We are open to anyone interested in Arvo Pärt’s music and world of ideas. The Centre offers a variety of opportunities to listen to the composer’s music and gain a deeper understanding and interpretation of his work. We kindly ask that groups (from 10 people) interested in visiting the Centre would inform the Centre in advance about their planned visit on the email info@arvopart.ee.
Information desk: +372 335 3000.
Audio guide
You can borrow an audio guide from the Centre’s information desk, which will enable you to listen to much of Arvo Pärt’s music on your own, and tour the Centre with a virtual guide. “The Guide to Arvo Pärt’s Music” includes a representative selection of recordings of Arvo Pärt’s music complemented with background information and the composer’s biographical data.
Permanent exhibition “When you seek from almost nothing”
The Centre’s first permanent exhibition takes you on a journey into Arvo Pärt’s world of thought to introduce you to his ideas about silence, the word and sound written by the composer over the decades. These are the concepts that Pärt came up with in his search for his musical language, and that define the core of his creative technique: tintinnabuli. All composers face the same questions with blank music paper in front of them when they start searching from the very beginning, from almost nothing, and feel that they have a responsibility to the audience. The curators of the exhibition are Kai Kutman, Kristina Kõrver and Aile Tooming; The thoughts of Arvo Pärt used in the exhibition have been read out for the visually impaired by Arvo Pärt’s son, Immanuel Pärt, and can be listened to through the audio guide.
Display of manuscripts
The exhibition will accompany you on an imaginary journey with Arvo Pärt, leading you through a display that offers insight into the composer’s creative process through his manuscripts. The display features original manuscripts, from the first sketches in his musical diaries through the schemes and drafts showing the process of composition to a clean, final score. You can also see the only surviving record of Pärt’s artistic endeavours in fine art that helped him through his creative crisis: a painted flowerpot.
Short documentary „Every Sound a Jewel“
Visitors can watch a short documentary by Jaan Tootsen and Jaak Kilmi, Every Sound a Jewel (2018, 20 min), commissioned by the Centre. It provides an insight into Arvo Pärt’s life and creative development.
Library, archive
The library offers an opportunity to explore literature on theology, music and art. You will find here the printed scores of all Arvo Pärt’s compositions, as well as writings on his work. Also available for use are electronic lexicons of music. Researchers may access Arvo Pärt’s personal archives, which store and interpret the composer’s creative heritage.
Concerts, lectures, conferences
In terms of acoustics, the Chamber Hall at the Arvo Pärt Centre is particularly suitable for chamber music concerts. The hall with its stunning forest view and 150 seats is available for conferences and film screenings. It is also a place for lectures and talks that help unpack the context of the composer’s works.
Chapel
The Greek-style chapel in the Centre’s most spacious courtyard can be accessed through the library. The chapel is dedicated to St. Silouan and St. Sophrony the Athonites. The murals are made by the icon painter, Deacon Nikita Andrejev.
For children
Our educational and playful children’s area welcomes visitors small and large beside the café, where they can test their knowledge in a quiz about Arvo Pärt and watch cartoons featuring music written by Arvo Pärt when he was a young composer.
Shop and café
The shop at the Arvo Pärt Centre offers a selection of scores and CDs of Arvo Pärt’s music, related literature as well as postcards and souvenirs introducing the Centre. The café is open to visitors during the opening hours of the Centre. The kitchen is open until half an hour before the closing time of the Centre.
Tower
The viewing tower can be visited from May to the end of September. It will be available during the opening hours of the Centre. Up to 8 people can go to the tower at the same time.
Guided tours
We invite visitors to explore the Arvo Pärt Centre building and learn more about our daily activities and our broader goals. By walking together through the Centre’s unique building, we will see what kinds of documents the Arvo Pärt archives hold and what they can tell us about the composer’s work. Tours are available in Estonian, English, Finnish and Russian. We request that groups register in advance via e-mail at info@arvopart.ee