Impish Orchestrations

The great thing about skiing holidays is that it's almost never the skiing that is the most memorable event. So the undoubted highlight of my short break in the South Island this winter were the keas.

The kea is the world's only alpine parrot, and apart from being some of the most intelligent birds on the planet, they also are among the most fearless, playful and impish. They will rip apart the upholstery on your snowmobile, steal french fries off your picnic table from under your nose, and then flap off noisily up the mountain to look at you sideways from the safety of a rocky outcrop.

So, in a twisted tribute to these impish inhabitants of our Southern Alps, I've dug up some of the most impish music I could find. The London Improvisers' Orchestra, recorded live at the Freedom of the City Festival on May 5th 2002. Phone In is an improvisation for orchestra and mobile phones, while Fanfare for LIO is an improvised duet for orchestra and audience.

Keaaaaaa!

London Improvisers' Orchestra - Phone In
London Improvisers' Orchestra - Fanfare for LIO
From Freedom of the City 2002: Emanem 4090 [Buy]

Kea, Improvising