Arctic Light - Circles and Reflections

Arctic Light 20 years - celebrating with anniversary concert

Arctic Light celebrates 20 years as a vocal ensemble with the colorful and emotional anniversary concert Circles and Reflections.
For two decades, Arctic Light - the choir for girls aged 16-25 - has brightened our musical lives with their sets and their music. To celebrate the first 20 years, the performance Circles and Reflections is now presented - where the ensemble remembers the past but at the same time looks towards the future.
- The idea of ​​this anniversary concert is to close the circle a little and reflect what we have done during these years. It becomes like a simple reflection, says the composer, choir director and artistic director Susanna Lindmark. It was she who founded Arctic Light in 2004 with the main aim of raising the strength of female artistic practitioners and making visible the potential and power of the young choir members. But she also wanted to make Norrbotten visible, which she has taken note of in the music she creates for the choir, as well as in expressions, choreography, costumes and sets.
Arctic Light's unique sound and artistic expression can be described as shimmering and clear, but also powerful and emotional. One of the choir's signature pieces is Aurora Borealis, the first piece Susanna Lindmark wrote. It will of course be performed during the anniversary concert. But new music is also on offer. Partly from the Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen and his Spirits of Winter, partly from the Scanian composer Linda Alexandersson and her Three Sisters. In addition, Susanna Lindmark has composed two new works for the anniversary – Circles and reflections and September morning in Gerggevagge.
- The music I have written has its roots in Norrbotten and our part of the world. Then I think of natural phenomena such as the midnight sun, the northern lights, natural scenes and landscape images. It is a core of the concert. But Arctic Light has also always had a folk musical tone from other parts of the world. That will be the case this time too, with music from the Middle East and India, among other things, says Susanna. The concert will consist of two acts, with an intermission in the middle. Performers are the 21 current choir members, but during some selected pieces they will also be joined on stage by around thirty former members. In addition, the choir is supported by four musicians.
- I am very proud and happy about all the fantastic meetings during these 20 years, all the experiences, scenic projects and the driving art that we have created. It has been an incredibly exciting journey, that as a leader getting to see each individual develop and grow both musically, personally and socially is a favour. I also think it is important that there are still forums for young girls where you can grow strong from the inside out, through the artistic, says Susanna Lindmark.

The anniversary concert Circles and Reflections will be performed at Studio Acusticum on November 30, but the plan is then a tour around Norrbotten in 2025.