Arctic Meditations – Clarity

Programme Notes

In June 2023, I had the privilege of participating in an artist residency and expedition to the Arctic. Aboard the tall ship Antigua, I joined 29 artists and 10 crew from around the world in traversing the Svalbard Archipelago over the course of two and a half weeks. To describe the experience as life-changing would hardly do it justice. Among the many aspects of the journey that left a lasting impression on me were the moments of solitude. Nearly every day, we ventured ashore to landscapes where we could explore, create, dream, or simply sit in stillness and silence. To meditate in a place so vast, stark, and elemental was profoundly restorative to both body and spirit.

Upon returning home, I felt compelled to begin a series of Arctic Meditations—compositions that seek to recapture the immersive and introspective quality of those experiences. Each meditation in this multi-instrumental suite is shaped around a specific intention. When commissioner Spencer Brand and I discussed the intention behind this first work in the series, he was especially drawn to the idea of clarity.

That choice resonated deeply with me, as clarity was one of the strongest sensations I experienced in the Arctic. I found myself breathing more deeply, seeing more attentively, and thinking with unusual openness and focus. The seemingly endless expanses of snow, ice, and water created a space where distractions dissolved and perception sharpened.

The trumpet is uniquely suited to expressing this sense of clarity without becoming overtly declarative or attention-seeking. Its voice emerges gently from the electronic soundscape, blending with textures that include field recordings I captured during the expedition itself. The spacing of the trumpet sections also reflects the vastness of the Arctic landscape—its timelessness, its stillness, and the feeling that one is suspended in a place without clear beginning or end.

Ultimately, this work is less a depiction of the Arctic than an invitation into a state of presence. In a world so often defined by noise and urgency, Arctic Meditations – Clarity offers a space to listen more deeply, breathe more slowly, and reconnect with the quiet expansiveness within ourselves.

– Frank Horvat

PERFORMANCE Notes

The trumpet part in this work should be approached with a sense of flow and freedom. The performer is not expected to synchronize precisely with the fixed electronics; instead, the relationship between trumpet and electronics should feel organic and fluid.

A stopwatch visible to the performer is recommended while reading the score, as approximate timings are provided to indicate when sections should begin and end. The performer may also choose to reference a visual metronome at the indicated tempo in order to remain generally aligned with the intended duration of each section. These timings and tempo indications, however, should be understood as flexible guides rather than strict requirements.

Learn more about the making of this composition.

Commissioned by Spencer Brand.