Ellen Arkbro presents new works in Siena and Venice

Swedish composer and sound artist Ellen Arkbro performed the Italian premiere of her latest work 'Nightclouds' on August 23, 2025, at Palazzo Chigi Saracini in Siena, using the venue's recently restored 1923 Veggezzi-Bossi organ. The instrument, with three manuals and a 32-note concave-radial pedalboard, is considered a symphonic jewel. Arkbro, born in Stockholm in 1990, studied electronic music at the Royal College of Music, microtonal solutions with Marc Sabat in Berlin, and tuning techniques with La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela in New York. Her compositions blend influences from American minimalists like Steve Reich and Brian Eno, drone music of William Basinski, and the temporal explorations of Morton Feldman. She also creates sound installations and site-specific works for venues such as the Barbican in London, Kölner Philharmonie, and Museu Serralves in Porto. After Siena, Arkbro will perform at the 2025 Biennale Musica in Venice starting October 11, with a commissioned piece for three violas da gamba.