Parallel to his academic studies, Lohner became assistant to German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in 1984; Lohner was introduced to the visual media working on Stockhausen’s opera "Licht" at La Scala in Milano. Subsequently, he worked in France in 1989 as musical advisor and assistant director to Louis Malle on the film "May Fools" (1990) starring Michel Piccoli. Apprenticeships on Steve Reich’s multi-media oratorio "The Cave" (1990) and with Giorgio Strehler on his theater project "Goethes Faust I + II" (1990–1992) followed. Due to his commitment to contemporary music and avant-garde filmmaking, Frank Zappa became aware of Lohner; subsequently, Lohner collaborated with him until Zappa’s death in 1993, initializing and co-producing Zappa’s last albums "The Yellow Shark" (1992) and "Civilization Phaze III" (1993). He paid homage to Zappa with the biographical art film "Peefeeyatko" (1991), to which Zappa himself contributed the original score.