Projects

Sleeping/Waking, for solo voice, explores our impulses and desires to go to sleep and to wake up. Original lyrics, extended vocals, imaginary languages and improvised song are featured in this work.

Unsung Songs, graphic scores for voice and improvising orchestra/ensemble, explores the dangers of suppressing creative light and inspiration.  I was recently awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to develop and produce this project!  I performed one of my graphic scores, “First Words” (collaboration with Quebecois filmmaker, Pierre Hebert) with the NOW Orchestra in Vancouver, March, 2018.  “First Words” will be revised and presented again in Montreal in November, 2019 with SuperMusique Orchestra.  Two more scores from this series will also be presented in Vancouver, BC and in Berlin in 2018/19.

Two of Canada’s strongest improvising voices, guitarist Jeff Younger and vocalist Viviane Houle perform heartachingly beautiful improvised art song, heavy free improvisations and sublime soundscapes. Long time collaborators, this telepathic, fearless duet shares a love of extreme sonic textures, languid melodies, expressionistic maelstroms, gentle spaces and the unknowable cracks in between.

Inspired by conduction choirs such as Phil Minton’s Feral Choir, Pauline Oliveros’ Deep Listening scores and compositions, and non-traditional music notation, Viviane Houle formed this improvising vocal ensemble in 2007.  Based on the Sunshine Coast, this group of intrepid singers explores and performs all manner of non-traditional musical forms including graphic scores, instruction pieces, instant compositions, structured improvisations, and sound poetry.

A long form piece for voice and chamber nonet, Dear Charlotte is a work in progress with long time collaborator and Vancouver based guitarist/composer, Jeff Younger.  Inspired by the life and work of painters Charlotte Salomon and Donna Balma, the project plunges Houle and Younger into a deeply personal telling of a walk through life’s toughest challenges and emergence from the other side anew. After fifteen years of performing and improvising together, the two artists join as co-composers of a piece that blends through written material with solo and ensemble improvisation.

A mesmerizing performance of an improvised score to Ingmar Bergman’s groundbreaking surrealist drama Hour of the Wolf, and the first collaboration between two internationally celebrated improvising vocalists, Norway’s Sissel Vera Pettersen and Canada’s Viviane Houle. Accompanied by the Eye of Newt ensemble. Sissel Vera Pettersen – voice (Norway), Viviane Houle – voice, Stefan Smulovitz – laptop/viola, Chris Gestrin – keyboards

The explosive meeting of French masters Didier Petit – cello, and Sylvain Kassap – bass clarinet, in quartet with Viviane Houle – voice and Stefan Smulovitz – laptop/viola.

Hand picked as one of two featured vocalists by creative music legend Anthony Braxton, Viviane Houle performed in this epic, 8hr long work alongside a 60 piece improvising ensemble.  8 hours + 60 musicians = 1 sonic genome – The Globe & Mail (article)

A multimedia project featuring voice, electronics, visual arts, live improvisation and collaborative software design. Viviane Houle – solo voice and electronics, Jamie Griffith – visual artist Software collaborations: Stefan Smulovitz and Viviane Houle for Papilllon software, Rob Scharein and Jamie Griffith for ShadowsKP software.

Featured vocalist for the premiere of Eye of Newt Ensemble’s full length work. Viviane Houle – voice, JP Carter, John Korsrud – trumpet, Jeremy Berkman – trombone, Rebecca Whitling – violin, Reg Quiring – viola, Peggy Lee – cello, Daniel Tones – percussion, Michael Murray – pipe organ, Stefan Smulovitz – composer, Colin Brown – librettist, Giorgio Magnanensi – conductor.