New Music Series: The Improvisor's Workbench

Sprawling. Tight. Expansive. Focused. The Improvisor's Workbench improvises, composes, experiments, reaches, and realizes. Mark Siegenthaler (Keys), Brad Townsend (Bass), and Michael Brenneis (Drums) have played in this configuration with compassion and understanding since 2006. Expect the sounds of instruments, machines, humans, and fun.

Free admission, but a $5 donation is appreciated.

NOTE: This month's concert will take place from 7-9pm, instead of the usual afternoon time!

ALL New Music Series: The last Sunday of every month features some of Madison’s finest jazz musicians and composers exploring and navigating their own original music.

Thanks to our Spring Jazz Series sponsors: Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation, The Evjue Foundation, Inc., charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation; HotelRED, Dobhan Restaurant; and Alchemy.

Mark Siegenthaler

Composer and piano/keyboard player Mark Siegenthaler received a bachelor's degree in piano performance from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville and a master's degree in improvisation frmo the University of Michigan.

Bradley Townsend

Bradley Townsend holds a Masters of Music Degree in Improvisation from the University of Michigan and a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from the University of Iowa, where he studied with Diana Gannett. Since graduating from Michigan in 2005, Brad has been teaching both jazz and classical double bass. In addition to his private bass studio in the Madison area, he has also been teaching music at UW- Platteville since 2005. Brad is also an avid jazz and classical performer. In addition to playing with many notable touring artists, he has played with the Rountree Ensemble, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. His most recent honors include an invitation to perform at the Spark Festival of Electronic Music in the Twin Cities and a feature in Jazziz magazine of his University of Michigan jazz trio. He is currently performing as a member of a number of musical ensembles including Cashew, Executive Tea Set, and Arp of the Covenant, whose first CD was... Read More

Michael Brenneis

Michael Brenneis has been an essential mover in the Madison improvised music community for twenty years. From his early work with Tomato Box and The Active Percussion Duo, to later projects such as Post Consumer Gnarl, The Ten Sleeps Trio, The Improvisor’s Workbench, and Executive Tea Set, he is consistently demolishing the boundaries of musical convention. In 2018 Michael was awarded an Artistic Development Grant by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium to compose, record and premiere a large ensemble work entitled Plutonium. Also in 2018 Michael is recording a monthly series of improvised duets under the handle Deeds & Endeavors Part One, available on bandcamp: https://deedsone.bandcamp.com/. Michael also collaborates with many other Madison groups including The New Breed Jazz Jam, The Alison Margaret Jazz Quintet, The Anders Svanoe Double Trio, and Major Vistas.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

CALENDAR

New Music Series: The Improvisor's Workbench

Mark Siegenthaler

Bradley Townsend

Michael Brenneis

PLAN YOUR VISIT

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