June 2011
I have had some technical problems with the site which I have not been able to solve yet. For example it seems like I cannot upload new media to the site. I am waiting for help to solve this. This problem delayed the publishing of further news articles, until I decided to publish the text in any case.
So here are some events of 2011:
This year began with the performance of Atloid 601 at the Fresh Winds Festival in the small town of Garður, SW-Iceland. As other atloids, this is an open form based on certain preorganised patterns, but the instrumentation was inspired by available local forces and instrumentarium: Handbells, quartertone stone-marimba and male chorus. See extract in this video [not available at present]. This one turned out as a long, ritual like performance, quite different from other things I have done.
Last autumn (2010) saw the performance of Forgotten Step in three places in Iceland and in Copenhagen by the Gáman trio. After hearing their splendid performance I decided to write another piece for this particular instrumentation, the result bears the title Knast, but I haven’t been able to finish the score yet.
A performance of Flecte Lapis II in Helsinki by the Defun Ensemble was delayed for technical reasons. I probably have to organise the transcription of this piece for new media. I guess the Akai 3000 sampler it was written for is not that actual any more.
A clarinet duet was born from Orgoras Speaks. It bears the title Prelude and Graff and awaits a first performance from the reeds of the Zelinsky-Smeyers duo.
At present, besides finishing the clarinet duet, I am working on the first sketches for a short orchestra piece commissioned by the Cottbus orchestra in Germany, and preparing to dive into the theatre project with the Cinnober Theater in Gothemburg. We are hoping to be able to stage it next season, but this is not yet certain.
I was very happy to receive a commission for a piano concerto from Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson, young Icelandic virtuoso, and that piece will hopefully occupy my desk from late summer.