The Estonian Music Development Centre and the Estonian Embassy in London organised an event in Cardiff, Wales, for introducing Estonian classical music to the UK market and developing contacts.
At the event, preliminary agreements were signed for commissioning Estonian musical compositions and bringing musical performing groups to the UK. The event, entitled “Estonia – A Music Powerhouse”, was held within the framework of the Vale of Glamorgan Festival, which has delighted music lovers for decades. This year’s festival was dedicated to the 80th birthday of the Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt.
The Estonian ambassador to the UK, Lauri Bambus, opened the event, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra performed for local agencies, festival organisers and journalists, and the Estonian composers, Helena Tulve, Tõnu Kõrvits and Märt-Matis Lill, spoke about their work in composing.
“The event affirmed and strengthened the great interest in Estonian compositions,” acknowledged the composer Märt-Matis Lill. “In conversations with the festival organisers and journalists, they praised the distinctiveness, artistic quality and high level of sophistication of Estonian music and expressed their willingness and interest in bringing Estonian music to the UK and in covering it in the media.”
Compositions by Arvo Pärt and other contemporary Estonian composers were performed at practically every concert during the festival lasting nearly two weeks. Estonian musicians gave three concerts; Kristjan Järvi conducted the Estonian choir and orchestra at the festival’s concluding concert.
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Cover: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.
