Catharsis

After listening to the Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós for the first time in 2024, I was left with a feeling of sheer bewilderment, as I had never heard music like theirs in my life beforehand, which I am still a fan of to this day. Much of the band's music gives the listener a feeling of walking in a dream, contributed in large part by the main singer and guitarist, Jónsi, using a cello bow on his guitar, alongside heavy use of reverb pedals. The inspiration for me to write my own piece for bowed electric guitar came several months later, mainly inspired by the intense release of emotions I often experienced whenever I listened to Sigur Rós' music, hence the title "Catharsis", meaning "the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions".

Premiered by Tom Bradbury on June 17, 2025 in the museum of the Royal College of Music, London