cephalopoda (ii)

for bass flute, stones, sugar, wooden tools, viola, cello, 8 speakers

cephalopoda (2020) was rooted in a fixation with the ocean floor, most specifically with oceanic crust, and the varied kinds of rough yet
delicate textures found in this distant ecosystem. This eventually lead to a fascination with octopuses (part of the cephalopoda family),
which largely dwell on the ocean floor. Most specifically I was interested in their 9 brain system - they have a large central brain and
smaller brains within their eight individual legs. This enables for each leg to function completely independently, resulting in remarkable
dexterity and sensitivity.
In cephalopoda (ii), the shadows and textures of cephalopoda are extracted, like a shell of the first version. As this continues, it is gradually
swallowed by it’s root source through eight, spatialized transducers, forming an “octopus” in the space, through which differently
processed recordings of the original piece are played back. As the ensemble thins, the play back becomes increasingly distorted and
processed, the “legs” growing ever distant from their central source.

premiered by ensemble mosaik
Kristjana Helgadóttir, flute
Roland Neffe, percussion
Lauren Siess, viola
Mathis Mayr, cello

June 2025, UptoThree Festival