The Arvo Pärt Centre extends its heartfelt congratulations to conductor Tõnu Kaljuste on receiving the National Lifetime Achievement Award for Culture.
A maestro with unshakable vision and daring ideas, Tõnu Kaljuste has left an invaluable mark on Estonian music. He has devoted his life’s work to bringing Estonian music to audiences both at home and abroad. Throughout his career, he has placed a particular focus on the music of Veljo Tormis and Arvo Pärt.
Kaljuste’s first major project in bringing Pärt’s work back to Estonia was the concert series Bach and Pärt, which he performed with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in Tallinn, Tartu and Helsinki in 1992. His first personal encounter with the composer came through Te Deum. It was under Kaljuste’s baton that the work achieved the sound Pärt envisioned, paving the way for its recognition as one of the composer’s best-known masterpieces. His interpretations of Pärt’s works have earned Kaljuste one of the most prestigious accolades in the music world – a Grammy Award for the composer’s Adam’s Lament (ECM).
The collectives founded by Kaljuste, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, have become Estonia’s most renowned musical collectives on the international stage. Thanks to a long-standing, deeply rooted collaboration built on trust, they may be described as the foremost interpreters of Arvo Pärt’s music.
Since 2010, Kaljuste has curated the Pärt Days event as part of Nargenfestival. With its carefully curated programmes, it has become a landmark cultural event, not only for Estonian audiences but also for music lovers the world over. It provides a platform for Estonia’s leading musicians and collectives while also introducing audiences to outstanding international performers.