News

The Cultural Merit Order (Meritul Cultural) of Romania was given to Arvo Pärt yesterday. The order was awarded by President of Romania Klaus Iohannis in recognition of the dedication, talent and innovativeness of the composer throughout his creative journey, as well as his open and receptive attitude to the cultural merits of Romania. The award ceremony was held at the Romanian Embassy in Tallinn.

The Arvo Pärt Centre published a collection of articles by the renowned Austrian musicologist Leopold Brauneiss – Arvo Pärdi tintinnabuli-stiil: arhetüübid ja geomeetria (Arvo Pärt's tintinnabuli style: archetypes and geometry), which is so far the most thorough and in-depth analysis of Arvo Pärt's unique composition technique in the world.

Today, 31 January, Philip Glass is celebrating his 80th birthday. As a composer Glass has significantly contributed to and enriched 20th century music. Arvo Pärt: "Congratulations, my good friend and colleague! Your music has always been in my heart!"

Arvo Pärt. The Deer's Cry by ensemble Vox Clamantis won best classical album at this year's Estonian Music Awards. The CD was produced by the well-known record label ECM. "This CD is one milestone in a long journey. To walk and work with Arvo and listen and follow his observations – it is a very satisfying and enriching process and a great privilege," said Jan-Eik Tulve, the artistic director and conductor of Vox Clamantis.

The much loved composer, Veljo Tormis died on 21 January 2017. Arvo Pärt and the Arvo Pärt Centre expresses their condolences to those close to Veljo Tormis.

The largest classical event database Bachtrack released the charts about 2016 performance statistics and confirmed Arvo Pärt as the most performed living composer in the world for the 6th consecutive year.

10 January marks the 95th birthday of the beloved Estonian composer Ester Mägi, whose unique music has touched and inspired many listeners. On this special day, the Arvo Pärt Centre and the composer Arvo Pärt send Ester Mägi their heartfelt wishes.

In December, the archive of the Arvo Pärt Centre received a priceless addition when Maaja Rumessen, the widow of the pianist and musicologist Vardo Rumessen, gave a box full of valuable archive materials to the Arvo Pärt Centre. This box contains personal materials, notebooks, concert programmes and newspaper cuttings related to Arvo Pärt's work, dated up to 1980, when the composer was forced to emigrate from the Soviet Union.

The Arvo Pärt Centre is participating in the international education project “Music in Movement“, which aims to introduce prominent composers of our time in a new and engaging way, thereby bringing classical contemporary music closer to a wider audience. The project focuses particularly on mediating new music for children and young people.

Today Vox Clamantis celebrates 20 years together, and during much of that time, the ensemble's repertoire has included the work of contemporary composers along side early music. Many years of close cooperation and warm friendship have bound Arvo Pärt and the ensemble together, and today Vox Clamantis is one of the most beloved and esteemed ambassadors of the music of Pärt in the world. The composer Arvo Pärt and the Arvo Pärt Centre would like to extend warm wishes to Vox Clamantis and its artistic director Jaan-Eik Tulvet on the occasion of this important anniversary.

The photographer Tõnu Tormis' exhibition on Arvo Pärt will be open at the Tartu Art College gallery Noorus from 22 November until 11 December. Displaying this exhibition from 2005 is possible thanks to collaboration between Tartu Art College, Tõnu Tormis and the Arvo Pärt Centre.

Researching and writing about the composer’s creative process is an important part of the everyday work of the Arvo Pärt Centre. In these photographs, Arvo Pärt talks to Kristina Kõrver – the composer is explaining the story of the birth of "Für Alina".