Press Release: October 2013

Crash Ensemble : Nordic 29th November 2013, 8pm Project Arts Centre, Space Upstairs Crash Ensemble and special guest Valgeir Sigurðsson bring you music from the vast landscapes and expansive beauty of the northern shores of Europe.

Featuring works by Kaija Saariaho (Finland), Tobias Brostrom (Sweden), Rolf Wallin (Norway), Rune Glerup (Denmark) and a world premiere from Valgeir Sigurðsson (Iceland).

Crash Ensemble will perform three pieces by Sigurðsson: the world premiere of a new work for the group, his evocative string quartet Nebraska, and a new arrangement of Past Tundra from his acclaimed album Draumalandið, which he will perform with the group.

Valgeir Sigurðsson is founder of the Bedroom Community record label (home to Nico Muhly, Ben Frost and Sam Amidon), as well as Iceland’s top recording facility Greenhouse Studios, where his collaborators include Björk, Feist, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Camille, CocoRosie, The Magic Numbers, múm and many others.

Sigurðsson invites us to “crash the party of Nordic composers…both my older pieces presented by Crash this evening —Nebraska and Past Tundra— take a cue from real and imagined terrain. The all-new Ghosts is inspired by folklore and mystery.”

Through this carefully selected programme we unearth new compositions and composers with a distinctive Nordic accent. Programme Rolf Wallin : The Age of Wire and String Valgeir Sigurðsson : Nebraska Rune Glerup : Dust Encapsulated #2 Tobias Brostrom : Arena Kaija Saariaho : Serenatas Valgeir Sigurðsson: Ghosts. WORLD PREMIERE Valgeir Sigurðsson : Past Tundra (in a new arrangement for Crash Ensemble) About the NORDIC Programme:

Från sverige - from Sweden- Arena is one of Tobias Brostrom’s most ambitious pieces, here arranged for solo percussionist, who is likened to a gladiator in an arena of percussion instruments. Fra Norge- from Norway- Rolf Wallin’s The Age of Wire and String borrows its title from the debut novel by the American author Ben Marcus, a book that describes a world totally different from ours, unearthly but that still seems to have its own set of laws and logic, consistent, yet ungraspable. Suomesta-from Finland, Serenatas by Kaija Saariaho is like a serenade to a lover, sometime sweet, sometimes tormented. The names of the five sections describe their musical character: Agitato, Delicato, Dolce, Languido, Misterioso… Fra Danmark - from Denmark, Danish composer Rune Glerup’s Dust Encapsulated is a piece with a tendency to tip over into the absurd, with unexpected moments of beautiful introspection. Crash Ensemble is Ireland’s leading contemporary music ensemble. “Massiveness and impact are characteristics that the Crash Ensemble rarely lack”. The Irish Times, 2013 Booking: Online : http://www.projectartscentre.ie Phone: 01 8819613 Person: Project Arts Centre, 39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin (Mon-Sat, 11-7pm) Tickets: Full €20 /Concession €18 / 10% discount on groups /Early bird €15 (save 25%), before October 31st. Stay late: Nordic will be followed by a post show reception in the Project Arts Centre bar with music from the Bedroom Community label. Crash Ensemble is Ireland’s leading contemporary music ensemble; a group of world-class musicians who play the most adventurous, ground-breaking new music of today. Crash Ensemble, an Irish new-music collective with international cachet and considerable chops The Washington Post www.crashensemble.com FOR MEDIA INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS AND PICTURES CONTACT: Crash Ensemble: admin@crashensemble.com /01-­‐ 4170066 www.crashensemble.com www.twitter.com/crashensemble www.facebook.com/crashensemble

Nordic is supported by the Norwegian, Finish and Danish Embassies in Ireland. Crash Ensemble is Music Ensemble in Residency at Project Arts Centre 2012-14