Olli Mustonen talks about his compositional project "Heavenly Lights"

Finnish pianist, conductor and composer Olli Mustonen presents Heavenly Lights, one of his most recent and fascinating compositional projects, inspired by the poetic and mythological world of the Kalevala and Finland’s centuries-old tradition of poetry singers. 

Mustonen will discuss the genesis of the work and its distinctive creative journey, from the inspiration of Finnish epic poetry to writing for voice and instruments. At the heart of the presentation will be the two versions of Heavenly Lights: one for tenor, cello and piano, and the other for symphony orchestra, both of which have now been recorded and released. 

The presentation will also offer an opportunity to explore Mustonen’s approach to writing for the voice and the dialogue between composition and performance, as he reflects on the friendships and artistic collaborations that have accompanied the creation and development of the work, particularly those with Ian Bostridge, Steven Isserlis and Nicolas Altstaedt.