Everyone,

MOMENT MUSIC Wien 2011 started the evening last night and was wonderfully received! The octet performed for about forty minutes with each member taking turns conducting. Our three workshops paid off! Many pictures were taken and even a recording was made. I hope to post them soon!

I am off to the alps today for the Easter weekend. My father and mother have a home on the lake in Zell am See. It will be good to catch up with them as I have not seen them at all this week because every day I have been doing something. I will take the train back to Vienna on Monday in order to jam at Celeste one more time before I fly back to the U.S. on Tuesday.

I want to thank EVERYONE who participated in MOMENT MUSIC Wien 2011 at Kollektiv Akt III (Alex, Jean-Christian, Markus, Max, Reka, Rio, and Thomas). And I want to thank everyone who came out to hear the sounds. But Max Bogner deserves a ton of praise for what he is organizing at mo.e. Max, you are an inspiration. You organize and sit back and watch it all happen with such joy. It was truly a pleasure and honor to be a part of the festival.

More soon,

TZ

Everyone,

Today is the big day! We had our final rehearsal yesterday and the conductions continue to become more and more adventurous. Each member has his or her own style and vision. But the trick is not to fall into habit and convention but to keep listening to the sound and structuring it in a way that is exciting!!!

If you are in Vienna, please come hear MOMENT MUSIC Wien 2011 tonight at 8 p.m. at mo.e. You will not be disappointed!

Trying to keep the mind clear and the channels open,

TZ

Everyone,

Yesterday we held our second MOMENT MUSIC workshop as part of Kollektiv Akt III at mo.e. After the first day of solos and duos, I suggested doing a conduction. It was so highly successful that everyone wanted a chance to conduct.

So given the small size of the ensemble (8 now with an additional guitar) we each conduct a section. We have rules. For example, the conductor holds up a number of fingers and that is how many musicians may play. Vertical hand movements are volume, horizontal hand movements are pitch density. And then there are of course hand signals generated on the spot which are different from person to person. Finally, at the end of one’s section he or she begins to perform his or her instrument to signify their moment is over. The ensemble is encouraged to “cook” for a minute (a tutti section if you will) until the next person begins his or her conduction.

Today we will have our final workshop. Maybe there will be new members, maybe not. But we will finalize the process and hopefully tomorrow night’s performance will heighten the moment!

More soon,

TZ

World!

MOMENT MUSIC @ Kollektiv Akt III began yesterday. A small ensemble of musicians including myself on bass, Max Bogner on guitar, Thomas Stempkowski on bass, plus flugelhorn, cello, accordion, and shruti box assembled at mo.e and discussed improvisation and made some music. The outcome was better than I imagined! Everyone was engaged in the process! We began each playing a solo. And then we paired into duos. And finally the entire group performed an extended piece.

Today we continue to build on what we did yesterday. We hope to construct a performance to be unveiled Friday night that has both the advantages of improvisation and composition. We will bring in ideas for navigating sound.

More soon,

TZ

Dear world,

I arrived safely in Vienna yesterday. The bass I rented was dropped off and I took a nap to fight jet lag.

After dinner with my parents, I suited up with the bass and went into to town to attend last night’s jam session at U.S.-expatriate and saxophonist Marco Eneidi’s Neu New York / Vienna Institute of Improvised Music located at Celeste Jazz Bar (5., Hamburgerstrasse 18). It was great to see so many musicians and friends that I have met since I began my regular travels to Vienna in 2008. I performed duos with Marco and was part of a quartet with trumpeter Thomas Berghammer and a cellist and drummer I just met that evening! The vibe at Celeste is always positive and welcoming. I will return the night before I leave.

Today I conduct the first of three workshops entitled MOMENT MUSIC as part of Max Bogner’s Kollektiv Akt III festival. Musicians have been invited to help construct a new piece of music that will be assembled over the three rehearsals and premiered on Friday night! This is the first time I have rolled out the concepts I have been working on. I hope they are well received and I am looking forward to feedback!

I will blog as much as possible this week. I am warming up to the idea. Leave comments if you can!

In music,

TZ

Duo w/ Marco Eneidi @ Celeste

Quartet w/ Thomas Berghammer, cellist & drummer @ Celeste

Everyone,

I leave today for a trip to Vienna, Austria where I will participate in a music festival called Kollektiv Akt III. The festival will include a three-part residency entitled MOMENT MUSIC which I will conduct that concludes in a performance the last night of the festival. I hope to use this experience as a vehicle to hone my blogging skills. Wish me luck!

More soon,

TZ

This is the flyer for Kollektiv Akt III.

Dear World,

Welcome to INVISIBLE TARGET!

This is a place to find most things that I, Tom Zlabinger, am working on. I have long thought that such a thing should exist, so here it is! Instead of waiting until I know how to correctly blog, I will learn as I go. So please have patience.

The concept of INVISIBLE TARGET is a metaphor of what I do. I do many things from teach, direct jazz ensembles, make music, and much more. When asked about what I have been doing, I never know quite where to start. So let this be a place where such questions can begin to be answered! I aim for an invisible target. One I cannot see. But know when it is hit by the sound of collision!

I am happy to open this blog with something that made a real boom this weekend and has been part of my life for almost six years now: the York College Blue Notes & Summer Jazz Program. There was a 2-page spread in the Daily News this Sunday, 2/20 about the band and its participation in the Charles Mingus High School Competition.

Enjoy!