An Improvised Music Workshop led by innovative cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and percussionist Michael Zerang will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Northern Michigan University’s Reynolds Recital Hall. This free event is open to all musicians interested in exploring spontaneous, in the moment, imaginative music and will expose one’s ears to a unique level of musical communication. Participation is encouraged, but observation is also welcome. No improvisation experience is necessary.  For more information, contact Carrie Biolo at the NMU music department at 227-1041 or cbiolo@nmu.edu.

Zerang has taught as a guest artist at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in performance technique and sound design as related to puppetry, rhythmic analysis for dancers at the Dance Center of Columbia College and Northwestern University, courses in composer-choreographer collaborations at Northwestern University, and music to children at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. He has held workshops in improvisational music and extended percussion techniques. He also teaches private lessons in rhythmic analysis, music composition, and percussion technique.

Cellist, composer and improviser Lonberg-Holm studied composition with Morton Feldman, Anthony Braxton, Pauline Oliveros, Bunita Marcus and Noah Creshevsky and cello with Orlando Cole and Ardyth Alton. He lives in Chicago, where he works with a wide variety of musicians in as many situations as possible. He also leads revolving cast large ensembles under the name Lightbox Orchestra. His extensive discography includes free improvised and free jazz recordings as well as new music, pop, rock and noise. In addition to composing and performing, he has made a number of sound installations including recently at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Joymore and Geschiedle Gallery.