Fjölskyldan, Kammertónlist, Klassík, Sígild og samtímatónlist, Tónlist
A Detour Through Julius Eastman - Seigla 2026
Venue
Norðurljós
Elja Chamber Ensemble
The music of the American composer Julius Eastman has received well-deserved attention in recent years. His experimental and provocative works are deeply rooted in his personal experiences of discrimination against Black and queer communities.
Most of Eastman's compositions are written for open or flexible instrumentation, meaning that the precise combination of performers and instruments may vary depending on who takes part in a given performance. Rather than relying on conventional notation, his music is built from repeating motifs that gradually transform through improvisation. This creates a multilayered structure in which performers move between roles, repeat musical material at will, and collectively shape the overall form of the work in real time.
In this concert, Elja chamber ensemble will also premiere a new piece by Pétur Eggertsson entitled Krókaleið (Detour). Strongly influenced by the experimental music of Julius Eastman, Pétur works across visual art and performance, with a particular focus on the transformation of sound through chance-based translations between different media. His work also explores and expands the roles of both performers and audiences.
About the Work - by Pétur Eggertsson
“Krókaleið is an ecosystem of sounds for a chamber ensemble without a conductor. The work is inspired by the environmental sounds of Mills College grounds, where I studied. In autumn, powerful frog choruses would emerge: one frog would begin calling, and gradually others would join until the sound became all-encompassing. Between these calls you could hear flies, birds, conversation, instrumental practice sessions, and the distant hum of traffic. These soundscapes inevitably recalled the work of Pauline Oliveros, who left a profound mark on the college and remained there until the end of her life. The piece is likewise inspired by Oliveros's listening-based works.
