11.09

Arvo Pärt's Days: Arvo Pärt's birthday concert

“Fratres”

 “Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten”'

 “Adam’s Lament”

 “Salve Regina”

“Te Deum”

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Tallinn Chamber Orchestra

conductor Tõnu Kaljuste 

'I have always been guided by texts especially intimate to me and carrying an existential meaning. This is the root reaching especially deep which, however, lifts me higher – it is basically the fruit that has been nurturing the world for centuries. Looking at the two milleniums, we realize that people have little changed - that is why I consider the sacred texts very topical. From this point of view, there is no major difference between yesterday, today or tomorrow as there are always eternal verities.' Arvo Pärt

On Arvo Pärt's birthday Nargenfestival performs the works, most of which are released in September on the ECM personal recording.

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir has become one of the highly acknowledged Estonian musical groups in the world. It was established in 1981 by Tõnu Kaljuste, who was its music director and chief conductor for two decades. His work was continued in 2001-2007 by British musician Paul Hillier. Since the 2008-2009 season the music director and chief conductor has been Daniel Reuss. During a season the Choir gives about 60-70 concerts both at home and abroad and does recordings, which have earned many accolades including Grammy for 'Arvo Pärt. Da Pacem' (Harmonia Mundi, 2006, conductor Paul Hillier). This season celebrates the Choir's 30th year of work. Their program includes music of Pärt, Mozart, Tanejev, Bach and others performed with conductors Daniel Reuss, Tõnu Kaljuste, Gregory Rose, Marc Minkowski. In addition to home performances the Choir gives concerts in Germany, France, Austria, Norway, Holland, Portugal and other countries.

In 1989 professor Jüri Gerretz founded a string orchestra with Tallinn Conservatory students whose core became the basis for Tallinn Chamber Orchestra set up by Tõnu Kaljuste in April 1993. During the years he has united the activities of the Orchestra and the internationally acknowledged Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, making this the beginning of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra's official work. It has performed at numerous prestigeous music festivals and repeatedly toured in the USA, Canada, Japan and most European countries. The Orchestra has been conducted by Juha Kangas, John Storgårds, Pietari Inkinen and Jaakko Kuusisto from Finland, Richard Tognetti from Australia, Terje Tonnesen from Norway, Valentin Žuk and Daniel Raiskin from Holland, and Samuel Wong from Canada not to mention Estonian conductors. In 1993-1995 and 1996/97-2000/2001 the chief conductor of the Orchestra was Tõnu Kaljuste; during the 1995/96 season Juha Kangas performed the duties of the chief conductor, becoming its artistic advisor in 2001-2003. At present the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra activities are supervised by the music director of Tallinn Philharmonic Society, Eri Klas.