Concert for Double Bass ‘In Absentia’
(2022)
author(s): Ivar Roban Krizic
published in: Research Catalogue
The project “Concert for Double Bass ‘In Absentia’” explores the effects of spatial displacement between performer and audience on the production and reception of free improvised practices. An instrument fitted with contact speakers and placed in a space becomes a conduit for sound, creating a reversal of roles–the audience is present in the performance space while the performer streams an improvisation from another location. This setting breaks established conventions and expectations of a performance situation, and therefore allows for a thorough analysis of the various ways in which improvisatory practices are perceived and conceptualized. The framework of the performance provides stimulation resulting in a series of qualitative interviews with members of the audience on the topics of absence, classification, perception of musical form, distraction, and interaction. Through these interviews, clear irritations in relation to the absence of a performer have been observed. These initial irritations in turn stimulated heightened levels of imaginative thinking and listening during the performance. This project shows how an experimental performative setting can provide a starting point for subsequent theoretical research.
Performing Reflection: Improvisation in Word, Thought and Action
(2025)
author(s): IRK
published in: Research Catalogue
This exposition contains the complete artistic output and accompanying reflective documentation of the artistic research doctoral project I conducted at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna between 2021 and 2024.
Free improvisation in music offers a unique field for exploring how artistic practices develop through embodied engagement, critical reflection, and collaborative experimentation. This research focuses particularly on the process of practicing within this context, tracing the evolution of specific exercises and preparatory methods. These were initially tested in collaborative projects with other musicians and later refined through a series of workshops. A central theme that emerged throughout this process is the role of reflection—both musical and verbal—as a vital component of artistic development. This realization culminated in the project Performing Reflection, which established a dialogical relationship between musical improvisation and reflective discourse. The work contributes to a deeper understanding of how structured exercises and reflective practices can support and expand the art of free improvisation, offering new perspectives on its preparation, pedagogy, and performance.
