Improvise! A prelude to the 6th Mahler Forum for Music and Society 2026: open your mind to the unexpected, to what is possible, to togetherness.

At the interface of artistic practice, social reality, and the political present, we focus on a capacity that is often regarded as out of the ordinary, conceded only to specific fields, and yet constantly at work everywhere: a way of acting, thinking, and responding in the open, which begins where the familiar no longer applies, where something must happen without knowing in advance what is the “right” thing to do.

We improvise when expectations and reality drift apart, when routines no longer hold, when situations get out of hand and decisions are called for in real time. Improvisation is not a marginal phenomenon, but an everyday technique for moving forward.

Improvisation is at the heart of this year’s Mahler Forum, which takes place on July 10 and 11. The highlight of our colorful program will be the world premiere of the commissioned composition, which is powered by KELAG and was awarded to Marco Sau this year. The ensemble of the Alma Mahler Musikverein, conducted by Alja Klemenc, will once again be responsible for the musical performance of the composition. Violist and author Tamara Štajner will recite her text, on which the composition is based. After the performance, Morten Solvik will invite the protagonists to take part in a talk: together with Marco Sau, Alja Klemenc, and Tamara Štajner, he will talk about the creative process between composition, text, and interpretation. Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein will host a round table to look behind the significance of improvisation in science, culture, and society.

An artistic invention conceived by Carola Dertnig and a musical impulse delivered by Susanna Gartmayer will wait for us at the Composing Hut on Saturday.


We look forward to welcoming you again!
The Mahler Forum for Music and Society: Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein, Morten Solvik & section.a