Tero Saarinen Company and Asko|Schönberg join forces at the Holland Festival on 24 & 25 June 2025 

 Asko|Schönberg presents together with Tero Saarinen Company Study for Life at the Holland Festival. Tero Saarinen's new choreographic work is an ode to the music of Kaija Saariaho. In Study for Life the nuanced and delicate world of Kaija Saariaho is brought to life by a group of six dancers, the musicians of Asko|Schönberg and soprano Raquel Camarinha. An innovative electronic sound design interweaving Saariaho's compositions adds an extra dimension. This compelling work fulfils the long-held dream of collaboration between Tero Saarinen and composer Kaija Saariaho, who died in 2023.  

Study for Life (1980) is Saariaho's first work developed for a stage. This new creation for the Holland Festival is a visually stunning piece designed for unconventional performance spaces - with both musicians from Asko|Schönberg and dancers from the Tero Saarinen Company in motion, enveloping the audience. In this performance, the audience will also hear the works Petals (1988), Light arcs (1986), Attentive and Parfum de l'instant (2002). 

The piece traverses a hollow and lonely landscape where people have become numb to each other and the surrounding world. With its transformative physicality and music that stretches sensitivity, the work invites you to explore a richer emotional spectrum. When you step outside, you are a little more prepared to take in the world.   

 Tero Saarinen and Tero Saarinen Company 

Tero Saarinen has an impressive international career as a dancer and choreographer. He has created more than 40 creations for the Tero Saarinen Company and other leading dance groups. His internationally acclaimed choreographies have been described as total works of art, often featuring live orchestras and the presence of multiple art forms. 

The Tero Saarinen Company is known for creating, creating, performing and teaching powerful and engaging contemporary dance performances. Founded in 1996, the company has over 40 performances to its credit, which have played in leading venues on all continents. 

Kaija Saariaho 

Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023) was a leading voice of her generation of composers. Her distinctive textural compositional style, exploring timbre, was often created by combining live performance and electronics. Saariaho's greatest public and critical recognition came from her work in opera, including, for example: L'Amour de loin (2000), Émilie (2010) and Innocence (2020), which won the Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production in 2024. 

Asko|Schönberg 

Asko|Schönberg presents bold concerts and performances of composed music from the 20th and 21st centuries in a variety of settings, from concert stages and open-air festivals to theatres. The ensemble develops research projects and educational activities. The emphasis is on stimulating and creating new work by contemporary creators. All with the aim of inspiring Dutch and international audiences and discovering new sounds.