The Arvo Pärt Centre will hold its first international masterclass from 8–11 April 2027. Dedicated to the choral music of Arvo Pärt and early vocal polyphony, the course for conductors will be led by Paul Hillier and George Parris, highly regarded performers and conductors of Pärt’s music. Participants will have the opportunity to conduct The Carice Singers, one of the United Kingdom’s outstanding chamber choirs.
“Much of our work at the Centre has focused on researching and exploring my father’s music. It feels natural to me to build on this through an increasingly active role in teaching. We would like to work alongside musicians who have spent many years performing and interpreting his work, passing on that experience to young conductors and other musicians. Together, we hope to support them as they find their own paths,” said Michael Pärt, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Arvo Pärt Centre.
According to Paul Hillier, a close musical collaborator of the composer and one of the masterclass tutors, the performance of early music and Arvo Pärt’s tintinnabuli music share important common principles, particularly in matters of intonation and the treatment of text and rhythm. Together with The Hilliard Ensemble, Hillier has recorded many of Pärt’s works and has played a central role in shaping the sound ideal and interpretative tradition of tintinnabuli vocal music.
“From a performer’s perspective, Arvo Pärt’s music presents a particular paradox: bringing an apparently simple score to life requires deep musicality, as well as specialist knowledge and practical skills that help performers understand the inner logic of the music,” says Maarja Tyler, masterclass project manager at the Arvo Pärt Centre. “It is important to pass this experience on to the next generation, giving young musicians the opportunity to develop their own interpretations and create new traditions in the supportive environment of the Arvo Pärt Centre,” she adds.
George Parris is the artistic director and conductor of The Carice Singers, a vocal ensemble renowned for its distinctive sound and imaginative programming. The choir has performed Arvo Pärt’s music on numerous occasions, including as part of Music at Oxford’s Arvo Pärt: A Reflection festival.
Held at the Arvo Pärt Centre, the masterclass offers participants the opportunity to explore Pärt’s music in the surroundings of his personal archive in Laulasmaa. The programme also includes a lecture by a Centre researcher, guided tours of the exhibitions, library and archive, and a film screening, providing further insight into Pärt’s music and the ideas that have shaped his work.
The masterclass will conclude with a closing concert in the Arvo Pärt Centre Concert Hall, where The Carice Singers will be conducted by the masterclass participants alongside Paul Hillier and George Parris.
The masterclass is intended for up to eight active participants, as well as observers. Further information and registration are available on the Arvo Pärt Centre’s website.