Music for new beginnings feat. Alice Sara Ott

Icelandic composer and pianist Ólafur Arnalds is ready to unwind. After an incredibly busy time playing concerts all over the world, he is back with a second series of Ultimate Calm - twelve unique episodes, each one a musical journey that seeks to find that all too elusive feeling of calm.

In the spirit of a new series, in this first episode Ólafur takes inspiration from the idea of new beginnings, with music related to fresh starts. He shares pieces from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Poppy Ackroyd and Philip Glass, and reflects on how music can provide feelings of escape and rejuvenation.

For each episode, Ólafur has invited a special guest to share with listeners their own sonic safe haven - the piece of music that brings them ultimate calm. This week our guest is the celebrated classical pianist Alice Sara Ott, who tells us about the piece that made her stand still when she first heard it - a composition by Arvo Pärt that she plays regularly in her own performances, leaving both her and her audience transformed every time.

Produced by Katie Callin
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds