and soloists are regularly published in the newspaper Rheinische Post and various other media. The Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Robert-Schumann-Hochschule for Music and Deutsche Oper am Rhein belong to her regular customers.
Clients like NDR Radiophilharmonie, Gasteig Munich or duesseldorf festival
book her to document concerts and portait artists while conducting and playing.
Many musicians use her photos for their public relations work. Diesner has photographed hundreds of rehearsals and concerts over the past years, has documented tour to Moscow, Warsaw, the Basque Country, Tokyo, and Muscat (Oman).
In September 2011 Tonhalle Düsseldorf exhibited Diesner‘s concert photos for the first time.
The film project ‚visiting improvisation‘ combines Susanne Diesner‘s conceptual approach with her love for music and photography. Since 1993 she is singing in bands, visits sessions and improvises. Susanne Diesner lives and works in Düsseldorf.
visiting improvisation 