14 July Inaugural Soloists:
◆ Paloma So – Sibelius Violin Concerto
◆ Anaëlle Tourret – Handel’s Harp Concerto
◆ Tähe-Lee Liiv – Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1
“The Pärnu Music Festival has always been about more than just concerts; it’s about passing the torch,” says Paavo Järvi. “By creating this platform, we are giving these incredible soloists the space to collaborate with the Estonian Festival Orchestra, helping them bridge the gap between being a ‘young talent’ and a professional international artist.”
◆ Canadian-Chinese pianist, Paloma So first gained recognition as a prize winner at the Wieniawski Competition and is currently pursuing a dual degree at Harvard and the New England Conservatory under Donald Weilerstein.
photo credit: Ben Wolf
“Paloma So is an exceptionally talented violinist and from the moment I heard her play, it was immediately clear that she was an artist I wanted to invite to perform as part of this new programme in Pärnu.”
Paavo Järvi
◆ French harpist Anaëlle Tourret is the Principal Harpist of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, a position she earned at just 25 years old. A protégé of Xavier de Maistre, her debut album, Perspectives, was nominated for the 2023 International Classical Music Awards.
photo credit: Harald Hoffmann
“Anaëlle Tourret stands out as one of the most remarkable harpists I have encountered and, having heard her perform both as an orchestral musician and soloist, it was immediately evident that she is a young artist we needed to invite to the festival.”
Paavo Järvi
◆ Estonian pianist Tähe-Lee Liiv gained national fame as the youngest winner of the Estonian television talent show Klassikatähed in 2020. She was selected for Andras Schiff’s prestigious “Building Bridges” project in 2024 and has appeared as soloist with the Estonian National Symphony and Kremerata Baltica.
photo credit: Kaupo Kikkas
“Tähe-Lee Liiv is very much on her way to becoming one of Estonia’s leading young international soloists; a pianist of real depth, she has already distinguished herself through Andras Schiff’s prestigious ‘Building Bridges’ project.”
Paavo Järvi
Championing Estonian Contemporary Music
Continuing its commitment to new Estonian music, the festival has, for the third year running, commissioned two orchestral works by female composers to be premiered by Paavo Järvi and the Estonian Festival Orchestra: Piove by Liisa Hõbepappel (b. 1994) and Flood by Evelin Seppar (b. 1986).
The programme also includes the premieres of Secret Garden, a Viola Concerto by Tõnu Kõrvits, performed on 11 July by Amihai Grosz and the Estonian Festival Orchestra, and At the Edge of the Bottomless Sea, a Double Flute Concerto by Märt-Matis Lill, performed by Henri Christofer Aavik with the Pärnu City Orchestra and soloists Maarika Järvi and Monika Mattiesen.
About the Pärnu Music Festival
Founded in 2011 by Paavo Järvi and the Järvi family, the Pärnu Music Festival has become one of the most prestigious orchestral festivals in Europe. Held annually in the Estonian seaside resort of Pärnu, the festival is defined by its “mentor-apprentice” philosophy, which brings together world-class professionals and student musicians for a week of intensive music-making. The festival includes the Järvi Academy, which offers masterclasses for conductors and orchestral players, creating a unique environment for artistic exchange and the cultivation of the next generation of musicians.
