HUSH: Saariaho and Thorvaldsdottir — Het Muziek

The stillness and untameable power of nature

Two composers, one shared source of inspiration: the stillness and untameable power of nature. This evening, you will be transported into the fluorescent soundscapes of composers Kaija Saariaho and Anna Thorvaldsdottir.

HUSH, featuring Finnish jazz trumpeter Verneri Pohjola as soloist, presents an intimate and moving journey towards silence. Its overwhelming premiere at the Saariaho Festival in March 2025 at the Muziekgebouw was awarded five stars by De Volkskrant and hailed as one of the musical highlights of 2025. Hrím – Icelandic for rime ice – by Anna Thorvaldsdottir evokes a soundscape where tones drift down like ice crystals, cluster together, dissolve, and eventually freeze slowly in the wind. In Saariaho’s Graal Théâtre, an intense and immersive violin concerto unfolds, performed by Joseph Puglia, in which poetry and sharp precision constantly intertwine.

About the Dutch premiere of HUSH during the Saariaho Festival in 2025:
★★★★★ De Volkskrant - "Something magical is happening in the Muziekgebouw."
★★★★★ NRC - "A moment that is already heading straight onto the list of the most memorable moments of 2025."