know that your actions reflect within the group explores multitasking, cognitive load and group decision making. The players give and respond to three types of cues: spoken words and paired audio samples, auxiliary instruments, and drones. These different cue layers run in parallel, causing players to switch between different modes of cue-giving and response. The density, speed and patterning of these cues causes different amounts of cognitive load on the players, altering their response times and with it the texture of the resulting music. The cue system also creates a lingua franca between the players, giving them a shared means to direct each other’s behaviour. Players may try to exert control over the group, work together, team up to make the task more taxing for individuals, and adopt many other common behaviours that are familiar within working groups. The piece embodies the values of consensus, collectivism, and equality, while facilitating approaches that allow for disruption, control, vindictiveness and individualism.

Commissioned by Sudwestrundfunk for the 2017 Donaueschinger Musiktage.

First performed by Ictus Ensemble in the Strawinsky Saal, Donaueschingen, on 21 October 2017.