Lux Musicae Anniversary Year
The program draws from a musical hope chest, offering something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue. The world premieres by Kimmo Hakola and Maleena Linjama in this anniversary year are links in the chain of musical art leading into the future. As per tradition, Lux Musicae is once again creating something new!
Pami Karvonen, the organist and cantor of the Finnish parish of Siuntio, and the then vicar Ismo Turunen were the founders of the association that later became Siuntio Soi – Musik i Sjundeå a quarter of a century ago.
Karvonen recalls how, while initially working as a substitute cantor, he was also studying music therapy: “The church of Siuntio, music therapy, and my own November melancholy thus laid the groundwork for the idea of a festival of light and music.”
From the very beginning, the festival’s organization has involved a large group of volunteers. The traditional log candles lit by the Lions Club have been ignited as many times as the festival has been held!
The very first festival was a great success, both artistically and financially.
Ismo Turunen reminisces about two personal emotional impressions from different festival years: “I remember how the playing of a certain string quartet felt, at times, like a blissful physical vibration in my spine. Was it the purity of the sound, or was it something inexplicable—an absolute beauty in music?” And: “Mertsi Lindfors (one of the association’s founders) came to visit the event after moving away for work. He remarked something like this: ‘It’s safe to come to Lux when the vicar stands at the door, looking concerned as always.'”
The 25th Lux Musicae once again unites music and light, but also the universal with the local. There will be an abundance of works inspired by love for another person, a dear friend, a supporter, a child, nature, and life itself with all its facets. The concert-specific presentations beautifully reveal the philosophy of Lux Musicae. The result is a cohesive whole: an omaggio—a tribute!
