 Arvo Pärt Photo: Peeter Langovits |
On September 11, composer Arvo Pärt celebrates his 80th birthday. As the boldest innovator of Estonian music in 1960ies, he brought into play all the most important modernist techniques of composition in his earlier works. In 1980ies, Pärt achieved worldwide recognition by his meditative tintinnabuli style. Arvo Pärt's music is performed all over the world and has had a remarkable influence on contemporary music in Estonia and abroad. In September, several events are dedicated to Arvo Pärt’s jubilee:
August 28–September 26 Nargenfestival’s Arvo Pärt’s Days. In the year of Arvo Pärt's 80th anniversary, festival’s programme concentrates on works from „ECM New Series“ discs. 12 concerts in Tallinn, Tartu, Paide, Rakvere and Riga present Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, chamber choir Collegium Musicale, Girls’ Choir Ellerhein, Tallinn Music High School Youth Choir, Estonian National Male Choir, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, vocal ensemble Vox Clamantis, chamber choir Voces Musicales, Nargenfestival Orchestra, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, NMF Symphony Orchestra from Wrocław and many outstanding soloists. Conductors are Risto Joost, Paul Hillier, Kaspars Putniņš, Endrik Üksvärav, Stephen Layton, Jaan-Eik Tulve and festival’s artistic director Tõnu Kaljuste.
On September 6, Arvo Pärt Days starts both in composer’s birthtown Paide and childhood town Rakvere.
Dance performance „Icons. Pärt“ that was premiered in April and was produced by Tallinn Philharmonic Society and Tallinn Dance Theatre, will be performed again in six cities in Estonia and also in St. Petersburg from September 8–30. Performers are Auli Lonks (piano), Dmitri Harchenko and Endro Roosimäe (dancers), performance include Arvo Pärt’s piano music.
On September 11, concerts dedicated to Arvo Pärt will take place in Amsterdam Muziekgebow (Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Cappella Amsterdam), Metropolitan Museum in New York (New Juilliard Ensemble), Bergen, Netherlands (Marcel Worms (piano), Ursula Schoch (violin)), Hengelo, Netherlands (Parnassus Ensemble and Concentus Vocalis) and others. Arvo Pärt’s birthday concert in Brussels Protestant Chapel will be given by Belgian chamber choir Aquarius under the direction of Marc Michael de Smet, who present also composer’s author’s CD „Magnificent Magnificat“.
Orchestre de Paris and their conductor Paavo Järvi will organise a „Week-End Arvo Pärt“ on September 19 and 20.
On September 21, Arvo Pärt’s composer recital will take place at the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival in St. Vitus Cathedral with Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Tõnu Kaljuste.
From September 24 to October 9, international music festival „Mirror in Mirror“ dedicated to Arvo Pärt will take place in Moscow. Festival consists of four concerts in Moscow Conservatory, Peter and Paul Cathedral, Estonian Embassy and Novaya Opera Theatre, including performances by Estonian musicians Andres Mustonen (conductor), Iris Oja (mezzo soprano) and Diana Liiv (piano).
On September 30, Netherlands Chamber Choir with conductor Tõnu Kaljuste will start their tour in Netherlands with the concert „Happy Birthday, Arvo Pärt“.