Kaija Saariaho

Finnish composer (1952-2023) · France · On the map · Musicians · Died at 70

Kaija Anneli Saariaho was a Finnish composer based in Paris, France. During the course of her career, Saariaho received commissions from the Lincoln Center for the Kronos Quartet and from IRCAM for the Ensemble Intercontemporain, the BBC, the New York Philharmonic, the Salzburg Music Festival, the Théâtre du Châtelet...

Kaija Saariaho is read about 149 times a day, in 33 languages.

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A life in dates

2023Died2 June 20232019Finnish Music Hall of FameAward2018Officer of the National Order of MeritAward2017Commander First Class of the Order of the Lion of FinlandAward2015Honorary Doctorate of the Bordeaux Montaigne UniversityAward2013Commandeur des Arts et des LettresAwardPolar Music PrizeAward2011Léonie Sonning Music PrizeAward2006Knight of the National Order of MeritAward2005Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of FinlandAward2003Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of HelsinkiAwardGrawemeyer Award for Music CompositionAwardGrawemeyer AwardsAward2001Rolf Schock Prize in Musical ArtsAward2000Stoeger PrizeAward1952Born14 October 1952

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Awards

Finnish Music Hall of Fame2019

Officer of the National Order of Merit2018

BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award2017

Commander First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland2017

Honorary Doctorate of the Bordeaux Montaigne University2015

Polar Music Prize2013

Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres2013

Léonie Sonning Music Prize2011

Wihuri Sibelius Prize2009

Knight of the National Order of Merit2006

Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland2005

Grawemeyer Awards2003

Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition2003

Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Helsinki2003

Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Turku2003

Rolf Schock Prize in Musical Arts2001

Stoeger Prize2000

Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Honorary Member of the International Society for Contemporary Music

About this person

During the course of her career, Saariaho received commissions from the Lincoln Center for the Kronos Quartet and from IRCAM for the Ensemble Intercontemporain, the BBC, the New York Philharmonic, the Salzburg Music Festival, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and the Finnish National Opera, among others. In a 2019 composers' poll by BBC Music Magazine, Saariaho was ranked the greatest living composer.

Country

France