| “At the heart of what we wanted to achieve a decade ago was to give Estonian music and musicians an international platform. It’s wonderful to see that we have achieved this on so many levels – from the young students who participate in the Youth Orchestra and Sinfonietta to the professional musicians who form a strong nucleus in the Estonian Festival Orchestra. Plus of course Estonian composers past and present whose music is becoming increasingly familiar to audiences abroad. Knowing that Estonian culture is blossoming is a huge joy. Welcoming some of the world’s best musicians to Pärnu to join what has now become a very large extended musical family, makes a festival atmosphere that is always special.” Paavo Järvi The 2021 Pärnu Music Festival enters its second decade and opens with a concert led by Paavo Järvi with guest orchestra Sinfonietta Riga and soloist Triin Ruubel-Lilleberg. During the week long festival Paavo Järvi also leads the Estonian Festival Orchestra in three concerts and is joined by Kristjan Järvi for the annual Järvi Academy Conducting Masterclasses. |
| This summer’s international guest soloists are Lars Vogt, Joshua Bell and Emmanuel Pahud. With Paavo Järvi and the Estonian Festival Orchestra Lars Vogt performs Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor (14 July), Joshua Bell performs the Dvořák Violin Concerto (15 July) and Emmanuel Pahud plays Mozart Flute Concerto in G Major and Poulenc Flute Sonata arranged for orchestra (18 July). Leading each of these concerts is founding concertmaster Florian Donderer, who is joined by more than 30 Estonian and 25 international colleagues – all regular members of the Estonian Festival Orchestra. |
| Estonian composers play a central role in this year’s festival programming. Eduard Tubin’s Suite from ballet Kratt and Music for Strings feature in Paavo Järvi and the Estonian Festival Orchestra’s first concerts on 14 & 15 July and Ülo Krigul’s new work The Bow will be premiered at the final concert on 18 July. Special tribute is paid to Ester Mägi who died last month in her 100th year and was widely regarded as the First Lady of Estonian Music. Her Vespers will be one of the focal pieces of this summer’s conducting masterclasses, together with Artur Lemba’s First Piano Concerto and works by Arvo Pärt, Mozart, Dvořák and Johann Strauss Jr. |
| Starting in 2021 the Järvi Academy is collaborating with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich’s own new Conducting Academy which took place for the first time this May with Paavo Järvi. The prize for the winning conductor in Zürich is an invitation to participate in the Järvi Academy in Pärnu. In total 15 conductors will join the week long course this summer which is led by Paavo and Kristjan Järvi, together with trusted colleague, Leonid Grin. |
| The current generation of national talent is showcased in a concert on 13 July. An ensemble of young string players perform on instruments provided to them on long-term loan by the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments, of which Paavo Järvi is a founding member. Other highlights include the annual Järvi Academy masterclass concerts and Chamber Music Gala as well as a late night event led by Lithuanian composer / conductor Gediminas Gelgotas. |
| All of this year’s festival concerts and the Järvi Academy masterclasses will be streamed on parnumusicfestival.tv |
Impressum:
Red House Productions
lucy@redhousepr.com
www.redhousepr.com
