Symmetria Pario: Creation explores the “beginnings of things,” the origin of the universe as expressed in music, and various creation stories from different cultures around the world. BUT when listening to this album one does not need to know anything about science or even the inspiration behind these works to enjoy the music. Clarice’s work proves this instantly upon hearing.

Clarice Assad investigates quantum theory and what we surmise happened in the first billionths of a second after the universe came into being, Yuko Mabuchi explores a Yoruba creation story from West Africa and incorporates Native American creation traditions. Mehmet Sanlikol’s piece takes inspiration from the mystical Islamic Sufi tradition describing the creation of the universe in seven days. Hannah Kendall channels the Book of Psalms. Ricky Kej explores pre-Hindu Vedic narratives from Ancient India, and Adam Gilbert pokes fun at Renaissance ideas about the order of the universe.

Composers Cecilia Damstrom, Harrison Birtwistle and Missy Mazzoli join this album celebrating music for violin and piano. Just as we pondered our origins 50 or 100,000 years ago, we want to know how it all began, whether through a magnanimous creative act of divine power or by spontaneous eruption from a single point into an ever-expanding universe bursting outward at many times the speed of light.

Pekka Kuusisto performs not only as a violin soloist with the major orchestras on the planet, but conducts regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic, where he is Principal Guest Conductor, as well as Mahler Chamber Orchestra and many elite ensembles around the world. Pekka plays the 1709 “Scotta” Stradivarius. Joonas Ahonen specializes in contemporary music from his home-base in Vienna, but also records Beethoven and Mendelssohn on fortepiano.