The central theme of the Musica Sacra Maastricht 2014 edition is ‘Awe-inspiring’. Daily life often leaves little space for surprise, but if one takes a closer look and digs a bit deeper, one comes to bewildering observations and just as many unanswered questions.

The understanding that we may be able to divert or sometimes intervene in the forces that govern us but can never entirely master them is also likely to inspire awe: forces such as natural disasters, wars, disease and death.  This understanding can serve as a starting point for ethical reflection on our actions, and has through the centuries given rise to meaningful art. And that is precisely what Musica Sacra Maastricht will be doing in 2014.