© Kaupo Kikkas

ESTONIAN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA.

Founded by Paavo Järvi as the Pärnu Music Festival’s resident ensemble in 2011, the Estonian Festival Orchestra was something of a “local secret” up until recently but, with debuts at the Berlin Philharmonie, London Proms and Hamburg Elbphilharmonie in 2018, the ensemble is quickly establishing itself on the international scene and this Spring makes its debut tour with Paavo to Japan.

The long-dreamed-of ambition by Järvi to create a hand picked orchestra, bringing together the best of Estonian talent and leading musicians from around the world, has resulted in performances which The Arts Desk reviewed as “begging comparison with the elasticity of Abbado’s concerts with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, which is as good as it can get”. The BBC Music Magazine added “There isn’t a hint of a hothouse environment on stage – these are simply musicians having the time of their lives, no small thanks to the inspiring Paavo Järvi himself.” Last but not least, Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung commented “This is highly concentrated music making where all the details are worked out: the ping pong of accents between violins and horns, antiphons between the woodwind groups, targeted focus curves in the second violins. Nothing is sweeping, nothing sleepy and nothing washed away. | Visit Estonian Festival Orchestra’s website

Järvi Academy © Kaupo Kikkas

PÄRNU MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Pärnu Music Festival was founded by Paavo Järvi together with his father, Neeme Järvi, and it’s family atmosphere envelopes the visiting musicians, students and audience alike creating a unique summer refuge on the Estonian coast.

The week long festival takes place in various locations throughout the town including the church of St Elizabeth – founded in 1741 when the Russian empress donated 8000 roubles for its construction. Children’s concerts take place in one of the numerous spa hotels where families gather after long days on the beach and the main festival concerts take place in the elegant 1000 seater concert hall, built in 2002 and widely regarded as having one of Estonia’s best acoustics.

For Paavo, the Pärnu Festival is not just another festival. Having emigrated with his family aged 18 to the States, it is the chance to return to his roots, to showcase the culture and beauty of his country and to nurture the next generation of musicians.  And the Estonian Festival Orchestra, no longer a fledgling ensemble, is about to take flight on the international stage with performances in Denmark, Finland, Latvia and Sweden this summer followed by a major European tour in January 2018. | Visit Pärnu Music Festival’s website