Exploratory cellist, composer and improviser Okkyung Lee meets the BIT20 Ensemble in a new commission for Borealis 2025. Having appeared at the festival before with an unforgettable improvisation at Tårnsalen, and immersive compositions at Landmark, Borealis is excited to welcome Okkyung back for a large-scale new work in which her musical universe is brought to life by the players of Bergen’s resident sinfonietta BIT20 Ensemble. 

A mainstay of the New York improv scene for many years, with an enviable roster of musical collaborations and releases under her belt, Okkyung returned to her native South Korea in 2020, opening up new collaborative possibilities with Korean improvisers and traditional music players. 

As a composer her large-scale work has featured at the prestigious Donaueschingen Music Days, and she has just premiered new work with the UK based Explore Ensemble and a new multichannel composition for INA/GRM in Paris. Renowned for her extended performance technique and absolute integrity to sonic exploration, as composer Okkyung’s work also interrogates ideas of beauty and modes of collaboration. Siting the players of BIT20 in the middle of the majestic 13th Century Håkonshallen, this acoustic work for large ensemble is a new departure in Okkyung’s compositional world.