In a way, music is all about relationships. It's about connecting with people in the moment, on stage and off. I've been very lucky to connect with some wonderful people over the years and the past couple of weeks have been no exception.
From September 23rd-27th I took part in a Women Composers Workshop in Patreksfjörður, where I met and played with some of the finest new voices in Icelandic music: Una Stef, Soffía Björg, Rósa Guðrún, Íris Hrund og Þóra Gísla. We had a great time and Soffía and I even wrote a couple of tunes together.
The day after I returned home I flew to Berlin where I had the great fortune of performing duo with the pianist Julia Hülsmann at Felleshus as part of the Play Nordic festival. You can hear an interview with us here. Although we had met before, this was our first time playing together… and it was great. It was instantly comfortable and easy, like chatting with an old friend. I hope that we have the opportunity to perform together again real soon.
And now, my friend Maarten Ornstein returns to Iceland for three duo concerts and a recording. He first performed with me on the 2013 Reykjavik Jazz Festival and then in Amsterdam last May. So it's his turn to get on a plane. (See my itinerary for details.)