Polyorchard is dedicated to exploring the grey area between free jazz and modern classical music, an area rich for exploration, with tunnels leading in virtually any direction one can imagine. Polyorchard fluctuates between very small ensembles, duos like the low end 1+1 iteration that existed deep in the American desert, to large ensembles spilling off stages in the Piedmont of North Carolina.
Since Polyorchard’s inception in late 2012, the ensemble has performed spontaneous compositions, works by members of the group, and works by composers such as Alan Courtis, Terry Riley, Alvin Curran, Eva-Maria Houben, Jacques Demierre, Magnus Granberg, Jackson Mac Low, John Zorn, and many more. Polyorchard has collaborated with a diverse array of artists including Japanese noise legend Merzbow and ensemBle baBel from Switzerland. Polyorchard has also implemented a program to commission new works specifically for improvising ensembles and has so far premiered works by Thomas Dempster, Andrew Weathers, D. Edward Davis, Will Redman, with more new pieces to come in the next few years. Polyorchard has performed on bills alongside Tashi Dorji, Dougie Bowne, Ken Vandermark, Nate Wooley, and many more.
