Work of the Week – Andrew Norman: Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3

The American composer Andrew Norman (b. 1979) is among the most exciting and frequently performed voices on the contemporary music scene. His works, often inspired by architecture and visual media, are characterized by complex yet accessible structures and a playful energy. In 2025, one of his central works, the orchestral cycle Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3, takes center stage: The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, led by its new Chief Conductor Klaus Mäkelä, will give the Dutch premiere of the piece on October 29 and 30, 2025.

Playing with Control

With Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3, Norman has created a composition that deeply explores the concept of the word "play". For Norman, "playing" is not just a carefree pastime but applies to multifaceted contexts: from instrument playing to theatre and video games.

In his composition, the orchestra transforms into a theatrical ensemble made up of many individual players who can act both harmoniously and antagonistically ("play together or against each other"). The conductor serves as the central, authoritarian figure—comparable to a puppeteer holding all the strings. This extreme control lends a darker undertone to the word "play," as it opens the door to manipulation and deceit.

Music That Levels Up

The title Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3 is a direct nod to the world of video games. The entire cycle, which premiered in Boston in 2013, is divided into three sequential "levels," each posing its own dramatic challenges.

Norman describes his work as an exploration of the question: who is playing whom?

Much of this piece deals with who is playing whom. The percussionists, for instance, spend a large part of their time 'playing' the orchestra as if it were an instrument (just as they themselves are 'played' as instruments by the conductor. The latter is, in turn, 'played' by the score). Some percussion instruments take on the role of a switch: they turn various players on and off, making them play louder or softer, forward or backward, faster or slower (sometimes in jest, sometimes in earnest). They rewind the music and make it repeat again; always aiming to find a way out of the labyrinth and advance to a higher level. (Andrew Norman)

This description underscores that Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3 goes far beyond traditional orchestral music, turning the orchestra into a self-reflecting, virtual mechanism. The work is considered one of his most important and ambitious pieces and has earned him significant international recognition. It was awarded the prestigious Grawemeyer Award in 2016.

International Performances

The Dutch premiere by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Klaus Mäkelä is part of a series of high-profile international performances. Klaus Mäkelä will also bring Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3 to Germany in May 2025, where he will conduct the German premiere with the Berlin Philharmonic. Already in 2016, the first part (Play: Level 1) was a success during a European tour by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel.

Learn more

Play: Levels 1, 2 and 3 – Work Page with Online Score

Event Page Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Composer Profile Andrew Norman

_{photo Andrew Norman: Craig T. Mathew}