Leap of Faith Orchestra - Probability Clouds

PEK – clarinets, saxophones, double reeds
Glynis Lomon – cello, aquasonic, voice
Bob Moores – trumpet
Kat Dobbins – trombone
Duane Reed – baritone horn, bass trombone
Federicco Balducci – guitar
Eirc Woods – modular analog synth
Eric Zinman – piano
John Voigt – bass
Silvain Castellano – bass
Adrienne Schoenfeld – bass

Five times a year, a smallish Leap of Faith Orchestra (10 to 15 players) heads over to Third Life Studios in Somerville for an evening of large ensemble improvisation. For the first half of the show, we do four short 15 minute improvisations or three 20 minute improvisations by different trio, quartet or quintet sub-groupings of the orchestra. Then we do a 50 minute improvisation with everyone.

These shows are open to the entire Evil Clown roster of about 50 musicians. So, although we have some steady regulars, the orchestra really is different every time. I assign the sub-units to take advantage of unusual groupings of instruments. I also bring a bunch of auxiliary instruments like wood blocks, hand chimes, bells, slide whistles, sirens, etc., which we distribute though the ensemble to enable players to completely change their sound.

For the longer improvisation with everyone, we have a rule that each player should lay out for roughly a third of the duration of the piece. Together with the broad palate provided by a large ensemble with everyone capable of instrument changes, this rule naturally creates a steady flow of transformations though different sonorities.