MAIN PROGRAMME IN TARTU ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, JULY 9th–14th, 2026
● Thu, July 9th at 7 pm, St. John’s church (Jaani Street 5, Tartu)
OPENING CONCERT
Vytautas Kiminius (birbynė, conductor, Lithuania), Martin Kuuskmann (bassoon, conductor, Estonia/USA), Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta, concert master Arvo Leibur
Mozart, Vähi
● Fri, July 10th at 12 at noon (free entrance)
MIDDAY MINI-CONCERT: NEWLY DISCOVERED BACH
Ulla Krigul (organ)
Bach
● Fri, July 10th at 7 pm
GURDJIEFF’S MYSTICAL WORLD
The Gurdjieff Ensemble (Armenia), artistic director Levon Eskenian
Gurdjieff, Sayat-Nova (Սայաթ-Նովա), Armenian sacred hymns
● Fri, July 10th at 10 pm
MARIE ANTOINETTE & HARP
Elisabeth Plank (harp, Austria)
Marie Antoinette, F. Petrini, A.-M. Krumpholtz, J. L. Dussek, J. B. Krumpholtz, S.-F. de Genlis, Ph. J. Hinner
● Sat, July 11th at 7 pm
BELLS
Havryil Sydoryk (piano, Ukraine / Estonia)
Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Eller, Dutilleux, Lysenko, Sydoryk
● Sat, July 11th at 10 pm
PATH OF MANTRA
Martin Kuuskmann (bassoon, dung-chen, Estonia/USA) & Peeter Vähi (keyboards, percussion)
Tibetan traditional, Vähi, Cage
● Sun, July 12th at 11 am (free entrance)
CONCERT-LITURGY
Triin Käpp (parson), church choir Cantate Domino, Kaisa Kuslapuu (organ, conductor)
Music by Pärt Uusberg (including few premieres)
● Sun, July 12th at 9 pm
SETO FANTASY
Dedicated to Jaan Kaplinski
Seto folk ensemble Siidisõsarõ, chamber choir Collegium Musicale, conductor Endrik Üksvärav
Lill (premiere)
● Mon, July 13th at 7 pm
MISSA VOTIVA
Chamber choir Moran Singers (Israel), Hortus Musicus Orchestra, conductor Andres Mustonen
Jan Dismis Zelenka, Tomas Louis de Victoria
● Mon, July 13th at 10 pm
FIERY MEDITATION
Tanel Eiko Novikov (marimbas, vibraphone, drums, human body)
Thomas, Cangelosi, Xenakis, Globokar, Lang, Reich
● Tue, July 14th at 7 pm
HYPOCONDRIE
European Union Baroque Orchestra, Alfredo Bernardini (oboe, artistic director / Italy)
Lully, Corelli, Vivaldi, Telemann, Muffat, Zelenka
It has already become a tradition that live-painting takes place at the Glasperlenspiel concerts, and during the festival week, the initial blank white canvases are transformed into artworks, that will decorate the church walls until the end of July. Later, those who wish will be able to acquire the paintings. In previous years, the painters have been Liis Koger, Heleliis Hõim, Mark Kostabi, Anna Litvinova, Tarrvi Laamann and Mirjam Hinn. This time, music will be captured on the canvas again… by Navitrolla’s brushstrokes. The artist calls his activity “ritual painting with musical aids”. Those who wish can purchase the oil paintings at an online auction taking place as part of the festival. The paintings will remain on display on the church walls until the end of July.
Navitrolla is a passionate phenomenon on the Estonian art scene – few remain indifferent. Is it naivism… surrealism…? Is it kitsch? Is it art? Everyone can decide for themselves. But one thing is certain – Navitrolla knows how to tell stories with a brush. People have seen these stories at dozens of exhibitions in Paris and Nuustaku. His dreamlike paintings adorn the walls of homes from New York to London. Go to Navitrolla’s world, look at these pictures… and you will discover yourself in a place where you have just been or would really like to be. Navitrolla is like a magician who gives us back our forgotten dreams.
During the same period, from July 9th to 31st, an exhibition of ethnic string instruments will also take place in St. John’s church. It is not surprising that the acoustic and electric guitars of guitarist Rein Laaneorg, known from the bands Polyphon, Vitamiin, Uus Generatsioon, Monarh and President, cannot be counted on the fingers of two hands. Much more astonishing and impressive is his passion for collecting ethnic instruments, especially string instruments, from different parts of the world. Rein’s collection includes musical instruments from Southern Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, Africa… there are internationally well-known instruments, but also those that are used only by a few smaller exotic ethnic groups and whose names are difficult to identify. Rein agreed to exhibit a part of his rich collection in the frame of the Glasperlenspiel festival. Let us mention just a few instruments here: valiha (tube zither, Madagascar), kabak kemane (bowed instrument with a gourd resonator, Turkey), yuèqín (“moon guitar”, China), endongo (bowl-lyre, Uganda), đàn tỳ bà (lute-type plucked instrument, Vietnam, in the centre of the photo), kemençe (bowed instrument originally of Persian origin, Turkey), ektara (Bangladesh, kannel (Estonia)…
From June 29th to July 14th, on Kaarsild bridge will sound 24/7 the Glasperlenspiel music.
Download festival booklet (76 pages, PDF, 1.4 MB)
Organizers:
Peeter Vähi – artistic director
Tiina Jokinen – executive director
Kadri Kiis – producer, accountant
Kaidi Ugandi – manager of Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta
Meeta Vardja – musicologist, editor of festival booklet
Mart Kivisild – design
Olavi Sööt – co-producer, video, logistics
Reno Hekkonens – marketing director, PR
Johannes Vähi – co-producer, webmaster, sound engineering, logistics
Rebeca Birk – social media
Special thanks: Tartu City Government, Urmas Klaas, Triin Käpp, Jana Raud, Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Heino Eller Music College, Kadri Leivategija, Tiina Kangro, Madis Metsis, Tõnis Tamm, Joel Oistrat, Priit Reiman, Canon and Overall, St John’s church, Kaupo Kiis, Kristel Leppik, volunteers
Concerts outside Tartu
● Festival Glasperlenspiel presents::
Sat, August 8th at 7 pm
Jämaja church, Kingdom of Torgu, Saaremaa island
Cardinal’s Concert
BACH. THE MUSICAL OFFERING
Mustonen & friends
● Festival Glasperlenspiel presents::
Fri, October 30th at 6 pm
Jämaja church, Kingdom of Torgu, Saaremaa island
SILVER RHAPSODY
Handbell ensemble ARSIS, conductor Aivar Mäe
Presentation of brand-new vinyl album Silver Rhapsody
Programme: Vivaldi-Mach, Chopin, Liszt, Estonian folk tunes, Rimski-Korsakov, Sumera, Pärt
Past events
Festival Glasperlenspiel presents:
● Sun, March 29th at 5 pm, St. John’s church (Jaani kirik), Tallinn
Palm Sunday Concert
MOZART. REQUIEM – special chamber edition
Elina Nechayeva (soprano), Aule Urb (mezzo soprano, Estonian National Opera), Anto Õnnis (tenor), Alvar Tiisler (bass-baritone), Piret Aidulo (organ), Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta (concert master Arvo Leibur), conductor Andres Mustonen
SOLD OUT!
● Festival Glasperlenspiel and Vormsi Rural Municipality Government present:
Fri, June 12th at 7 pm
St. Olav church, Hullo, Vormsi island
FROM CANADA WITH A SOUTHERN FLAME
RÉMI BOUCHER (guitar, Canada)
Programme: Albéniz, Rodrigo, Villa-Lobos, Granados, Boucher
Next Glasperlenspiel Festival: July 8th – 13th, 2027
Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta, Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, Wiener Kammersymphonie, China Horn Ensemble, Maestro Neeme Järvi – 90, Hortus Musicus – 55, Soo-Young Lee, Indrek Leivategija, premieres, live-painting…
Previous festivals: 2025, 2024; 2023; 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018; 2017; 2016; 2015; 2014; 2013; 2012; 2011; 2010; 2009; 2008; 2007; 2006; 2005; Archives: Glasperlenspiel 2003 and 2004