The Glasperlenspiel Festival presents:
Fri, 30 October 2026 at 6 pm
Jämaja Church, Kingdom of Torgu, Saaremaa island, Estonia
SILVER RHAPSODY
ARSIS
Presentation concert of the vinyl record Silver Rhapsody
Programme: Eller, Pärt, Sumera, Estonian folk tunes, Vivaldi-Bach, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Elgar, Liszt, Rimsky-Korsakov
The Arsis Handbell Ensemble is one of Estonia’s most distinctive musical groups, devoted for over three decades to presenting and developing bell music. Founded in 1993 as the first handbell ensemble in the Baltics and Scandinavia, Arsis has grown into an internationally recognised ensemble whose sound world unites precision, sensitivity and an extraordinary feel for playing together.
This concert features a line-up that has grown out of the Arsis bell school, its members bound together by years of shared performance and a common approach to sound. Handbell music demands exceptional trust and a single shared breath: each member is responsible for their own note arriving at exactly the right moment, yet only all the bells together create the whole.
Over its years of activity, Arsis has performed in most European countries and has carried Estonian musical culture to America, Asia and Africa. The ensemble has a special bond with the United States, where it has toured repeatedly and from where its impressive set of bells originates. In 2025 it was this very line-up that made a highly successful concert tour of the USA.
This programme reflects the essence of Arsis well: dozens of bells merge into a single breathing instrument, performing works from different eras and styles. This is music born of precision, dedication and the joy of playing together.
Arsis: Karl Jõeste, Oskar Mihhailov, Elisabet Priidel, Mathilda Salum, Sarah Metsar, Martha Tääkre, Aivar Mäe, Kätriin Pruul, Teisi-Liis Vaik, Maria-Elisabeth Vaigo, Britta Noor, Jaron Kiiroja, Innar Mihhailov
The founder and conductor of Arsis, Aivar Mäe, brought bell music to Estonia. Having gained inspiration and further training in the USA, his artistic vision has shaped Arsis into a recognised mark of quality and laid the foundation for a unique school of bell playing. Under his direction, Arsis ensembles have earned international awards and recognition. His conducting is characterised by an exceptional attention to detail and a passion that has formed Arsis into a world-class ensemble where technical mastery and musical depth come together.
Estonian folk tune. Mu süda, ärka üles (Awake, My Heart), Arsis, excerpt, 1 min 59 sec, mp3
Arvo Pärt. Ukuaru Waltz, excerpt, 1 min 37 sec, mp3, 320 kbps
Organisers:
Peeter Vähi – artistic director
Tiina Jokinen – executive director
Kadri Kiis – producer, financial manager
Johannes Vähi – co-producer, IT, website
Mart Kivisild – design
Olavi Sööt – co-producer, logistics
Reno Hekkonens – marketing, PR
Rebeca Birk – social media
Special thanks: Tiina Boucher, Kaupo Kiis, Kristel Leppik
