Kaija Saariaho

born in 1952, she studied composition with Paavo Heininen at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and later at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg on Br. with Brian Ferneyhough and Klaus Huber (diploma in 1983). She settled in Paris in 1982 and has been living there since. She has received commissions from the Lincoln Center for the Kronos Quartet (Nymphéa), ircam for the Ensemble InterContem-porain (Io), the New York Philharmonic and Kurt Masur (Oltra mar), Salzburg Festival and the TéČtre du ChČtelet (opera L’amour de loin). She has also written pieces for Gidon Kremer and Dawn Upshaw. Her honours include the Kranichsteiner Preis at the Darmstadt Courses (1986), the Prix Italia (1988, for Stilleben), and the Ars Electronica Prize (1989, for Stilleben and Io). The song cycle Lonh for soprano and electronics was awarded the Nordic Music Prize in 2000.

Selected works: Vers le blanc for tape (1982), Verblendungen for orchestra and tape (1982–84), Lichtbogen for chamber ensemble and electronics (1985–86), Jardin Secret I for tape (1984), Jardin Secret II for harpsichord and tape (1984–86), Io for ensemble, tape and electronics (1986–87), Nymphéa (Jardin Secret III) for string quartet and electro-nics (1987), Stilleben, radio piece (1987–88), Grammaire des rźves for soprano, alto and chamber ensemble (1988), Du Cristal for orchestra (1989–90), ...ą la fumée for flute, cello, live electronics and symphony orchestra (1990), Maa, multimedia ballet (1991), Amers for cello, ensemble and electronics (1992), NoaNoa for solo flute and electronics (1992), Solar for ensemble and two keyboards (1993), Caliban’s Dream for baritone, guitar, mandolin, harp and double bass (1993), Trois riviŹres for percussion quartet and electronics (1994), Nocturne (in tribute to Witold Lutosławski) for solo violin (1994), Six Japanese Gardens for percussion and electronics (1995), Graal ThéČtre, violin concerto (1995; version with chamber orchestra, 1997), Chateau de l’Čme, song cycle with orchestra (1996), Lonh for soprano and electronics (1996), Spins and Spells for solo cello (1996), New Gates for flute, harp and viola (1996), Pilvimusiikkia, electronic music (1997), Mirrors for flute and cello (1997), Miranda’s Lament for soprano, clarinet, harp, violin and double bass (1997), Forty Heartbeats for orchestra (1998), Neiges for eight cellos (1998), Cendres for alto flute, cello and piano (1998), Oltra mar (Across the Sea), seven preludes for the new millennium, for mixed choir and orchestra (1998–1999), Du cristal for alto flute, cello, synthesizer and symphony orchestra (1990), Maa, ballet music for flute, harpsichord, percussion, harp, violin, viola, cello and live electronics (1991), Unien kieliopista (From the Grammar of Dreams), stage music for two sopranos, flute, viola, cello and harp (1986–
–2000), L’Amour de loin (Love from Afar), opera in 5 acts to a libretto by Amin Maalouf according to La vida breve by Jaufré Rudel, one of the first troubadours of the 12th century (1999–2000), Song for Betty (2001; arrangement of the last part of L’Amour de loin), Cinq reflets de l’Amour de loin for soprano, baritone and orchestra (2001), Orion for orchestra (2002).
The string quartet Nymphéa is subtitled Jardin secret III. This highlights its link with a series of pieces of the same title which employ the same network of computer programmes devised by Kaija Saariaho in the 1980s. The electronic part treats the sounds of the quartet as if they were played live. Towards the end of the work, the musicians recite an excerpt from a poem by Arseni Tarkovski.