The Unfolding is a major work by Northern Irish artist, composer, producer and broadcaster Hannah Peel, commissioned by and performed with Paraorchestra, conducted by Charles Hazlewood.

Taking a cyclical journey from the very atoms of human existence and the awakening of life, through to our eventual re-folding back into the elements The Unfolding features a 14-piece ensemble of acoustic and electronic instruments as well as human voice.

The album was released via Real World Records 1 April 2022.

In a co-commission by The Barbican, The Unfolding toured nationally in 2022 to Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh 5 May, Sage Gateshead 6 May and Barbican, London 21 May, and Bluedot Festival, 21 July.

The main stage at Bluedot festival illuminated in purple and orange light. Visible behind the stage is the colossal Lovell Telescope, a huge metal structure with a dish telescope.
Photo credit: Scott Salt
Victoria Oruwari, a woman wearing long golden braids and a deep blue buttoned dress, sings on stage at Bluedot Festival.
Photo credit: Scott Salt
Tom Wraith, a man in his early thirties with a beard and glasses. He looks down the cello serenely. A smoky yellow haze of stage effects surrounds him.
Photo credit: Jody Hartley
Steve Varden sits at a large desk of synthesizers and electronic instruments. He is wearing a grey shirt and over-ear headphones.
Photo credit: Jody Hartley
Side profile of Hannah Peel, a woman wearing a long white gown or jacket onstage in front of a bank of synthsisers and a microphone. The outdoor crowd in the background are blurred. Festoon lighting hangs above the crowd.
Photo credit: Jody Hartley
Jonny Leitch, a man with short curly hair, glasses, and a beard plays drums on stage at Barbican.
Photo credit: York Tillyer
The wind section of Paraorchestra perform on stage in Edinburgh, a large green lightbox casting silhouettes across the wall behind them.
Photo credit: Kat Gollock
James Risdon, a man in his forties, plays recorder on stage at Barbican.
Photo credit: York Tillyer
Paraorchestra and Hannah Peel perform The Unfolding opn stage at Barbican. The stage is bathed in blue light and dotted with oblong lightboxes emitting pink & blue hues.
Photo credit: York Tillyer

Watch the otherworldly visuals for the The Unfolding by Stefan Goodchild:

Accompanying the first three performances on the tour was a new commission from Bristol-based composer and Associate Music Director for Paraorchestra, Lloyd Coleman. Latent Bloom is a work inspired by the wondrous beauty and complexity of algorithms – on every aspect of today’s world. The piece takes it title from a recent work by award-winning photographer Jack Latham, in which the organic nature of algorithms is visualised through manipulated images of flowers.