Celestial Navigators

Celestial Navigators is a collaborative project by composer-performer Tytti Arola (Helsinki), singer–vocal artist Annika Fuhrmann (Helsinki), and horn player-performer Elena Kakaliagou (Berlin), exploring the fragility of human decision-making alongside the clarity of goals found in nature.

The project originally arose from a desire to challenge the performance traditions and teaching methods of classical music, as well as a wish to examine personal insecurities. Traditionally, the (classical) musician strives for perfection and flawlessness in performance. But what happens when the performer appears on stage as honest, vulnerable — and imperfectly themselves?

In addition to examining the artist’s inner uncertainty, the project also reflects a broader contemporary condition — an era in which uncertainty has become a permanent state. We live in a world defined by ecological crisis, geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and the erosion of social security. In Finland, these global concerns intertwine with the national debate about the value of art, its funding, and the place of culture in society.

During our residency period we approached this theme from multiple perspectives and started to create a new multidisciplinary performance that combines music, video art and movement. Inspired by the instinctive celestial navigation of migratory birds, the piece intertwines personal doubt with broader reflections on society, choice, and direction. Visuals filmed in the Finnish landscape during late summer — when geese and cranes rehearse their flight formations — highlight the striking contrast between the certainty of nature’s compass and the hesitation of human uncertainty.

Tytti Arola is a composer, sound artist, and performer interested in bringing everyday life into the concert hall, creating multisensory compositions, and exploring spatial sound. Her works often make use of electronics and multimedia, including video projections. Recently, she has been particularly focused on performativity in contemporary music, the physicality of playing, and instrument building. Arola’s works have been presented at the Helsinki Festival, Tampere Biennale, Musica Nova, Nordic Music Days, Our Festival, and Flow Festival, among others.

Annika Fuhrmann is a singer and vocal artist working mainly in the fields of experimental music theatre, sound art, and improvised music. She has premiered numerous works written for her and performed in interdisciplinary projects with artists from various backgrounds. She has also composed and recorded several sound art pieces for YLE Radio 1. Central to her artistic practice are a rich and versatile vocal and physical expression, as well as engagement with social themes.

Elena Kakaliagou is an internationally active artist in contemporary music and improvisation. She performs regularly at festivals and concert venues around the world, both in her own projects and as a member of leading contemporary ensembles. Her work combines drone, microtonality, soundscapes, and lyrical expression. With over 20 albums to her name and performances in theatre, performance art, and solo contexts, she has established herself as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music today.