Artist-in-residence Erik Dæhlin is a composer and also artistic research fellow at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Dæhlin is particularly concerned with instrumental- and music theater – musical forms that integrates different kinds of performative material, that unfolds in and beyond the music and in context to the performance space. By himself seen as different hybrid art works, where he compose and devise with musical, visual and textual material making conglomerate forms of sound based art.

His main focus the upcoming years is to further investigate a relational and process-based compositional practice. This takes place as a tracery of his compositional musical practice and strategies from performing arts, leading to hybrid and intermedial forms of musical works.

Three key concepts is guiding this work: ownership, investment, quest and risk. This as an understanding of the importance of letting the performers take part in the process of the making of the composition. Through the whole process investing oneself and questioning the work together and at the same time keep it left open and in search, is crucial for both the quality of the work as well as the aspect of sharing. This exposure through the process as well as in the actual performance puts something at risk. What is in front of us, heard as well as witnessed, becomes real and therefore owned as well as shared.

It may seem as an opposition and may also be one; On the one hand the openness as a result of the processual focus. On the other hand the notion of composing as fixating. The research will dwell into this matter finding new paths of compositional knowledge.

During the stay at IAC, Dæhlin will work preliminary with «What The Body Does Remember» – a piece done together with singer and dancer Silje Aker Johnsen amongst others.