Kaija Saariaho

Kaija Saariaho (born the October 14th 1952) is a Finnish compositrice .

It was born with Helsinki and studied there the music with the Académie Sibelius. She then studied with Freiburg-in-Brisgau, near Brian Ferneyhough and Klaus Huber, and with Paris, near Pierre Boulez with IRCAM.

Kaija Saariaho was filled with enthusiasm for the spectral music of Tristan Murail and Gerard Grisey which was for it a true revelation. Petals , for violoncello solo or with electronics, illustrates this form of music perfectly working on the matter even of the sound.

Many its parts use electronic resources in addition to the traditional instruments, with the example of Nymphéa (secret Garden III, 1987) , for electronics and string quartet on line.

It received the Italia Price and, in 1989, the Prix Ars Electronica, as well as orders of the Lincoln Center for the Kronos Quartet, and of the IRCAM for the Ensemble intercontemporain, and was the subject of a Pan-European collaboratif project in the creation of a CD-ROM Prisma , centered around its work.

It is the author of two operas: Love by far (2000) and Adriana MATER (2006). The same team collaborated in these operas: the librettist Amin Maalouf, the director Peter Sellars and the leader Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Kaija Saariaho wrote much for the Violoncelle, and uses it in an innovative way, while exploiting in particular the texture of the instrument thanks to electronics and the inventive techniques of play (variations of pressure and slope of the bow…). Its proximity with the Finnish violoncellist Anssi Karttunen, which created several of its works, undoubtedly contributed to the development of the work of Kaija Saariaho on the violoncello.

She even says she: The violoncello is my preferred instrument, it is at least what I believe because I return there regularly. That there exist remarkable violoncellists who were always ready to cooperate with me could only contribute in this irrefutable fact. Kaija Saariaho, Paris 2005

Some works

Verblendungen (1984), for unit
secret Garden I (1985), for band
Lichtbogen (1986), for unit
secret Garden II (1986), for harpsichord and band
Io (1987), for electronic whole and
Nymphea (1987), for string quartet and electronic
Stilleben (1988), radiophonic part
Petals (1988), for electronic violoncello and
Oi Kuu (1990), for low clarinet and violoncello
Of the crystal… to smoke (1990), for Bitter full orchestra
(1992), for violoncello, together and electronic
NoaNoa (1992), for flute and electronic
Close (1992), for electronic violoncello and
Six japanese Gardens (1993), for electronic percussion and
Solar (1994), for unit
Folia (1995), for double bass and electronic
Graal theater (1995), concerto for violin and orchestra
Castle of the heart (1996), for soprano, orchestra and chorus
Lonh (1996), for electronic voice and
Spins and Spells (1997), for flute and violoncello
Oltra Mar (1999), for orchestra and chorus
Love by far (2000), opera
Seven Butterflies (2000), for violoncello alone
Nymphea Reflection (2001), for orchestra
Four Moments, for orchestra and soprano
Orion (2002), for orchestra
Adriana MATER (2005), opera
the Passion of Simone (2006), oratorio
Notes one Light (2006), concerto for violoncello and orchestra

External bonds

Official site
Biography and list of works (Media library IRCAM)
Interview of Kaija Saariaho on the site Odb-opera

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