Day 2, Tuesday, of festival week was dedicated creating The Arctic Connection collaboration. After Anders and Morris spoke at PASIC we all decided that having two groups living in similar climates and dedicated to new repertoire was too ironic to not be exploited. The opening concert for our festival was the first meeting of the two groups, and we all crossed our fingers that the idea would come to fruition with ease! 
Welcome to Piteå, 64.8!
Jake, Charles, and I decided that we would premiere our new compositions on this concert. Throughout the festival planning process, we had been composing for the group and treating rehearsals like workshops. We had recorded the pieces with Anders and Evaristo Aguilar a few weeks prior to the concert, and even since then the pieces had undergone many edits and revisions. We were very proud to present our music, which added another level of intensity in the situation: premiering our group, our festival, our collaboration, and our music!
EE rehearsing, trying to block all of the other stressors from our minds and focus on playing!
Along with Ensemble 64.8, we performed Terry Riley's In C, and added everyone on Jake's piece called Birdo (which was the perfect high-energy closer!) We also premiered a piece by a composer that just graduated from Piteå, and played a Tobias Broström piece to represent a well-known Swedish figure. Ensemble 64.8 performed contemporary works by John Luther Adams, Bruce Mather, and Timothy Constable. Together, the concert was a perfect representation of how diverse our field can be!
Ensemble 64.8, getting used to the instruments and the space. Luckily, we have great equipment and the Acusticum is an amazing concert hall!
We had Tuesday and Wednesday morning to rehearse together and separately. Anders arrived on Tuesday evening and coached us. I felt really great after our rehearsals together. It was obvious that Charles, Jake and I had really grown since the recording we had done earlier. To see Anders proud really got me excited about the experience.
Luckily, we bonded very quickly with the other group! Fiona and I are long lost personality twins! It was great to work with such amazing musicians and people!
I was 200% "on" preparing for the concert on Wednesday. To me, it was a defining moment in my career. Could I handle so many elements at once, and still perform to my potential? All of the stressors were self induced, but that's normal for me. I just wanted everything to go well! There were a ton of last minute details to worry about before the concert...and I think I sat down during our lovely dinner (sponsored by the Kommun at the restaurant in the concert hall building) for about 25 minutes. The 2 bites I had of the food was delicious! We had a lot of people to thank at that dinner, and it was a lovely way to initiate the festival. My mind was always about 5-30 minutes ahead of what was actually going on, though!
We began the concert with by playing a recording of John Luther Adam's In White Silence in the lobby before the audience was let into the concert hall.
It's a beautiful space!
Photo: Anna Åström
As the audience entered the hall, we provided an etherial sound scape from the balcony
Photo: Anna Åström
One by one, we left the balcony and entered the stage to begin In C.
Photo: Anna Åström
Ensemble Evolution premiering Björn Sikström's piece Blocks and Bells
We were so happy to perform a piece by a young composer. We are very passionate about working with composers and highlighting our generation!
Photo: Anna Åström
Premiering Charles' piece Travel!
Photo: Anna Åström
Ensemble 64.8's performances were excellent!
Photo: Anna Åström
At the end of this concert, I had a great feeling, and was more at ease than the beginning of the week. Before our last piece, Anders had some closing remarks for the audience, and he said some wonderful things about the guys and me. Although I've done a lot of concerts while I've been in Sweden, this one was very special to me, and in my opinion, the perfect way to begin the festival!
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