A Detour Through Julius Eastman - Seigla 202

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.

Listening lies at the heart of the composition. The performers are both on their own journeys through the score and responding to one another's journeys, much like animals and other living organisms within a natural ecosystem. The result is a glimpse into an environment dominated by oboe and piano, where listeners witness a dialogue between natural and human-made sounds. Frogs and the distant resonance of instrumental practice sessions confront, intertwine with, and ultimately merge into one another.

The work forms part of the composer's ongoing exploration of notational methodologies that grant performers agency and opportunities for intervention within the musical material. The notation is inspired by board games and the chance procedures of the American experimental tradition. It is constructed from "musical cells" through which performers navigate in whatever way they choose, while still adhering to the rules established by the work itself.”

Programme:

Julius Eastman: Joy Boy

Pétur Eggertsson: Krókaleið

Julius Eastman: Stay On It

Performers:

Elja, chamber ensemble

Conductor: Hjörtur Páll Eggertsson

Elja Ensemble consists of some of Iceland’s most talented young musicians, most of whom are already establishing themselves among the country’s leading performers, conductors, and artists. Their performances are known for being exciting and energetic, and seeking to engage with the audience on a personal level. The ensemble is dedicated to varied and innovative programming and seeks to represent a broad range of musical styles and genres rather than strictly traditional classical styles.

Duration: approx. 75 mins., including intermission.

Discounted Tickets (students, Schumann Society members, low-income): 2.500kr in Harpa's box office.

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More information, festival programme and artists bios available at www.seiglafestival.com and in the festival zine Seiglazine.

Harpa is the main sponsor of Seigla 2026. The music festival Seigla is supported by the Icelandic Music Fund, SUT and Ruth Hermanns Music Fund, Ýlir, FÍH Culture Fund, Iceland University of the Arts and Friends of Seigla.