Music News

The premiere of Toivo Tulev's work in Belgium

The Belgian contemporary music ensemble Fractales will premiere Toivo Tulev's ensemble piece "To a Distant Friend" (2020) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano on December 21.

The Musician of the Year 2022 is cellist Marcel Johannes Kits

This year, the Estonian Broadcasting Corporation's Musician of the Year title is awarded to cellist Marcel Johannes Kits.

In memoriam Urmas Sisask

The composer Urmas Sisask (09.09.1960 – 17.12.2022) has passed away.

The theme of the Estonian Music Days festival 2023 is “Soul and Spirit”

The themes of the Estonian Music Days 2023 festival are soul and spirit. Estonian Music Days takes place from April 27 to May 7 in Tartu and Tallinn, the artistic directors of the festival are Helena Tulve, Timo Steiner and Märt-Matis Lill. Discounted passes for the festival will be on sale from December 14.

Premiere of Ülo Krigul's new Violin Concerto in France

The Orchestre National de Bretagne will give two concerts under the direction of Estonian conductor Erki Pehk. Together with Lithuanian violinist Dalia Kuznecovaitė, Ülo Krigul's new Violin Concerto "Cloudworks" will be premiered. The work was commissioned by the Orchestre National de Bretagne in 2021.

The Southern Chorale goes on a European tour with the music of Tõnu Kõrvits

The Southern Chorale of The University of Southern Mississippi goes on a European tour with the music of Tõnu Kõrvits, touring extensively in Spain, Latvia, and Estonia in January 2023.

Estonian Sinfonietta’s Christmas time concert „Luminosities”

On December 11 at 5 p.m., the Estonian Sinfonietta's advent concert in Viimsi St. Jocab’s Church will once again bring wonderful music by Estonian composers to the listeners for the beginning of the Christmas season. Pärt Uusberg’s „Wild Swans” for vibraphone and strings will be premiered.

The Italian ensemble Duo Gazzana released a new album, which also features two works by Tõnu Kõrvits

The acclaimed chamber ensemble Duo Gazzana released a new album, where Tõnu Kõrvits's two premiere recordings are standing alongside the classics of the Romantic era – Robert Schumann and Edvard Grieg. The album was released on November 18 in the internationally acclaimed ECM New Series. The performances were recorded in the historic Reitstadel Neumarkt last November, produced by Manfred Eicher.

Estonia's top musicians can be heard in every corner of the world this week

Festival Eesti Muusika Nädal (Estonian Music Week) puts a spotlight on Estonian chamber music performed by esteemed Estonian musicians. The musical evenings that focus on one composer, held for the second time in 2022, will concentrate on the works of Eduard Tubin, Kuldar Sink, Lepo Sumera, and Tõnu Kõrvits. Those who cannot come to the concert hall can enjoy music via webcasts.

Olari Elts conducts the world premiere of Erkki-Sven Tüür's work in Portugal

Erkki-Sven Tüür's "Mare Lacrimarum" for big band and large ensemble will be performed by Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos and Casa da Música's in-house group Remix Ensemble under the direction of Olari Elts on October 23 at the Casa da Música concert hall in Porto.

The Japanese premiere of Artur Lemba's symphony

On Sunday, October 2, Artur Lemba's Symphony No. 1 will be played in the Kyoto Concert Hall. The work will be performed for the first time in Japan by the Nagomi Symphony Orchestra conducted by Masaki Imura. In addition to Lemba's work, Alexander Borodin's music will also be performed: Symphony No. 2 and "Polovtsian Dances" from the opera "Prince Igor".

Premiere of Pärt Uusberg’s new choral work

From September 30 to October 2, Estonian composer Pärt Uusberg's new work “Psalms of David” will receive its first performance at three concerts in Tallinn, Tartu and Rapla. The work will be performed by the chamber choir Voces Tallinn, conducted by the author himself.

The Arvo Pärt Days will start tomorrow

With the Arvo Pärt Days, the artistic director of the festival, Tõnu Kaljuste, would like to turn our eyes and hearts towards the people of Ukraine, saying: „Save our souls – that’s what we’re asking for during these Arvo Pärt Days, with every concert and every work. We sympathise with the Ukrainian people; the tragedy for the Ukrainians is a tragedy for us all.“

Estonian Music Information Centre is on summer vacation

Estonian Music Information Centre is on summer vacation until the 1st of August. Find the information about concerts in July from our Calendar of Music Events. EMIC Music Shop orders will be fulfilled from August 8. Scores in PDF format paid with credit card appear into your mailbox automatically. Have a wonderful summer!

Helena Tulve's new opera "Wölfe" to be premiered in Germany

The documentary nature opera "Wölfe" ("Wolves") by composer Helena Tulve will premiere on June 24 at the Mecklenburg State Theatre in Schwerin. The stage work was commissioned by the Mecklenburg State Theatre with the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. According to composer Helena Tulve, the more general content of the opera is the coexistence of man and nature and the journey of inner change of the human.

ALONG THE MILKY WAY

Today, on June 14 in Tallinn, Eesti Sinfonietta together with Chamber Choir Collegium Musicale will perfom in a concert dedicated to the memory of the victims of the deportations in Estonia and Ukraine. The program consists of music by Erkki-Sven Tüür, Pärt Uusberg and Valentin Silvestrov.

World premiere of Erkki-Sven Tüür's 10th Symphony in Germany

Erkki-Sven Tüür's Symphony no. 10 “Æris” for four horns and orchestra will be premiered by the Bochum Symphony Orchestra and the German Hornsound at the Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr in Bochum on 19 and 20 May. The orchestra is conducted by Olari Elts.

Estonian Sinfonietta celebrates the 100th anniversary of the autonomus Åland Islands with international opera production

On April 21 and 22, the opera "Lisbeta – thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" by Karólína Eiríksdóttir will be staged at the Alexander Theatre in Helsinki. Opera is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Åland’s autonomy. The soloist ensemble includes Swedish, Finnish and Åland’s foremost opera singers.

Erkki-Sven Tüür dedicated a choral song to Ukraine

Because of the heartache about what is happening in Ukraine, composer Erkki-Sven Tüür wrote the song "To Ukraine". The work for mixed choir uses texts from the book of Isaiah and Habakkuk.

The edited scores of Artur Lemba have been published

The best chamber music of the Estonian composer Artur Lemba (1885–1963) stood in the silence of the museum for a long time among the old manuscripts; now these works are published by Estonian Music Information Centre.

Ülo Krigul’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra will be premiered in Lithuania at a concert dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia

On February 24, a concert dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia will be held at the Kaunas State Philharmonic, where Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Erki Pehk. Soloists are young talents violinist Dalia Kuznecovaite (Lithuania) and cellist Kristaps Bergs (Latvia). The concert will feature the premiere of Ülo Krigul's Concerto for Violin and Symphony Orchestra "Cloudworks".

Estonian Music Days announced the festival program

The 43rd Estonian Music Days Festival is Estonia's largest festival of Estonian contemporary music, bringing over 20 new works to the audience by performers and top collectives including the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and others. The festival theme is "Upside Down".

Premiere of Tõnu Kõrvits' "St Michael Songs" in the USA

On January 16, The University of Southern Mississippi’s choral ensemble The Southern Chorale will premiere Tõnu Kõrvits' new choral cycle "St Michael Songs" on the poems of Emily Dickinson.

Estonians Marcel Johannes Kits and Sten Heinoja will perform in Germany

Cellist Marcel Johannes Kits will give two solo concerts in Pinneberg and Berlin, with pianist Sten Heinoja as one of his ensemble partners. The program includes cello works by André Jolivet, Francis Poulenc, Alfred Schnittke and Johannes Brahms.

Ester Mägi 100

January 10 is the 100th birth anniversary of the beloved composer Ester Mägi, who passed away at the age of 99. Anniversary events take place in concert halls as well as on radio and television. Ester Mägi's music will be performed at the Great Hall of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, the Estonia Concert Hall, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra concert and chamber and choir concerts.