Making music for me has always been an embodied and a social practice. Even in my seemingly most cerebral scores, I try never to lose sight of the concrete physicality of musical performance and the sharing of acoustical/social space with others. My interests as a performer are varied, including contemporary improvisation, performance of notated works, interdisciplinary and technological collaborations, and dalliances with various genres of American vernacular and improvised music (e.g., jazz, bluegrass, folk). The examples below represent a small sampling of these interests.

Sympoiesis
with Pauline Oliveros’s Expanded Instrument System (EIS)

June 26, 2024
EMPAC, Troy, NY

Michael Century - accordion
Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola
Zach Layton - 17-string bass guitar

Viola Joke
by Alex Temple

May 27, 2016
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Doyle Armbrust - viola
Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola

 Indifference and Repetition
Guided Improvisation

January 22, 2016
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola
Katherine Young - bassoon
Ryan Packard - drums

Necessary Monsters
by Carla Kihlstedt and Rafael Osés

Rafael Osés - spoken voice
Carla Kihlstedt - voice, violin, piano
Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola
Theresa Wong - cello, piano
Nina Rolle - accordion
Cole Kamen-Greene - trumpet
Freddi Price - National resonator guitar
Jon Evans - electric bass, guitar
Michael Mellender - electric guitar
Matthias Bossi - drums

Kong Must Dead: Psychopomp, CA
by Ben Hjertmann

Ben Hjertmann - voice, guitar
Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola, bass, pedal steel guitar
Luke Gullickson - piano, keys, guitar
Ryan Packard - drums

More to Come
by Mercer

Mercer - vocals, guitar, bass, drums
Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola, banjo

Duet with Ezra Teboul

March 12, 2019
Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY

Chris Fisher-Lochhead, viola
Ezra Teboul, live electronics

Rob Hamilton’s Coretet
virtual reality instrument system

Live demonstration in 2021 SIGGRAPH Virtual Showcase

Rob Hamilton, virtual bass
Chris Fisher-Lochhead, virtual viola

Golconda: The Lost Forest
by Luke Gullickson

Luke Gullickson - voice, guitar
Chris Fisher-Lochhead, viola

Rose Hips and Ships: The Colors Now
by Katherine Perkins

Voice/Banjo/Acoustic Guitar: Katherine Perkins
Keys: Chris Doyle
Drums: Dave Palazola
Upright Bass: Dave Hassell
Alto Sax/Cello: Danny Fisher-Lochhead
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet: Aaron Rourk
Trombone: Alex Truelove
Trumpet: Thomas Bergeron
Viola: Chris Fisher-Lochhead