Northern Lights

Join us as we explore the music of various vintages from Finland, Iceland, and Russia, beginning with a mesmerizing 1994 work by Finnish composer Rautavaara whose mystical sounds will send you into the cosmos. We will stay in Finland for two works by Sibelius: his Symphony No. 3 and his beautiful Finlandia, a moving work that culminates with a hymn section celebrating Finland’s independence from Russia. We next present a work by living Icelandic composer Daniel Bjarnason who is shaking up the classical music world with his new and pleasing sounds. Listen for two movements from his riveting Bow to String (2010) that feature lots of cello and percussion: the first entitled “Sorrow Conquers Happiness” and the third “Air to Breathe.” We will end the evening with Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme which is actually an original theme in the Rococo style.