Improvisation is an ongoing practice of community-formation, on and off campus.

"Do You AUMI?" Jam Sessions at the Lawrence Public Library

KU AUMI-InterArts, along with our partners, Ranita Wilks, Independence Inc., and the amazing people at the Sound/Vision Studio, Lawrence Public Library, a great group of KU students from Music Therapy and American Studies, and many fantastic community improvisers have been coming together to create improvised music since October 2015, using a musical instrument (the AUMI) that adapts to every body and that requires no musical experience to play. Sessions continue to be held in the state-of-the-art recording studio in the Lawrence Public Library, managed by Jim Barnes, who then pops the music files into the Sound/Vision SoundCloud, where they can still be enjoyed.

Monthly "Do You AUMI?" Jam Sessions will resume in February 2018. If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please email us at improv@ku.edu

Improvising Inclusive Communities with the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument Community Workshops and Performances, August 7-12, 2017

Registration is now closed for participants, but the public is invited to the new performances that are the culmination of an all-ability community improvisation workshop with guest artist, Jesse Stewart, founder of "We Are All Musicians," an organization dedicated to fostering inclusive group music-making. Performances and other events will be open to the public.

Past Events

"(Un)Rolling the Boulder: Improvising New Communities," October 30, 2013 

The first public performance sponsored by AUMI-KU InterArts was a multi-media, devised improvisation, directed by Nicole Hodges Persley, Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre. The result of a project entitled, "Four Rehearsals and a Performance: No Experience Necessary!"

"Improvisation Across Abilities" AUMI Workshops, Lawrence, KS, September 28-29, 2012

AUMI-KU InterArts sponsored two workshops (one at KU and one at Independence Inc.) on how to use the AUMI on September 28-29, 2012, led by Occupational Therapist and drummer, Leaf Miller, from the Abilities First School in Poughkeepsie, New York, and Jackie Heyen, of the Deep Listening Institute.