The world lost a bit of its wonder on June 2, when Kaija Saariaho died at the age of 70 following a battle with glioblastoma. Diagnosed with the aggressive brain cancer in early 2021, Saariaho gave no major announcement about her health, nor did she document the two years of treatment that followed. When she appeared in public using a cane or wheelchair, she said she preferred to keep her illness a private matter, “in order to maintain a positive mindset.”
The mystery of her health over the last two years was revealed last week when Saariaho’s family issued a statement following her death. This revelation, however, contained deeper truths surrounding brain tumor awareness and detection, accessibility issues for wheelchair users, and “the plight of immunocompromised individuals.” (Saariaho contracted COVID-19 twice during her treatment, owing to inadequate public protection measures at events.)
In a way, this is what Saariaho’s music has continually done: offer unexpected insights underneath a hazily opaque surface. It’s only when the timing is just right, when the light hits things just so, that everything becomes illuminated.
A Kaija Saariaho Playlist
The composer in her own words and worlds
