Petrichor

About

This production presents Kristine Tjøgersen’s 2025 composition Petrichor, a work for string orchestra commissioned for Ensemble Allegria. The piece is conceptually rooted in the olfactory phenomenon of “petrichor” — the distinctive, earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. Tjøgersen translates this sensory experience into a sonic landscape, using strings to evoke the release of geosmin and the primal associations humans have with life-giving rain. Known for sensuous, structurally clear writing inspired by natural processes, the composer shapes an intricate, delicate sound world. The mini-concert format (about 25–30 minutes) allowed the audience to focus on the work’s detail without other repertoire. After the performance, an artist talk with Tjøgersen and musician/author Jenny Hval explored how scent and sound can trigger deep memory and identity, arguing that the nose deserves space alongside the ears in art.