"They walked side by side" is a condensed version of the epiloque to my large-scale song cycle "The Earth, Spring's Daughter". The words are from the poem of the same name by the Sámi poet Rauni Magga Lukkari impressively describing the sometimes even supernatural communition that exists between mothers and daughters. At first, the music seems to flow of its own accord - as if it has always done so - and voice and violin walk side by side as equals throughout the piece. It may, in the space that forms around them, be possible to sense the tacit knowledge, mind space and most fragile inner voices of the foremothers.
Premiered on June 10, 2018, Silence Festival, Kittilä Church, Finland. Performed by Tuuli Lindeberg (soprano) and Pekka Kuusisto (violin).