In this unique performance, Gyða wove together ancient and contemporary influences. Her captivating arrangements brought the music of visionary composers like the 12th-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen and the eclectic 20th-century inventor Harry Partch into conversation with the striking sonic landscapes of modern musicians such as Skúli Sverrisson, Daníel Bjarnason, Úlfur Hansson, Kjartan Sveinsson, and Ólöf Arnalds, all of whom had contributed to her critically acclaimed album Epicycle II. The album stood as an ode to collaboration, celebrating the people who had inspired and influenced Gyða with their shared visions.
A dynamic and multifaceted musician and performer, Gyða is classically trained but unbound by genre. She was one of the founding members of the renowned band múm, held two Master’s degrees in classical music, and had become known for her holistic explorations of genre and technique. These threads cohabited on Epicycle, tying together strings of history and geography into a single performance. The time span of these pieces covered 2,000 years, and their homelands crossed continents. "I wanted to bring out that silver thread of mutual resonance," Gyða had said, "that runs beyond time or space."
The performance at Harpa included musicians Frank Aarnink, Daníel Friðrik Böðvarsson, Úlfur Hansson, Júlía Mogensen, Ólafur Björn Ólafsson, Kjartan Sveinsson, Skúli Sverrisson, and the choir Kliður. It was a rare opportunity to experience the evocative, immersive world of Gyða Valtýsdóttir live.
