This spring Tallinn is hosting the Odessa Classics Festival, which features music by both Estonian and Ukrainian composers and takes place in Tallinn, Tartu and Laulasmaa. The concerts include works by: Mozart, Pärt, Britten, Silvestrov, Bach, Schumann, Kosenko, Revutsky, Skoryk, Beethoven, Piazzolla, Bocchinni, Frank, Mägi and Lauridsen. You can listen to these concerts online May 31st to June 3rd at https://erso.tv/landing/bc/pb_kPgRUjZ/ui0eOdGhokJ.
The Pärnu Music Festival began in 2011, where the world renowned conductor Paavo Järvi decided to create a new kind of orchestra – one which brings together hand-picked top international classical musicians with emerging talent from Estonia. This summer celebrates the reunion of the Järvi family after a three year hiatus. Neeme Järvi returns to Estonia to celebrate his 85th birthday and conducts the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra in the opening concert; Paavo Järvi directs the Estonian Festival Orchestra in four concerts with guest soloists Joshua Bell, Stefan Dohr and Wayne Marshall; and the Baltic Sea Philharmonic under the direction of Kristjan Järvi visits Pärnu for the first time. You can watch past performances online at https://parnumusicfestival.tv/pmf#previous and this years festival performances (July 13- July 22) will be available online in July. Those travelling to Estonia in July may wish to see the concerts in person and tickets are already available, but limited due to covid restrictions.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, ERSO has become a prominent orchestral ambassador of Estonia abroad, powerfully increasing its international scope particularly in recent decades. Since the 2020/21 season, its Chief Conductor and Artistic Director is Olari Elts. Neeme Järvi, the longest-serving chief conductor of ERSO, continues to cooperate with the orchestra as an Honorary Artistic Director for Life and the Artistic Adviser of the orchestra is Paavo Järvi. The orchestra has won several prizes, including a Grammy Award for the recording of cantatas by Sibelius. In 2020, the orchestra launched its own channel – erso.tv, which you can watch online at https://erso.tv/erso. ERSO has had the honour to premiere symphonic pieces by almost every Estonian composer, including Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Jüri Reinvere and Eduard Tubin. Perhaps one day we will enjoy an ERSO concert in Canada.
Until then enjoy the music.
Mari Ann Tammark
