About

Launceston Improvised Music Association (LIMA) was formed in 2020, because we are a hopeful bunch! We exist to strengthen, nurture, and unite musicians in Launceston through shared improvised music experiences.

We currently facilitate Free For All, a weekly community music-in-the-moment event open to all (no experience necessary).

President – Spike Mason

Spike is a musician. He spends his days travelling around the countryside lifting people’s spirits with improvised melodies. When he’s not doing that he’s sitting in his studio and thinking about, and researching, those melodies for his PhD. He and his wife Lilia started “Free For All” 20 years ago, and even after all that time it’s still as fresh and life giving as it was in the beginning.

Public Officer – Suzanne Turner 

Suzanne has been part of the Launceston music community for over 35 years. As a violin and clarinet player she has performed with many ensembles, most recently the  Launceston Philharmonic Orchestra, chamber ensemble “Camerata Obscura”, and quartet “Bits  of String”. 

She is one of the very fortunate owners and caretakers of a Garry Greenwood playable leather  sculpture (Bass Bowhorn) and has performed with the Chordwainers and Tasmanian Leather  Orchestra at Festivals including Junction Arts and Mona Foma, and other events. A love of the art  form of musical improvisation and a passion for Community through the Arts has led to  collaboration with other Launceston musicians to form LIMA.

Treasurer – Karlin Love

She is a contemporary ‘art music’ composer, improviser and performer, community provocateur, curator and producer in Tasmania, Australia. She works with the Launceston General Hospital and with MONA and MOFO as curator, performer and creator. Her research practice investigates musicians’ post-tertiary career development and the nature of creative practice. Over the years she has accumulated a few degrees (PhD, MA(hons), BMus, BA).

Karlin is perpetually looking for surprises: ‘Ooh! That’s bigger/deeper/wider than I’d thought!’ for herself, for performers, and for audiences; fostering openness that leads toward community and away from fear and oppression.

Secretary – Dwayne Baraka

Dwayne has been part of the Launceston community since September 2020 (about 35 weeks at the time of writing!). Prior to that he has lived in Sydney, London and Washington DC. While in the USA he discovered a love of improvising musical theatre shows, and his only significant claim to musical fame is that he helped create the Hybriphone that you might see at a free for all event.

Dwayne loves to laugh, to make others laugh and to facilitate personal growth. He’s learnt through improvised music to live better in the moment. Oh yeah, and his background as a lawyer and management consultant comes in handy, although he has some difficulty convincing people that was ever the case due to current hursuitness.