There is magic in the fells of Lapland. Behind every corner hides a small miracle: a lake, a bog, or maybe a vista. And oh, the sounds! Waves crash, the wind whispers, the birds sing…. Here, there is a possibility for a person to develop a truly intimate relationship with nature and the world around them.
When the idea emerged to bring classical music back to Luosto as the successor to the legendary LuostoClassic, I could not resist. Already when the idea of the festival emerged in August 2019, I had fallen in love with this area and its people. This milieu calls out for the interplay between small, intimate chamber concerts, and huge, grandiose outdoor orchestral performances. I had also gotten to witness in Kuusikko soi! and Lapland Chamber Orchestra concerts how readily the audience here would approach programs featuring unfamiliar works as well as familiar masterpieces. This environment seemed perfect for a new festival, and so, the Sounds of Luosto was born.
The theme was also inevitable. A festival in the Lappish landscape is a celebration of nature simply by its existence, and so the Sounds of Luosto 2021 is built around the nature that provides its setting. The program consists of some of my absolute favorite works, and over the course of 9 concerts, world class artists take the audience on a journey that looks at humanity’s relationship with the world around it.
The pandemic also makes this festival particularly special. Opportunities to experience live culture have been few and far between, and this year has been difficult for audiences and performers alike. Art is remarkable in that it is a possibility to experience something truly personal, but as part of a community. When you take the community out of the picture, the experience is different. The situation looks promising though, and at the end of the summer, we will celebrate nature, life, the future, and finally, after a long year, togetherness.
I’ll see you at Luosto. I can hardly wait.
Aku Sorensen
Artistic Director