WORKSHOP IN EDINBURGH

In September 2023 I went to Edinburgh to have a two-day workshop with Red Note Ensemble – as part of the Northern Connection project, where I was commissioned as a Norwegian composer writing a new piece for a Scottish ensemble.

Northern Connections aims to establish and strengthen connections between composers, ensembles and festivals in contemporary music between Nordic countries and Scotland. 

During the two-day workshop and rehearsal with Red Note Ensemble and Matthew Swan on live-electronics we listened to the ocean, did improvisations, explored graphic notation, rehearsed the piece and ate dried fish from Lofoten that I brought to set the vibe. 

Flaskepost will be premiered October 25th, 2023 at Sound Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland.

“Flaskepost” — message in a bottle — is inspired by the ocean connecting Scotland and Norway. Based on field recordings made in the Lofoten archipelago in Northern Norway the piece is diving into the depths of the ocean, exploring the musical potential of the ocean itself as well as imagining the creatures and other things you can encounter in the depths. The piece also reflects on the ocean as a pathway, both for human travel throughout the times but also for enormous amounts of plastic waste that with the Gulf Stream ends up in Lofoten from all over the world, as well as the image of sending a cry for help and rescue with a message in a bottle.

Some photos from the workshop:








© 2023 Tine Surel Lange