On October 5, a memorial concert for the renowned Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho will take place at the House of the Blackheads in Tallinn. This is a collaborative event organized by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Music, and composer Helena Tulve. Also participating in the concert is Saariaho’s widower, French electronic music composer Jean-Baptiste Barrière.
Helena Tulve, who among Estonian composers had the closest connection with Saariaho, will present her latest work, “Vers l'autre claret” (“Towards Another Light”), dedicated to Saariaho’s memory. “The piece is an evolution of my earlier chamber work “Becoming Light – Music for Kaija”, which I composed in the summer of 2023 after Kaija Saariaho’s passing. In musical terms, it is a process of slowly transitioning from darkness to light, from density to sparsity, from unrest to peace. The concept of a musical composition as a transformational journey came to my work as a reflection of Kaija Saariaho’s ideas,” explains Helena Tulve.
Tulve notes that in Finland, Saariaho is undoubtedly the most well-known and successful composer since Jean Sibelius: “Her music is characterized by an immense focus on sound as a complex phenomenon that changes over time, with strong emotional and physical expression and impact.”
“Saariaho’s music has undoubtedly influenced Estonian composers. Her sonic language touched many of our prominent composers. Several Estonian performers-interpreters also had the privilege of working with her. Unfortunately, Kaija passed away last year. October would have been her birthday month, so it seemed an appropriate moment for Estonian contemporary music performers to gather and remember her,” adds one of the concert’s organizers, Taavi Kerikmäe.
The concert will begin with a discussion about Saariaho’s music and her life as both a composer and a person. Iconic works by Saariaho, including “Lichtbogen,” “Petals,” and “Miranda’s Lament,” will be performed by leading Estonian musicians Maria Valdma (soprano), Leho Karin (cello), Ensemble U:, the Ensemble of Estonian Electronic Music Society (EMA), and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. Helena Tulve’s new work “Vers l'autre clarté,” dedicated to Saariaho, will also be performed. Additionally, Jean-Batiste Barrière will present his own music at the concert and provide live video accompaniment for Saariaho’s works.