Under Takes Over (2013)

Composer Note
In the summer of 2012 I lost consciousness. Upon regaining consciousness, I found the experience had made a big impact on me and as a result I found myself contemplating on one’s reactions to outer circumstances in the waking state. I found that shifting focus in the waking state often brought heightened awareness and if the shift was big enough it could in fact completely change the way one listens and reacts.

One night, shortly after these events, I had a dream about an image. The following morning I drew the image and it became the score for Under Takes Over. Thereby the piece became a conversation between different states of consciousness.

I can’t say I recommend losing consciousness, nor would I expect that of musicians in a performance. But I felt for this piece it was important to shift the focus of the musicians to heighten or a least change, their listening experience.

Being in total darkness in a situation where there is normally light, is one strong way of changing focus in a familiar situation. Therefore a large part of the piece is performed in pitch darkness. Normally the main focus point of an orchestra is the conductor, so the focus needs to be shifted off him. Therefore the piece is largely conducted by an out-of-sight conductor, controlling lights on the music stands. There are several improvisational elements determining the real-time creation of the piece, including the timings and dynamics of the parts conducted by the lights, as well as several individual music sections.

To shift the focus of the audience, the principal conductor is placed in a large black box, thereby hidden from the audience.

— Hildur Guðnadóttir