News

Today, on September 1st, the distinguished Estonian musician Andres Mustonen turns 70. With his boundless energy and independent spirit, Andres Mustonen has been unreservedly committed to his vocation for more than half a century. Throughout this time, he has also interpreted and performed Arvo Pärt's works all over the world.

Arvo Pärt has said, “I have had a lot of luck with performers in my life. Tõnu Kaljuste, his choir and orchestra are a good example.” The entire Estonian music community has been lucky to have Tõnu Kaljuste, who has made a name for himself over the decades as a conductor, the founder and artistic

The 13th Arvo Pärt Centre film evenings Pärt & Film taking place from August 25 to 27 will highlight the geographically and culturally diverse world in which Arvo Pärt's music has been set to sound.

Arvo Pärt's work will be in dialogue with many composers at the Pärt Days concerts taking place from September 2 to 11, 2023. Pärt — Saint-Saëns; Pärt — Tormis; Pärt — Kõrvits; Pärt — Tüür; Pärt — Lang. However, Arvo Pärt's birthday concert on September 11 will feature only his own work.

This time, Arvo Pärts Symphony No. 3 was the focus of the conversation, based on archive materials. Written for a large orchestra in 1971, this voluminous work is the only concert piece created during the transition period that is part of the composer's official list of works. The story of Maarja Tyler.

It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Chris May, a young musicologist and brilliant Pärt researcher, has passed away after a serious illness.

At the opening concert of the Glasperlenspiel Festival on July 6 in the St. John’s Church in Tartu, cellist Marcel Johannes Kits and the Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta, conducted by Neeme Järvi, performed Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major, where the soloist cadenzas of the first and second movement were written by Arvo Pärt. It was

Dorian Supin, an Estonian documentary filmmaker, screenwriter and cinematographer, author of many films on music, passed away yesterday. Born in 1949 in Leningrad, having moved to Estonia with his family when he was only a few years old, Dorian Supin became a film director with a distinctive style. Thanks to him priceless footage of composers

Galway Music Residency (GMR) is seeking applications for an international guest residency as part of its 20th Anniversary programme in 2023. GMR is collaborating with the The Arvo Pärt Centre to present this opportunity, which is open to Estonian musicians or musicians based in Estonia. This residency programme will see the chosen artist living in

I am deeply honoured to accept the Polar Music Prize on behalf of my father, Arvo Pärt. In accepting this award, my father would like to express his heartfelt gratitude to the Polar Music Prize committee, as well as to all the musicians and listeners who have supported his music throughout the years. Arvo sends his love to all of you here tonight.

At an award ceremony in Stockholm today, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented the Polar Music Prize to Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo, founder of Island Records and music producer Chris Blackwell, and composer Arvo Pärt. The prize was accepted on behalf of Arvo Pärt by his son and Chairman of the Council of the Arvo Pärt Centre, Michael Pärt.

The Arvo Pärt Centre team had the opportunity to take a look at the story behind the piece Sarah Was Ninety Years Old and to discuss the existing archive materials. In this process, we could turn to the musical diaries that Arvo Pärt started keeping as early as 1974 to record his musical thoughts (later, verbal notes were also added). Already in the first notebooks, there are melodic sequences which we later find in the work in question. The Story by Ardo Västrik.