PEETER VÄHI

Composer

One of the most original contemporary composers in Estonia whose musical language comprises Oriental and Western, avant-garde and archaic, electronic and acoustic without falling into eclectic abracadabra.

News: Oct – Dec, 2011

Peuangelion kata Marihamm (Mary Magdalene Gospel, oratorio), Nov 28th – Dec 1st, CD recording in Riga, performers Sevara Nazarkhan, Priit Volmer, Peeter Volkonski, Riga Dom Cathedral Boys Choir, State Choir Latvija, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Risto Joost

Arctica-Antarctica, expedition photos by Peeter Vähi, Aug 21st – Dec 31st, Dorpat Conference Centre, Estonia

Homo sapiens 2009, photo exhibition by Peeter Vähi, Sep – Nov, Origo Centre, Riga, Latvia

Whitelight: Nov 2011, CD recording for The Wire (the UK)

Mystical Uniting: Oct 2011, in the program Musica del mundo, concerts in Germany, Duo Nuances

Light Rising...: Nov 8th, 2011, Niguliste church, Tallinn, première by ensemble Hortus Musicus

Bronze Reflections: Dec 2011, 9 concerts of Arsis handbell ensembles

Biography

Peeter Vähi was born in Estonia, in 1955. In his youth he learned to play the accordion, the piano and the double bass. In 1974 he began composition studies in the Estonian Academy of Music under the supervision by Prof Eino Tamberg, graduating as composer in 1980. Peeter Vähi has worked as a free-lance composer and a record producer; also as a concert producer in the Estonian National Concert Institute (1990–2000). Currently he is the artistic director of ERP (Estonian Record Productions) and of international music festivals – Eastern Music Festival Orient (1992 – present day), Glasperlenspiel Festival (1995 – present day). He is a member of the board of Estonian Composers’ Union, of the Culture Foundation Council of the Estonian President (2001–08), the vice-chairman of the council of the Estonian Institute of Buddhism, a full member of Estonian Academic Oriental Society, and the president of Drikung Kagyu Ratna Shri Centre (1992–2005).

Peeter Vähi’s works are characterized by broad-minded stylistic versatility, listener-friendly sound, skilful application of exotic instruments and electronic facilities, a wide range of moods from philosophical and meditative right through to baroque movements. His most important works are oratorio Mary Magdalene Gospel, Mystical Uniting for chamber ensemble, Call of Sacred Drums for percussion ensemble and symphony orchestra, cantata Supreme Silence for mezzo-soprano, male choir and handbells, Chant Of The Celestial Lake for flute and orchestra, cantata Green Tārā for female soloist, female choir, trombones and percussions, A Chant Of Bamboo for shinobue-flute and chamber orchestra.

Vähi’s music has been performed by European, Asian and American orchestras (among them the Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra, European Union Chamber Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra), choirs (Tōkyō Philharmonic Chorus), chamber (Slava Grigoryan, Gidon Kremer) and ethno musicians (Sevara Nazarkhan, Hiroyuki Koinuma) and naturally, by most of the Estonian top musicians such as Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Sinfonietta, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir, Early Music Consort Hortus Musicus, the Järvi “dynasty”, etc. In addition to the conventional venues, concerts of Vähi’s music have taken place on the open-air stage of World Exhibition EXPO 2000, in Roerich Museum, in the Royal Palace of Sweden. His music has been performed at the Estonian National Song Festivals, in the White House in Washington DC, in a Japanese Buddhist Temple, at the 50th anniversary celebrations of UNESCO in Strasbourg and at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow.

Vähi’s works have been published by Erdenklang Musikverlag, Eres Edition, Edition 49, ERP, CultureWare Music Publ, and Maren Musikverlag. His music has been released on more than 60 records, including 11 solo-albums.

As a keyboarder Peeter Vähi has performed with different ensembles, orchestras and choirs (including the 30,000-members choir at the Estonian National Song Festivals). In the recent years Peeter Vähi has been in close co-operation with musicians from Tibet, India, Japan, and other parts of Asia.

Last premières

Bronze Reflections for handchime ensemble, 2 handbell ensembles and cathedral carillons, commissioned by Arsis and European Culture Capital Tallinn 2011, première – Jun 26th, 2011, Tallinn Town Hall square

Mary Magdalene Gospel, oratorio for vocal soloists, narrator, 2 choirs, nature sounds, and symphony orchestra; lyrics in Coptic language from Egyptian Gnostic papyrus manuscript; commissioned by State Choir Latvija; première – Aug 19th, 2011, International Sacred Music Festival, St Peter’s church, Riga

Light Rising... for Early Music ensemble, commissioned by Eesti Kontsert, première - Nov 8th, 2011, Niguliste church, Tallinn,  ensemble Hortus Musicus

Works in process

Antarctic Concerto for guitar and orchestra, planned première - May 10th, 2010, Nokia Concert Hall, Tallinn, Rémi Boucher (guitar) and Tallinn Sinfonietta

List of main works
Discography
Press resonance

Download photos: Peeter Vähi (Oman, 2003, photo by T Jokinen, jpg, 300 dpi, 840 KB); Peeter Vähi (India, 2003, photo by T Pruuli, jpg, 300 dpi, 1759 KB), drawing (by Andres Adamson, Pärnu Postimees, 2007, jpg, 1810 KB)

Additional info:
Wikipedia (in English, German, Ukrainian, Estonian, Finnish)
Academic dictionaries and encyclopedias (in German)
List of works (in French)
Sompedia (in Portugese / English)
Estonian Music Information Centre (in Estonian, English)
Estonian Composers Union (in Estonian, English)
Music Export Estonia (in English)
Edition49 (in Estonian, English, French, and German)
Estonian Organ Society (in English)

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