The Estonian maestro, Arvo Pärt, who was previously the most performed contemporary composer in the world – for eight years in a row – lost the top spot to American composer John Williams in 2019.
According to the classical music event database, Bachtrack, the most performed contemporary composers in the world in 2019 were John Williams, Arvo Pärt, James MacMillan, Philip Glass, John Adams, György Kurtág, Eric Whitacre, John Rutter, Thomas Adès and Steve Reich.
Bachtrack calculates a series of statistics each year that show the number of times the work of each composer has been performed. The most performed composers overall were Beethoven, Mozart, J.S. Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Haydn, Chopin and Mendelssohn.
Backtrack also publishes the statistics regarding the “hardest-working” conductors, orchestras and most performed individual works. Accordingly, Estonian Paavo Järvi was the third busiest conductor in the world last year. The busiest was Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons.
Arvo Pärt was born in 1935 in Paide, Estonia. In 2018, a new centre, introducing Pärt’s creative heritage to both domestic and international visitors, opened its doors in Laulasmaa, Estonia.
Cover: Arvo Pärt (photo: Kaupo Kikkas).
My Estonian and American blood couldn’t be happier. Part’s “mirror in mirror” is the soundtrack of the stars and indeed heaven. It ties old to new and turns the hearts of sons and daughters to their mothers and fathers. It is the simple story of life and a hope for eternity. D. Endel Layne