News

On 14 May as part of Museum Night, Arvo Pärt Centre will open its doors to the wider public for the first time. We will offer tours during which visitors will have an exclusive opportunity to glimpse into the depths of the growing archive and see the materials that shed light on the development of Arvo Pärt’s works. Younger visitors can meanwhile test their knowledge and skills while playing outdoors. The night will naturally feature some music as well.

A DVD of Dorian Supin's 2015 documentary Arvo Pärt – Even if I lose everything is now available. Dorian Supin's third documentary film of Arvo Pärt steps closer to the composer, showing him in a domestic setting as a composer, husband, father and grandfather. The title “Even if I lose everything” refers to an entry in Arvo Pärt's musical notebooks, which the composer browses in the film, together with Immo Mihkelson.

From 19 – 29 May, the festival “Mozart & Pärt” will be held in Los Angeles, California, USA. This festival focuses on the music of Arvo Pärt, in a performance by the renowned orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and its principal conductor, Gustavo Dudamel. The festival will culminate with a world première of an orchestral piece by Arvo Pärt, performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Last night the Estonian Association of Phonogram Producers presented the Estonian Music Business Awards for important contributions to developing the Estonian music scene. The Music Event of the Year award was given to Eesti Kontsert for the musical spectacle “Adam’s Passion” based on the works of Arvo Pärt and staged by the acclaimed American director and playwright Robert Wilson.

On 15 March, the Estonian Music Awards “Golden Disc” ceremony was held at Kadriorg Palace, recognising the most successful composers and performers for 2015. Arvo Pärt’s CD “Songs from Childhood” was selected as Album of the Year.

Due to a serious illness, one of the most renowned and loved Estonian musicians in the world, 76-year-old Eri Klas, has passed away.

We would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to our long-time partners, Maarja Oviir-Neivelt and Indrek Neivelt, who were awarded the honorary title Friend of Culture 2015. At the Thank You Event held on 16 February, the Minister of Culture Indrek Saar recognised those companies and private people who supported the field of culture the

Last night the winners of the “25 Best Designed Estonian Books 2015” were announced at the Estonian National Library. The jury’s unanimous favourite was the Arvo Pärt Centre’s first publication “In principio. The Word in Arvo Pärt’s Music”, designed by Angelika Schneider.

Arvo Pärt was chosen as the first honorary citizen of the rural municipality of Keila. This title was given to the composer on 6 February at a reception held at the Kumu art museum by Aleksei Shatov, chairman of the council of Keila Parish, and Jaan Alver, Parish mayor.

The Arvo Pärt Centre remembers the renowned Lithuanian conductor and a long-standing professor of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Saulis Sondeckis (1928–2016).

Yesterday evening, the Estonian Cultural Endowment annual awards for cultural activities in 2015 were presented at the Paide Cultural Centre. Arvo Pärt won the annual award in the field of music for his outstanding contributions to the musical culture of the world.

Yesterday, the largest classical event database Bachtrack released the charts about 2015 performance statistics and confirmed Arvo Pärt as the most performed living composer in the world for the 5th consecutive year.