On October 30, the XXIII international contemporary music festival AFEKT begins, which this year focuses on transmediality in contemporary composition, highlightthing the multi-layered nature of music theatre. The festival honors the influential figures of modernism by celebrating the 150th anniversary of composer Arnold Schönberg and the 100th anniversary of Luigi Nono.
Performers include the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by renowned contemporary music conductor Clement Power from the UK; the legendary Ensemble Musikfabrik from Germany; actor Mait Malmsten; the Estonian Percussion Group; rising soprano Annabel Soode; Ensemble L’arsenale from Italy, conducted by Filippo Perocco; and the Spółdzielnia Muzyczna Contemporary Ensemble from Poland.
Elis Hallik's Symphony Phos will be given its world premiere at the ERSO concert on November 1. The word Phos originates from Greek and refers to the physical and metaphorical nature of light. The symphony carries a deeper message and interprets the All Hallows season through light and sounds. Monika Mattiesen’s new work Ariadne aus Neanderthal will also premiere on the same evening. The original text for the piece was written by Hasso Krull. The installation-based hybrid instrument required for performing the work was created in collaboration with artist Raul Keller, Sten Saarits and instrument maker and designer Leopold Inkapööl. The live broadcast of the concert can be listened on Klassikaraadio and ERSO TV.
In collaboration with the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT), chamber operas by composers Fabrizio Nastari and Einike Leppik will have their world premieres. Solo concerts incorporating elements of music theatre will be performed by musicians from Musikfabrik: violinist Hannah Weirich, trumpeter Marco Blaauw, clarinetist Carl Rosman, and pianist Benjamin Kobler.
Alongside the concerts, lectures and workshops will be held at EAMT and the Heino Eller Music College, featuring participating composers and musicians. New transmedial works will be presented by students from the EAMT audiovisual program.
AFEKT will present world premieres by composers Madli-Marie Gildemann, Elis Hallik, Maria Kõrvits, Joseph Andrew Lake, Einike Leppik, Marianna Liik, Riho-Esko Maimets, Monika Mattiesen, Fabrizio Nastari, Kristjan Randalu, and Evelin Seppar.
The AFEKT festival takes place from October 30 to November 3 in concert venues in Tallinn and Tartu. The artistic director of the festival is Monika Mattiesen.
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