On August 30, Peeter Vähi’s concerto for taiko-ensemble and orchestra Call of Sacred Drums will be premiered at the second Grafenegg International Music Festival in Austria. The festival commissionen will be performed by Japanese leading taiko player Eitetsu Hayashi’s percussion quintet and Vienna Tonkünstler-Orchester under the baton of their chief conductor Kristjan Järvi. The concert programme also includes La Mer by Claude Debussy and Pini di Roma by Ottorino Respighi.
Peeter Vähi (b. 1955) graduated in music theory from the Heino Eller Tartu Music School in 1974 and Tallinn State Conservatory in composition under Prof. Eino Tamberg in 1980. In addition to composing, Vähi has worked as an author of music programmes in Estonian Radio, producer in State Concert Institute Eesti Kontsert, record producer, he is the artistic director of music festivals Orient and Glasperlenspiel. Vähi often obtains his musical material from the East, using exotic instruments and electronics as well. Meditativeness and motoric movement, archaic and contemporary can be found in his music. Lately he has written also other Japanese-inspired works: A Chant of Bamboo for bamboo flute and chamber orchestra (2001) and cantata Chrysanthemum Garden Chant for mixed choir and bamboo flute (2005). Vähi’s music is available on more than 50 sound records.
Mariliis Valkonen