Saariaho Festival

Asko|Schönberg establishes both the alpha and omega in the opening concert of the Saariaho Festival. Graal théâtre for violin and ensemble from 1994 was one of Saariaho’s first successful works, and the trumpet concerto HUSH from 2023 is her swan song. The concerto written for jazz trumpeter Verneri Pohjola takes the listener on a journey through her life. A haunting work that is even more impressive in this ensemble version. 

‘Each concerto is in a way a portrait of the soloist for whom it was written’, Kaija Saariaho said of HUSH. Graal théâtre, her first concerto, written for Gidon Kremer, is such a portrait. Asko|Schönberg and violinist Joseph Puglia have played the piece so many times that they’ve truly made it their own. Nice to know: the important trumpet part in Graal théâtre returns in HUSH, her last concert. 

The successful Finnish string quartet Meta4 shows Saariaho’s relationship with the string quartet in a nutshell. From her first work for string quartet and electronics, Nymphéa, to the poignant Terra Memoria, written in 2006, Saariaho’s love of strings shines through. Terra Memoria, subtitled ‘for the deceased’, stands in beautiful contrast to Haydn’s sunny String Quartet Op. 20 No. 2. A combination that Saariaho liked very much.

Founded in 2001, Meta4 has become a leading advocate for Saariaho’s string quartet works. Their recording of Fleurs de neige and Terra Memoria garnered a rave review in BBC Music Magazine, and The Times called Meta4 ‘the most remarkable string quartet ever heard’. A portrait of Saariaho’s work for string quartet at the highest level.

Like Kaija Saariaho, Finnish sound artist Tuomas Norvio finds his inspiration in nature and in ‘found sounds’. For this tribute, Norvio designed a special set-up: hydrophones dangling in the water around the Muziekgebouw capture live underwater sounds from the IJ and transmit them in real-time to the Kleine Zaal. This unique sound serves as the foundation for Norvio’s electronic soundscapes, creating a truly immersive sound experience. 

Tuomas Norvio has a background in electronic music, creating everything from atmospheric ambient and soundscapes to danceable beats. He still performs frequently in clubs, but is also active as a sound designer for theatre and for art projects. He collaborated with many of Finland’s most prominent musicians, from accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen to composer Esa-Pekka Salonen and violinist Pekka Kuusisto. In addition, Norvio is a permanent artist in residence at the dance company Tero Saarinen Company in Helsinki.

Installation Spatial variations for a Hank drum
The sound of the hydrophones is also part of Norvio’s installation Spatial variations for a Hank drum in the Kleine Zaal, which can be visited for free independently of the concert.

The best introduction to Kaija Saariaho’s work might be her chamber music. Here, her signature sharp melodies and icy harmonies shine through in their purest form, often interwoven with swirling electronic sounds. Het Collectief crafts this utterly unique dream world through seven important works that each pull you into a state of awe-struck listening.

Ever since its foundation in 1997, Het Collectief excels in the interpretation of contemporary works. Since 2011, the Belgian ensemble has regularly collaborated successfully with Reinbert de Leeuw. The recording of the chamber music version of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde received the highest possible rating - five stars - in Trouw. Soprano Liesbeth Devos joins Het Collectief for an exploration of Saariaho’s magical sound world, featuring solo contributions from the members of the ensemble.

The Helsinki Chamber Choir and Kaija Saariaho are a marriage made in musical heaven. In 2024, the choir received a Grammy for the CD Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance. With an anthology from Saariaho’s masterful choral repertoire, the singers demonstrate why. From her very first choral work Suomenkielinen sekakuorokappale (1979) to her latest, Reconnaissance (2020), Saariaho’s sound world shines through in these works that have been rarely performed in the Netherlands. 

Throughout her career, Kaija Saariaho has had a special relationship with voices. Not only did she write several operas, culminating in Innocence, performed at the Dutch National Opera in 2023, she also composed several pieces for solo voices and for choir. The Helsinki Chamber Choir is among the best chamber choirs in the world and is the perfect ensemble to bring this side of Saariaho to the limelight. 

Sons of Chipotle is the result of two free-spirited musicians joining forces for an unbridled sonic adventure. Cellist maestro Anssi Karttunen and musical virtuoso John Paul Jones are giants in their respective fields. Armed with electronics, piano and cello, they are thrilled to be making their Netherlands debut performance at the Kaija Saariaho Festival. Both Jones and Karttunen shared a friendship with Kaija Saariaho and were held in high regard by her. Karttunen has been involved in all of Saariaho’s cello works ever since they both moved to Paris in the 1980s.

Numerous composers have created new works for Anssi Karttunen, including Saariaho; he premiered several of her pieces. John Paul Jones, a founding member and the legendary multi-instrumentalist of Led Zeppelin, has collaborated with a wide range of artists as a bandleader, arranger and composer since the early 1960s. It is incredibly rare to find two of the finest musicians in the world improvising together. Both musicians are known to be curious minds, always ready to learn and to discover. When they improvise, borders disappear, they are free to migrate beyond prejudices, across continents. In a world full of conflicts and displaced people, Sons of Chipotle want music to be a place of openness.

Trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and drummer Mika Kallio weave an atmospheric, sometimes wild soundscape that perfectly complements the Finnish nature film screened during the concert. Animal Image by Perttu Saksa is a poetic evocation of the northern landscape. Kaija Saariaho was very impressed by this Animal Image programme. It inspired her to write her last completed work, the trumpet concerto Hush, which Pohjola premiered in August 2023, shortly after Saariaho’s death.

Verneri Pohjola is a big name in European jazz, renowned for his ability to make avant-garde experimentation accessible to a wide audience. Percussionist Mika Kallio is a true sound magician with extensive experience in free jazz. Their intuitive musical approach perfectly complements the breath-taking black-and-white images of filmmaker Perrtu Saksa, showing a world beyond language and human concepts. ‘The music is an invitation to become an animal yourself,’ according to the creators of Animal Image.