Random notes is a playful performance piece that requires impressive rhythmic and dramatic synchronisation between the four performers. All the text is from real notes found in the street. Their content varies dramatically, one simply saying “I love my dad”, while another scolds coworkers for not cleaning the microwave after use. The notes were meant to pass along messages, ideas, but perhaps at least some of them never reached their recipients. They were discarded. The composer then comes across them, picks them up (metaphorically), and passes their message along into the public space. The original authors of the notes are unknown, but they give the audience a glimpse into the life of anonymous, random Icelanders.

During the composition process, the composer translated the selected Icelandic notes into English. The piece is therefore in English. Being translated, the composer may have put his fingerprint on some of the shapes of the original text, as is often the case with translations; the stories on the notes have travelled between languages, via the composer.

Inspired by the Icelandic Týndir Miðar (Lost Notes) Instagram account.

Commissioned by Personal Clutter performance group (https://www.personalclutter.com/) and written in the “New Discipline” performance style. The composition was funded by the Marchus Trust UK.

Premiered at The Rose Hill, Brighton, 25th June 2021. Second performance at IKLECTIK venue in London, 9th February 2022. Third performance in Reykjavik Iceland 25th January 2023 as part of Dark Music Days new music festival.

A new recording coming soon. From Music and the Brain opera (2021) by Ingvarsson. More information under “opera” and “Music and the Brain”.

Soprano: Þórgunnur Anna Örnólfsdóttir, tenor: Gunnar Guðbjörnsson, flute: Helen Whitaker, piano: Antonía Hevesí.

Originally written for soprano, tenor and 2 trombones. Premiered by Claire Grace Candy, Matthew Mcguigan, Carla Sabater and Johnny Goodwin at Guildhall, School of Music and Drama, London, May 18 2012.

Later revised for soprano, tenor and two Bb clarinets and performed in Wigmore Hall, October 2012. Performers were Claire Grace Candy, Matthew Mcguigan, Joy Boole and Benjamin Graves.

Duration is approx. 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

Libretto by Irum Fazal.

Commissioned by Personal Clutter performance group. Funded by the Marchus Trust UK. Premiere to be confirmed. Text by Audre Lorde. The piece uses a mixture of video technology and live performance to deliver spoken and sung text in a highly rhythmical fashion. Premiere pending.