Kaamos

DE BIJLOKE GENT, 
May 3th 2024

MUSIQUES DEMESUREES, CLERMONT FERRAND
May 5th 2024 

LEVANDE MUSIK GOTHENBURG 
December 18th 2024 

There are such words that possess much nuance, their meaning is so fraught, that they are impossible to translate.  Some words are even so intertwined in the cultural stratification of a group of people that a description of them is impossible to put into words.  The Finnish word 'Kaamos' is a striking example of this. 

'Kaamos' is more than a word. It encompasses the color, the feeling, the physical impact on one's mind and body that is evoked by the winter night in the Arctic, a night of at least 24h, when the sun no longer rises. You won't easily find more night than that, but as your eyes and ears get used to the darkness, colors become visible and silence starts to move. 

It is Kaamos, that Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho thinks of when she reflects on nature and light in her compositions. 

We asked Kaija Saariaho which young composers she holds dear. 

Two Finnish composers, Maija Hynninen and Tomi Räisänen express what 'Kaamos' means to them in brand new work.

Aïda Gabriels and Bram Vandeghinste bring you light in the darkness. They created an adapted lighting design especially for this concert.

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