Linda Buckley: Women Make Music
Aud by Linda Buckley – commissioned by Nordic Viola
In this commission for Nordic Viola, Linda Buckley explores the story of Aud the Deep-Minded from the Icelandic sagas in new and contemporary contexts in a piece for clarinet, violin, viola, cello and electronics. Aud the Deep-Minded was married to the first Viking king of Dublin in Ireland and set sail from the British Isles to Iceland where she settled in the west of the country, setting her slaves free – her story also has connections to the Orkney Islands.
The project is a unique fit for Linda, as she recently completed a radio documentary series for Athena Media on historical and musical connections between Ireland, Scotland and Iceland. The series won a Gold Award at the New York Radio Awards 2020. While researching the Mother’s Blood, Sister Songs documentary Linda was struck by the prominence of strong female figures who were written about in the Icelandic sagas, most notably that of Melkorka and Aud the Deep-Minded.
The connections between Iceland and Scotland are fascinating yet arguably underexplored – this project aims to shine a light on this significant historical thread as part of Nordic Viola’s “Sagas and Seascapes” concert. Points of musical contact from seemingly divergent approaches will be explored, creating a dialogue between medieval music, ambient electronica and Nordic folk traditions.
Founded in 2016, Nordic Viola is a flexible ensemble forming musical and cultural connections in the North Atlantic Region. The ensemble was shortlisted in the Scottish Awards for New Music in 2019 and 2020.