It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Sofia Gubaidulina – a grande dame of contemporary music, a visionary, spiritual and inspiring artist.
As a deeply spiritual person, she explored the tension between the human and the divine through her music. Her interest in the world, in people, and in the spiritual realm touched everyone who met and worked with her.
In a 2016 interview, she was asked how she saw the future of musical creativity. Her answer was: "There is only one path to true art, and that is depth." This was precisely the path she herself followed in her music – always searching for greater depth, for connections to the mysteries and laws of the cosmos.
Over the years, the Basel Sinfonietta has had the pleasure of performing several works by Sofia Gubaidulina. Most recently, in 2024, we performed Zeitgestalten and Introitus for piano and chamber orchestra with pianist Alice di Piazza; in 2023, we performed Revuemusik for symphony orchestra and jazz band at the Ruhrtriennale. Gubaidulina's music always leaves a lasting impression and is a rich source of inspiration.
Even though Sofia Gubaidulina has now left us and this world, her music will always live on. It is a privilege for us to be among the guardians of her musical legacy.
With gratitude for their music.
– Marie Stockmarr Becker for the Basel Sinfonietta
