Red Note Ensemble present a richly immersive programme exploring sound, ecology, and imagination. Journey beneath the Earth in Tansy Davies’ Lost Science (world premiere), dive into vibrant underwater worlds in Ruth Morley’s Reef (world premiere) and experience a string trio by Blasio Kavuma. Together, these works channel nature’s hidden voices – echoing deep time, fragile ecosystems, and new beginnings.
Tansy Davies Lost Science (World Premiere)
An imaginary journey into the Earth’s interior, Lost Science dwells in a space between the Earth’s surface as we know it and older geophysical layers. That space could be 40,000 years old and carved out by an ancient waterway or it could be a volcanic cave, 4 billion years away. These interior spaces speak to us in moans, groans, echoes and whispers; the voice of Earth: secrets of her ‘deep time’ structure, and of the pains of the transformation she is undertaking now, which we too our experiencing. Going back in time, to civilisations with heightened awareness of animal and plant wisdom; to the dreams of early humans their knowledge of the world around us. And perhaps imagining advanced technologies, which we have somehow lost or been denied access to.
The electronics track is an ancient landscape. The live musicians explore it.
There are 11 cycles which serve as (re)activations in the form of visions of Divine Feminine presences and inner-earth energies, who / which appear melding, connecting and activating the landscape and explorers. They are as follows:
Sophia
Green Tara
2 Marys I
2 Marys II
Anagan I
White buffalo woman
Hathor
Anagan II
Isis
Anagan III
Quan Yin / Joan of Arc
Ruth Morley Reef (World Premiere)
Ruth Morley; “Damaged reef systems will regenerate faster when recordings of a healthy reef are played in the area. Mobile coral larvae looking for new home will settle in response to healthy reef sounds. This mind blowing piece of information, discovered by marine biologists working on bioacoustic techniques for monitoring and managing coral reefs, triggered the idea for this piece.
Like a surreal all day dawn chorus, coral reefs sound incredible with grunts, pops, whoops and crackles. Some of the calls are still not identified.”
Blasio Kavuma String Trio
This piece explores a form of counterpoint that is highly chromatic but tonally-grounded.
The voices interweave through liberal use of syncopation, and seeks to strike an
emotional tone balanced between sorrow and hope.
Tickets are available from the 9th September 2025.
In association with the University of Aberdeen Music Department.
Lost Science is co-commissioned by Red Note Ensemble, sound, Crash Ensemble and Ensemble Offspring.
Reef is commissioned by Red Note Ensemble.
