Programme

In all three works, the vocal element takes centre stage. Soprano soloist in two of the pieces is Alexandra Büchel – one of our foremost interpreters of contemporary music, among other genres. This spring, she appears at Norrlandsoperan in the newly composed opera Älskarinnorna by Jenny Wilson, based on Elfriede Jelinek’s novel Women as Lovers (Die Liebhaberinnen).

Vägar, flyktvägar (Paths, Escape Routes) for soprano and percussion by Ylva Q Arkvik is a triptych exploring themes of captivity in the past, the longing to flee from and to something new, and the magic of liberation in an unexpected moment. The poems are taken from an upcoming collection by playwright, librettist, and author Kerstin Perski. The music captures the dreamlike quality of the texts.

Omnia tempus habent (Everything Has Its Time) is Arne Mellnäs’s setting of the text from Ecclesiastes. Composed for solo soprano, it conveys a consoling message in both words and music: hardship is temporary, and light will return. The piece, best performed in a venue with generous acoustics, was premiered in 1972 at Visby Cathedral by Marianne Mellnäs.

Jag märker allting (I Notice Everything) by Hans Gefors is a cantata in a prologue and twelve movements, with actor Hannes Meidal as narrator, guiding us through the music. As vocal soloist, we hear countertenor Elias Aaron Johansson. Gefors weaves together lines from Strindberg’s pilgrimage play To Damascus with poems by the 20th-century Spanish poet Juan Ramón Jiménez. The work is inspired by the Baroque cantata tradition, reflected both in its structure and instrumentation: narration, countertenor, a small choir, two violins, cello, percussion, and theorbo.

In collaboration with Swedish Music Spring. The concert is produced in partnership with the Society of Swedish Composers.

Tchaikovsky composed his fifth symphony during a few summer months in 1888. He had complained of lacking inspiration in the spring: "Am I burned out? No ideas, no desire?" But the fifth became a vital, emotionally charged, and in many respects brilliant symphony. It premiered under the composer's direction at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in November of the same year.

The concert begins with Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi's Liguria, music that takes us on a journey between five small fishing villages clinging to the cliffs along Italy's northwestern coast.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft

Sibelius's violin concerto is now the most performed of all violin concertos from the 20th century. Yet its musical language belongs to the late 19th century, and the music is warm and lyrical, dramatic and melancholic. Sibelius, himself a violinist, possibly wrote the concerto he himself would have wanted to play – albeit on a technical level far beyond his own. In this way, the violin concerto can be seen as a farewell to the youthful dreams of a career as a violin virtuoso. It is among the more challenging in the genre, as many violinists have attested.

Taking on the challenge is the young award-winning violinist Maria Ioudenitch. In 2021, she won first prize in the prestigious Ysaÿe International Music Competition and the same year also the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition. Maria Ioudenitch was born in Russia but moved to the USA with her family at the age of two.

Tchaikovsky composed his fifth symphony during a few summer months in 1888. He had complained about a lack of inspiration in the spring: "Am I burned out? No ideas, no desire?" But the fifth became a vital, emotionally charged, and in many respects brilliant symphony. It premiered under the composer's direction at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in November of the same year.

The concert opens with the Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodis's Liguria, music that takes us on a journey between five small fishing villages clinging to the cliffs along Italy's northwest coast.

Read more about chief conductor Ryan Bancroft

Camille Thurman is a name to remember – if you haven’t already. She is widely acclaimed and richly awarded, with critics bending over backwards to capture the impact of her performances. As Downbeat Magazine wrote: “Imagine if Sarah Vaughan played saxophone like Dexter Gordon. That’s about the effect you get when vocalist and tenor saxophonist Camille Thurman takes the stage.”

Born in New York in 1986, Camille Thurman is a saxophonist, vocalist, and composer. She made history as the first woman in 30 years to tour, record, and perform internationally as a full-time member of the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, which she was part of from 2018 to 2020.

Equally impressive as a singer and saxophonist, Thurman’s artistry combines tradition and innovation in a captivating way. She made her recording debut in 2014 and has since released three additional albums under her own name, most recently Confluence, Vol. 1: Alhambra in 2024. She has also contributed to numerous other albums.

Now making her debut at Konserthuset Stockholm, Thurman performs with the Darrell Green Quartet. Her latest album is a collaboration with Green and his quartet. Darrell Green, also from New York, is a highly sought-after drummer and bandleader who has toured with legends such as Pharoah Sanders and Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Konserthuset Stockholm at Hötorget is one of Sweden’s great architectural masterpieces. Created during a period of expansion in Stockholm, by the Swedish architect Ivar Tengbom, it opened in 1926. Konserthuset Stockholm was built for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and has since the start been the dedicated venue for the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony as well as many other prestigious events.

• The guided tour is held in Swedish.
• Maximum 25 persons/tour.

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The gospel choir By Grace is one of Sweden’s foremost gospel choirs, with a repertoire that includes both traditional and modern gospel. By Grace was founded in 1995 by Daniel Stenbaek and in 2025, the choir celebrates 30 years! Join us for a wonderfully swinging gospel celebration, with Carola, Samuel Ljungblahd and some of Sweden’s best gospel musicians. The choir’s aim is to spread the message of gospel music and to highlight the hope that carries through everything.

Comprising 23 singers from Stockholm, the ensemble has toured both Europe and the US. They have released six albums to date and frequently appear on TV, for example at Allsång på Skansen (Singalong at Skansen) and on TV4’s Christmas Eve programme, as well as with musicians such as Carola and Zara Larsson. In 2015, they had the honour of singing at the wedding of H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia at Stockholm Cathedral. By Grace has also participated on multiple occasions in Konserthuset’s big Christmas concert.

By Grace director Daniel Stenbaek is one of Sweden’s leading pianists and a regular guest at Europe’s top gospel festivals. He has performed with many of Sweden’s elite musicians, including this evening’s guest artists, Carola Häggkvist and Samuel Ljungblahd.

Carola has a natural place in the spotlight and is well-known for her fantastic voice, charismatic stage presence, and her broad repertoire, spanning from pop to gospel.

Samuel Ljungblahd, also known as Sweden’s soul and gospel king, has worked with numerous elite musicians in Sweden, including Lisa Nilsson, Carola, Sarah Dawn Finer, Timbuktu and Danny Saucedo.

The New York-based string quartet Brooklyn Rider has been attracting a wide audience since its inception in 2005 with concerts that often cross genres. They visited Konserthuset for a highly acclaimed concert in 2014 and also performed at Fotografiska. All in line with the ensemble's desire to break away from the traditional and familiar.

During their eagerly awaited return to Konserthuset, the programme ranges from British Baroque to French Betsy Jolas's third string quartet from 1973, which, in nine parts, explores the mysterious universe of music. A completely different character is found in Mozart's String Quartet in C Major, often called the Dissonant Quartet due to its long and striking introduction, which today we do not find particularly dissonant.

After Arvo Pärt's meditative Solfeggio, Brooklyn Rider concludes with Brahms's wonderful first string quartet with its remarkable coherence. The opening and closing movements are characterized by a delightful and fervent temperament, with tender and luminous music in between.

The gospel choir By Grace is one of Sweden’s foremost gospel choirs, with a repertoire that includes both traditional and modern gospel. By Grace was founded in 1995 by Daniel Stenbaek and in 2025, the choir celebrates 30 years! Join us for a wonderfully swinging gospel celebration, with Carola, Samuel Ljungblahd and some of Sweden’s best gospel musicians. The choir’s aim is to spread the message of gospel music and to highlight the hope that carries through everything.

Comprising 23 singers from Stockholm, the ensemble has toured both Europe and the US. They have released six albums to date and frequently appear on TV, for example at Allsång på Skansen (Singalong at Skansen) and on TV4’s Christmas Eve programme, as well as with musicians such as Carola and Zara Larsson. In 2015, they had the honour of singing at the wedding of H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia at Stockholm Cathedral. By Grace has also participated on multiple occasions in Konserthuset’s big Christmas concert.

By Grace director Daniel Stenbaek is one of Sweden’s leading pianists and a regular guest at Europe’s top gospel festivals. He has performed with many of Sweden’s elite musicians, including this evening’s guest artists, Carola Häggkvist and Samuel Ljungblahd.

Carola has a natural place in the spotlight and is well-known for her fantastic voice, charismatic stage presence, and her broad repertoire, spanning from pop to gospel.

Samuel Ljungblahd, also known as Sweden’s soul and gospel king, has worked with numerous elite musicians in Sweden, including Lisa Nilsson, Carola, Sarah Dawn Finer, Timbuktu and Danny Saucedo.

Presentation of the JazzBrazz Award, concerts with the Jazz Teachers Orchestra conducted by Erika Hammarberg, and the festival’s All Star Big Band conducted by Ann-Sofi Söderqvist. Open to the public.

Växjö-based Musica Vitae joins us accompanied by the British violinist and conductor Hugo Ticciati, who is active in Sweden. He founded the O/Modernt festival in 2011, known for its innovative and cross-genre programming, which also characterizes his concert with Musica Vitae.

The first part of the concert presents music infused with religious reverie. We hear the mysticism of Hildegard of Bingen in Vos flores rosarum and wordless violin song in Arvo Pärt's Fratres. Additionally, two meditations on the theme of the suffering mother: John Tavener's Mother of God, Here I Stand from The Veil of the Temple, and Lera Auerbach's Sogno di Stabat Mater (Dream of Stabat Mater). 

After the interval, the mood shifts from spiritual contemplation to exalted rapture. In the enigmatically dancing Aksak and Ciphers, Swedish composer Albert Schnelzer has encoded both Brahms and family members in the score. This is followed by a musical dialogue between Philip Glass’s Baroque-inspired Symphony No. 3 and arrangements of songs from the grunge rock band Nirvana’s iconic album Nevermind, and even a shivering spirit by the Baroque master Henry Purcell makes an appearance.