Improvisations
Group improvisation around familiar themes is one of our favorite ways of getting in synch with each other’s styles, and getting to know the patterns of a new piece. Improvisation is also a great teaching tool, for performance and composition.
Our two favorite improvisations use themes from our original music: the introductory harmony for the bridge sections of Daughter of Apocalypse, and the underlying chant from Tumbling Away. Both these improvisations appear in multiple versions on our albums.
Improvisations:
One of our habitual warm-up improvisations borrows the familiar melody and harmony from that eternally over-played piano practice peace Heart and Soul, a starting point from which we take great improvisational liberties, usually using the lyrics: “Wouldn’t this be very fun to play on the bells at Cornell University…” We have not recorded this, but you may sometimes hear it leaking out under the door during rehearsal.