The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has once again been named the world’s most performed living composer, according to the annual listings compiled by Bachtrack, as orchestras and ensembles around the world marked his 90th birthday in 2025.
The ranking underlines Pärt’s extraordinary international reach, though the anniversary year was notable for more than statistics alone. His son, Michael Pärt, said the performances were marked by an unusual attentiveness among audiences, suggesting a growing appetite for music with “inner, spiritual depth” – and for art that can serve as a unifying force in an increasingly fragmented world.
Pärt, widely regarded as Estonia’s most celebrated composer and one of the most influential living figures in classical music, turned 90 on 11 September last year. His works – spare, luminous and largely indifferent to fashion – continue to occupy a singular place in concert life, appearing regularly alongside Bach and Beethoven in programmes across Europe, North America and Asia.
The Bachtrack listings also draw attention to another prominent Estonian name. Conductor Paavo Järvi again features among the world’s busiest maestros, touring extensively and performing in 14 countries over the year. The contrast between Pärt’s stillness and Järvi’s near-constant motion has become emblematic of Estonia’s outsized presence on the international classical music scene.
Pärt’s music, often associated with his tintinnabuli style – built from austere melodic lines and bell-like harmonies – continues to resonate widely. Works such as “Fratres”, “Spiegel im Spiegel” and “Tabula Rasa” remain staples of orchestral, choral and chamber repertoires, performed as readily in major concert halls as in more intimate settings.
At 90, the composer has largely avoided the spotlight, allowing the music to speak for itself. Celebrations over the year ranged from large-scale international tours to more understated gestures, including new recordings, premieres of lesser-known works and publications issued by the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa.
Arvo Pärt’s most performed work in 2025 was “Fratres”.
Bachtrack, a London-based classical music listings and analytics platform, tracks programming data from thousands of concerts worldwide and is widely used as a barometer of global performance trends.
