This 65-minute opus, born from the collaboration between the Icelandic composer Bára Gísladóttir and the British Riot Ensemble, expands upon the themes explored in her previous acclaimed work, Animals of your pasture, shortlisted for the RPS award in 2021.

Gísladóttirs new piece delves into abstract realms, offering a dual perspective. On one hand, it transports listeners to different levels of reality – almost as if the listener was travelling by an elevator to new dimensions. On the other hand, it intricately weaves together these contrasting spaces, exploring how they reflect and refract upon each other. Gísladóttir's composition invites audiences to contemplate the interplay between these states, where the moon's glow may be mirrored from a tranquil pond to a watchful eye, blurring the lines between observer and observed, and inviting a journey through an ever-reflective cosmos. 

Shortlisted for the 2024 Royal Philharmonic Society Ensemble Award, Riot Ensemble connects people to great contemporary music in concerts and events that are just as innovative, vibrant and rewarding as the music itself. The members of Riot are some of the top European soloists in new music, and with Riot they work as performers, curators, commissioners, and collaborators, creating and producing a diverse array of projects.

ONSTAGE: Riot Ensemble

Richard Craig - bass flute

Taylor Maclennan - bass flute

Philip Haworth - oboe

Heather Roche - bass clarinet

Amy Green - saxophone

Pétur Jónasson - electric guitar

George Barton - percussion

Ben Powell - piano

Goska Isphording - harpsichord / synth

Marie Schreer - violin

Dominic Stokes - viola

Louise McMonagle - cello

Marianne Schofield - double bass

Aaron Holloway-Nahum - electronics

Adam Swayne - conductor

CREDITS:

Bára Gisladottir, Composer

Co-commissioned by Huddersfield Comtemporary Music Festival and Riot Ensemble with support from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

Supported by Creative Europe and Sounds Now