“…a shimmering, spooky set of movements for Magnetic Resonator Piano and Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, woven through with spine-tingling recorded narration about weird light phenomena in Danish, Welsh and Turkish.” – Flora Wilson, The Guardian

Instrumentation:

Version 1 (for Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble) – Magnetic Resonator Piano, alto flute doubling melodica, basset horn, violin, cello, off-stage “ghost” piano, video and electronics, available from the Contemporary Music Centre

Version 2 (for Ensemble Paramirabo) – alto flute doubling melodica, bass clarinet doubling melodica, violin, cello, piano, video and electronics

Version 3 – harp, cello, piano, video and electronics

Digital EP out now on NMC Recordings.

GLOW is about ghosts – a range of mysterious glowing phenomena that continue to enthral and terrify us. Three stories are told in three different languages: a strange electric light envelopes masts of a sailing ship; fairy flames beguile a traveller at night; a luminous presence enters a room. Live instruments weave through and colour the narratives. Each language acts as an instrument in its own right, explored for unique sonic qualities.

Text translation and narration:

Erik Waldejer (Danish), Angharad Davies (Welsh), Zeynep Bulut (Turkish)
Additional audio: Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, Xenia Pestova Bennett and Franziska Schroeder; Audio mastering: Brian Robinson

Videos: Steven Lee

Featured image: Victor Frankowski

About New Music Biennial:

PRS Foundation and Southbank Centre’s New Music Biennial is a critically acclaimed free festival of new music, presenting a unique snapshot of contemporary music in the UK today. 20 pieces of new music will be performed across two festival weekends at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (6th – 8th June 2025) and London’s Southbank Centre (4th-6th July 2025), broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and available for download from NMC Recordings. New Music Biennial 2025 is generously supported by Arts Council England. https://www.newmusicbiennial.co.uk