An Experimental Orchestra Beyond Conventions

The Insub Meta Orchestra brings together over 60 musicians from across Switzerland to form an open ensemble. Founded in Geneva in 2010 by Cyril Bondi and d’incise—Laurent Peter (winner of a 2019 Swiss Music Prize), the orchestra performs groundbreaking experimental music rooted in improvisation.

Bondi and d’incise created the Insub Meta Orchestra to unite as many musicians as possible, regardless of musical background or professional level. The ensemble blends amateur and professional musicians of all ages working in diverse genres—from rock and jazz to classical and new music—eliminating traditional hierarchies between conductors and performers.

While inspired by the London Improvisers Orchestra, the Swiss collective moved beyond free improvisation after its initial years, focusing instead on original compositions. These works—often created by Bondi and d’incise—explore new approaches to sound and listening. Recent pieces like Acceleration and their tenth album Exhaustion / Proliferation (Sawyer Editions, January 2025) demonstrate the orchestra’s open, researchbased approach.