Impetus - Collapse - Stasis

Impetus–Collapse–Stasis was premiered in 2019 as part of the Quantum Music, which emerged from interdisciplinary research involving, among others, the University of Oxford and the Quantum Music project of SASA in Belgrade.

The first version of the work was presented during the subsequent event series quantum music: #hannover session, performed by the ensemble ur.werk. The final version of the piece was completed in 2020.

In this piece, I explore phenomena of quantum mechanics and represent them iconographically within the composition. I

examine both the phenomenology of “objective” sound phenomena (individual sounds as “atomic particles” and musical lines as “waves”) and the phenomenology of our perception of these sonic objects. In parallel, I engage with the concepts of quantum mechanics on philosophical and behavioral-psychological levels.

The work reflects my fascination with the wonders of the microcosm—not only because they are closely tied to the physical nature of sound.

For me, the greatest wonder lies in the instantaneous communication (“entanglement”) between musicians during performance—a process that unfolds without time delay, both on a neuronal and a quantum-mechanical level.This is where the “mirror neuron effect” comes into play, revealing a deep connection between brain activity and consciousness, and portraying humans as profoundly empathetic beings. Within this context, the piece explores the miracle of momentary embodiment of sonic ideas by the performers at the very moment of interaction. I view this dynamic as a fertile and largely unexplored resource for musical composition.

The spontaneous interactions and energies that emerge in this setting form the core of the piece.

In order to foster these, Impetus–Collapse–Stasis combines fixed, fully notated sections with open fragments, allowing space for individual

initiative and interaction. I conceive of the ensemble as a social unit, in which intrinsically motivated musical actions by individuals form the

foundation for deep and authentic interpersonal communication.

The piece itself serves as a platform to enable and amplify these interactions and energies.

Ensemble ur.werk, Sprengel Museum Hannover