Tähe-Lee Liiv is undoubtedly one of the brightest new stars of Estonian pianism in recent years. The young musician, still in high school, has already won several important awards: 1st place in TV-show Klassikatähed 2020, 1st prize and special prize from Tallinn Philharmonic in IX Competition of Estonian Pianists (in both as the youngest participant) and the only Estonian finalist in the IV Tallinn International Piano Competition (2021). Her most recent achievement is the finalist diploma in the online Canada International Piano Competition. Young Artists Competition (2022). It is really remarkable that Tähe-Lee Liiv studies at the same time in four schools: Tallinn Music High School, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Sibelius Academy (Finland) and Accademia Perosi (Italy). A member of the jury of Klassikatähed 2020 has said: „I can say with 99,99 percent confidence that we are going to hear a lot about Tähe-Lee. She is one of the rare finds whose star shines brightly in the music sky.“
Kremerata Baltica, one of the most outstanding European chamber orchestras, has several reasons to celebrate this year – 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the orchestra and the 75th birthday of its artistic director Gidon Kremer. Kremerata Baltica was conceived as Kremer’s 50th birthday present to himself. Kremer, who is considered to be one of the most bright and leading violinists of his generation, had a vision of a long-term educational project to pass on his rich experience without room for artistic compromise. Youthful and innovative ensemble is open to new ideas, creative, daring and bold challenges and is praised for its joyful, energetic and abundant playing style. Since 2003 Kremerata has held its own festival in Latvia. Also it has initiated different cooperation projects such as To Russia With Love to promote the cause of human rights in Russia and a joint venture Pictures from the East with a Syrian artist Ali Badri, which focused on the dramatic events in the Middle East and the refugee problem. The Kremerata’s extraordinary artistic level is proved by the New York Times, Grammy Award, numerous recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and ECM as well as stage partners like Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Vadim Repin, Yo-Yo Ma, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Christoph Eschenbach, Kent Nagano, Sir Simon Rattle etc. The orchestra has recorded about 25 CDs for leading labels such as ECM and Deutsche Grammophon and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Mieczysław Weinberg (ECM) in 2015.
Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov composed The Messenger in 1996 after the sudden death of his wife Larysa Bondarenko, who was a musicologist.
The title of the work is taken from the writings of the existential philosopher Yakov Druskin, a scholar from St Petersburg. Druskin’s ‘messenger’ is a fictional character who represents a link between this world and the world beyond. This figure is shown in the score by a series of smooth, remote-sounding, Mozartian phrases, marked “as if enveloped in mist”.
Silvestrov said: “It is as if a visitor from some other dimension in time came to us with a message… perhaps Larysa herself, perhaps some distant muse speaking in the language of the late eighteenth century. This archaic and yet vitally contemporary language is filtered through a profoundly postmodern sensibility.”
The Messenger is scored for piano, string orchestra and synthesizer. This last instrument is used to represent the gentle sighing of the wind that marks both the arrival and the departure of the messenger.
The Turkish composer and pianist Fazıl Say stands out thanks to his talent as well as his political convictions; here we discover his piano concerto Silk Road, illustrated with images of his native country, and enriched by interviews with Fazıl Say.
As a guest soloist with many orchestras, he has shared a stage with the New York Philharmonic, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, etc. He has composed many pieces for the orchestra; he is also the author of oratorios dedicated to Turkish poets to whom he feels close, such as the poet Nâzım Hikmet, and Metin Altıok, a victim of political Islamism. A keen jazz enthusiast, he founded the World Jazz quintet, with whom he performs on many stages, including famous Montreux Jazz Festival.
07/07/2022 - 12/07/2022
Tartu St John's church