2015

Distinguished Estonian Composer Arvo Pärt’s 80th Birthday Celebrated with Special Concert in Berlin

On May 19th a special concert dedicated to the music of Arvo Pärt will take place at the Berlin Konzerthaus.

May 12th, 2015
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In order to celebrate the famous Estonian composer’s 80th birthday, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir as well as the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Tonu Klajuste, will perform the seminal works of Mr Pärt. The Patron of the concert is Mr Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, who will attend the event with MR Pärt.

The most experienced and highly respected performers of Pärts music have been chosen to deliver the best of Mr Pärts work. The Chamber Choir of the Estonian Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra and the conductor Tõnu Kaljuste Tallinn are musicians with years of experience in performing and recording Mr Pärt’s music.

Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-invented compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music is in partly inspired by Gregorian chant. Pärt has been appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture by Pope Benedict XVI and in 2014, Pärt was the most performed contemporary composer in the world.

The focus of the program are two of Pärt's masterpieces - "Te Deum" – created in the years 1984-85, inspired by religious texts, and “Adam’s Lament” that was created in 2010 on the behalf European Capitals of Culture Istanbul 2010 and completed in Tallinn a year later. In January 2014, “Adam’s Lament” won a Grammy for Best Choral Performance. The two works signify the creative path of the musicians and the composer's milestones with a symbolic meaning.

The concert also resound "Salve Regina", created to celebrate the 75th birthday of the Bishop of Essen Cathedral, Dr. Hubert Luthe, and the 1150th anniversary of the city of Essen as well as "Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten", the earliest and at the same time most frequently performed works of the new style of Arvo Pärt.

For a truly unforgettable cultural experience, mark your calendar on May 19th! Tickets cost between 10 and 35 euros and can be purchased from Konzerthaus Berlin’s homepage, www.konzerthaus.de, or at www.musikadler.de.

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