Estonian Music Week takes over Toronto from Could 22 to 25, and gives a sequence of ten concert events and occasions that kicks off with the opening night time celebration tonight on the Gardiner Museum. It’s the fifth iteration of the pageant that unites Estonian and Canadian music and artists, centered on the worldwide attain of Estonian tradition.
Established by the Estonian Museum Canada in Toronto, Estonian Music Week was based in 2018 to mark the a hundredth anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.
Estonian tradition has a wealthy historical past of musical expression, and a vibrant modern music scene. Right here’s a have a look at simply two of the choices.
Ensemble U: Canadian-Estonian Composer Udo Kasemets (Could 25, 5 p.m.)
The music of Canadian-Estonian composer Udo Kasemets is underneath the highlight in a live performance by Ensemble U, carried out in an occasion that features an augmented-reality “enhanced cosmic journey”.
Ensemble U is a famend Estonian modern music ensemble, identified for his or her panache in performing difficult works with out the advantage of a conductor. They’ve carried out extensively by way of Europe and Scandinavia, and past.
Udo Kasemets is a pianist, organist, trainer, and author along with his work as a composer. Born in Tallinn, Estonia in 1919, he emigrated to Canada in 1951, and have become a naturalized Canadian in 1957. His music contains orchestral, chamber, vocal, piano and electroacoustic items.
Udo initially studied composition, piano, and conducting on the State Conservatory in Tallinn, went on to the Staatliche Hochschule in Stuttgart, and later studied in Darmstadt. For a time after graduating, he taught music in faculties in each Estonia and Germany, coming to Canada in 1951.
Kasemets taught on the Hamilton Conservatory of Music (RHCM) from 1951 till 1957, and in 1958, went on to discovered the Toronto Bach Society, Musica Viva, dedicated to new music, and an avant-garde live performance sequence, amongst many different endeavours.
Vox Clamantis: Arvo Pärt (Could 25, 8 p.m.)
Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Vox Clamantis will carry out in a program devoted to the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.
The choir is led by conductor Jaan-Eik Tulve, who established it in 1996. Vox Clamantis has developed from its beginnings into a global touring ensemble.
The choir is made up of 12 singers, and makes a speciality of each early European polyphonic music and modern music, with a deal with Baltic composers and compositions. Arvo Pärt, Helena Tulve, Erkki-Sven Tüür, and different composers have devoted works to the choir.
Along with dwell efficiency, Vox Clamantis has recorded a number of albums of music, together with The Deer’s Cry, that includes Arvo Pärt, and Filia Sion, with its deal with Early Music, as much as and together with works by Perotin, Hildegard von Bingen and Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz.
We spoke to conductor Jaan-Eik Tulve in regards to the music.
Conductor Jaan-Eik Tulve: Q&A
LvT: Is there a selected high quality or qualities that characterize Estonian music?
J-ET: Each musical tradition is exclusive and particular. The evolution of music is dependent upon the nation’s historical past, human contact, but in addition on the character and habits of the individuals. Estonian music is influenced by the nation’s small inhabitants and by nature, which is far more accessible and nearer than in massive cities populated by tens of millions. This additionally permits one to be taught to hearken to comfortable sounds and sluggish actions. I believe many Estonian composers are touched by Estonian nature.
LvT: What makes Arvo Pärt’s sacred music so particular, in your opinion?
J-ET: Arvo Pärt has created very attention-grabbing and good music on a regular basis. His dodecaphonic youth or youngsters’s songs are additionally filled with nice music. Since Arvo Pärt himself is a really spiritual particular person, his sacred music is not only good music, however incorporates all his spiritual emotions and experiences. His music expresses his religiosity and that’s the reason it’s so nicely accepted by individuals. Even for individuals who will not be outwardly spiritual, everybody’s deep emotions stay the identical. Everybody wants love, and that is what Arvo Pärt’s music expresses most.
LvT: Vox Clamantis makes a speciality of early music in addition to modern music, a lot of it by Estonian composers like Pärt. What led to this vary of repertoire?
J-ET: We began 29 years in the past by singing solely Gregorian chant. However, in a short time we developed shut contact with Estonian composers, who have been touched by our musical expressions. By means of Gregorian chant we additionally met Arvo Pärt. I believe that modern music, in its deep feeling and freedom, may be very near the mind-set of Gregorian chant.
LvT: What qualities make the choir distinctive?
J-ET: Each choir is particular and in addition totally different. Some have excellent and educated voices, others are technically impeccable, and so forth. For me, along with technical accuracy, significant expression can be vital. I want our singers wouldn’t attempt to make lovely music, however would dwell the message they convey.
- Discover tickets and live performance particulars [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. Beforehand, she was a contract author with a specialty in tradition and journey for 3 many years, and a artistic writing teacher for Ontariolearn.
