Schwungvoll is a German word meaning "full of energy." The ensemble formed in 1992 in response to Janis Mercer's desire to play standard and new contemporary chamber music. Over 8 years the ensemble with its core of six players organized and performed many concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area. They performed at the SEAMUS (Society of Electro-Acoustic Music in the U.S.) conference in 1999 in San Jose, California; members traveled to the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois for a concert of vocal music in 1997.

They commissioned works by California and Illinois composers, which were performed multiple times. The ensemble won a grant from the Zellerbach Family Fund under the umbrella of 20th Century Forum for its concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Anton Webern in 1995. The ensemble performed everything from Anthony Braxton to Hillary Tann.

In 2000 Ms. Mercer left the ensemble to pursue solo projects.