If there is one thing that is rare in the field of improvised music, it is long-standing bands. The Wiesbadener Improvisations Ensemble is one example of this rare species. In 2026, WIE?! celebrates forty years of working together. Over this time, the trio has developed a highly nuanced and precise interplay, drawing on an extraordinary wealth of sonic material. Dirk Marwedel, Ulrich Phillipp and Wolfgang Schliemann combine individual sonic languages with a shared practice characterised by unconventional playing techniques and surprising turns. Yet the trio has lost none of its willingness to take risks or its sheer joy in playing. Contemporary music with a long history!
All three musicians have been active in the Kooperative New Jazz for decades, have collaborated with improvising musicians from the international scene, and have initiated long-term projects spanning different genres, including the HumaNoise congress. The conversation with Mathias Maschat following the concert will explore four decades of ensemble work at the intersection of individual artistic development and shared musical identity. Starting from the history of WIE?!, the discussion will also turn to the networks and initiatives that have emerged from the ensemble’s wider circle, as well as to forms of collective self-organisation in improvised music. What role do sustained collaboration, personal connections and shared structures play in the development of a scene? And how are musical practice, networking and cultural policy engagement interconnected?
Dirk Marwedel (*1959) works as a saxophonist, improvising musician and sound artist. Through extended techniques and preparations, he explores unconventional sonic possibilities on the saxophone. Alongside his musical work, he is active as a sculptor and is involved in various initiatives dedicated to improvised music.
Ulrich Phillipp (*1956) is a double bassist and improvising musician. Since the early 1980s, he has been exploring improvised and experimental music. Through his own playing techniques and the use of live electronics, he expands the sonic range of the double bass. He is one of the key figures in Wiesbaden’s improvised music scene and has been involved in its organisational structures for decades.
Wolfgang Schliemann (*1956) is a percussionist, improvising musician and performer. Since 1978, he has worked in the fields of improvised and contemporary music, sound art and performance. His sound-oriented approach to playing explores the wide-ranging sonic possibilities of percussion. He is a co-founder of various initiatives dedicated to promoting and connecting practitioners of improvised music.
19:00–19:45 soundwalk with Thomas Gerwin
