In an absolute ad-hoc situation, musicians from free improvisation, jazz, electronic music, and Neue Musik create compositions together with instant composition conductors – compositions created in a mix of ensemble improvisation and structuring conducting. This practice goes back to developments by Bruno Maderna, Lawrence D. Morris, John Zorn, and the London Improvisers Orchestra. A complex web of content and personnel opens a highly energetic zone of self-referencing, collective phrasing and designing of structure and texture. So far, about 200 musicians and artists from 28 countries have been included in constellations which, while constantly varying, always have genders equally represented.

The VIENNA IMPROVISERS ORCHESTRA has been invited to festivals such as Wien Modern and ArtActs as well as to several key venues of visual art; it most recently appeared during the legendary Moers festival, sparking an enthusiastic audience response. Since its early days, the VIO has always co-operated with writers with a focus on experimental poetry. Michael Fischer founded the orchestra in 2004 and has been its heading ever since. His focus is on the language-immanence of sounds and its dramatic evidence in tenor saxophone. He creates soundscapes and instant composition conducting with improvisation orchestras and temporary big bands for international festivals and guest lectures. The VIO was one of the first continuously working improvising orchestras in Europe.