Event Guide

  • 2017-02-08

ESTONIA
February 3-11, 10th Tallinn Winter Festival, Tallinn

The Festival is taking place in cooperation with Tallinn’s City Center Government with the aim to create an attractive and activity-based environment for the people of Tallinn and for guests. NGO Valgusklubi’s (Light Club) light installations with music will bring some brightness and light into the dark month of February. Outdoor cafes will be open, concert broadcasts will be shown on the outer wall of Town Hall, video mapping, light installations and concerts of music school students on the dome stage will be available to see, etc. In the context of the festival, the audience can experience unforgettable concerts by many wonderful guest performers from abroad, alongside distinguished Estonian musicians – V. Veldi,  S. Kuulmann-Martin,  A. Lend,  M. Kari,  K. Kriit,  A. Teemets,  A. Bogatš,  A. Karp,  N. Ots,  I. Zahharenkova,  R. Taal,  M. Martin,  T. Tenno,  K. Fialová  from Czech and  L. Pogorelich from Croatia. The concerts of the festival will take place in Tallinn’s Town Hall, Hopner House, the hall of Tallinn Philharmonics (House of the Brotherhood of Blackheads), Charles’ Church and Swedish St. Michael’s Church. Please visit the festival’s official website www.plmf.ee for full information and program.

February 6-10, Rakvere High School Film Festival, Rakvere
The largest festival organized by youngsters for youngsters in Estonia brings talented and hard-working film enthusiasts to Rakvere High School each February. The films are judged by a professional jury, consisting of well-known Estonian cinematographers, directors, actors, and screenwriters. The festival takes place in Rakvere, the final event taking place on February 10 in Rakvere High School. For films, program, and more, please visit the festival’s official website: www.filmifestival.eu

February 10- March 12, Winter Jazz 2017, all over Estonia
The winter concert season of Jazzkaar – Winter Jazz brings joy to the listeners from 10th February to 12th March, 2017 with 14 concerts in Tallinn, Viljandi, Tartu, Otepää and Haapsalu. The season will start on 10th of February at Theatre NO99 Jazz Club with the sizzling jazz group Equally Stupid (Finland-Iceland-Switzerland). The trio’s energetic live performance has been praised by critics, and offers a melodic creation spiced with rich rhythm patterns which will captivate the audience. Winter Jazz tickets can be purchased online at www.piletilevi.ee, and additional information on artists, locations and program is available at the official homepage of Jazzkaar www.jazzkaar.ee

February 10, Prokofiev’s Fifth, Concert by Hervé Joulain & Symphony Orchestra of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn
During almost 20 years as a principal horn soloist in the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra and the French National Orchestra, Hervé Joulain has also been active as a chamber musician and soloist, and is one of the founding members of the Paris Bastille Wind Ensemble. Stage partners for Hervé Joulain include: prominent instrumentalists and conductors, in addition to some of the best orchestras in the world. His discography encompasses about 20 records. This concert is part of the annual collaborative project between ENSO and the Symphony Orchestra of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, where the stage is shared side-by-side by professionals, and the most promising students. The roots of this tradition go back to the 1930’s. Sergei Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony is one of the composer’s most important works that was written during World War II. Conductor and composer Serge Koussevitzky said of Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, “This is the greatest musical event in many years, the greatest composition since Brahms and Tchaikovsky.” The performance will be conducted by the musical director and principal conductor of Vanemuine Theatre, Paul Mägi, who has previously worked for many years as the artistic director and principal conductor of the Estonian National Opera, and also as the principal conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. Detailed information on this concert can be found at www.erso.ee

February 18, Concert by Jaak Lutsoja & Kaspar Uljas, Philly Joe’s Jazz Club, Tallinn
Jaak and Kaspar will engage in original dialogue and play arrangements, Argentine music, and tangos. Although both are known as accordionists, this time Kaspar will swap the accordion for the bandoneon. The bandoneon, a well-known instrument primarily in Argentine music, is little known to the Estonian audience. The repertoire will mainly consist of Latin-American music that sounds especially genuine on the bandoneon. For more information on the concert please go to: www.jazz.ee

LATVIA

February 11, Latvian Symphonic Music Grand Concert, Great Guild, Riga
At the annual LNSO grand concert of Latvian symphony music, you will hear works by Pēteris Plakidis, celebrating his 70th birthday in 2017, and Gundega Šmite, a former student of Plakidis who lives in Greece, and is celebrating her 40th birthday this year. Plakidis’ wonderful Canto (1986) is a symphony classic, and Šmite’s new work is a colorful concerto, woven with Grecian dance rhythms, written for an instrument that has so far been all but neglected by Latvian composers. The grand concert will also feature Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Atvars Lakstīgala and the Latvian National Opera and Ballet Orchestra under the lead of Mārtiņš Ozoliņš. The concert is organized by Latvijas Koncerti. For more information on the concert, please visit www.lnso.lv and to buy tickets go to www.bilesuparadize.lv Open till February 12,

Arsenal, Kristians Brekte’s Solo Exhibition, Arsenals Exhibition Hall, Riga
Arsenals most ambitious personal exhibition to date by local artist and stage designer Kristians Brekte consists of new works – large-format paintings, ready-made objects and multimedia installations – all on a military subject. Brekte’s visual language, which has been developed in a creative career spanning more than ten years includes: links to gothic and black metal subculture, street art, religion, art history, and pop culture. The artist is fascinated with the dark side of society, dealing with the notion of death, suffering, sexuality, faith, and amorality in his works. The vandalism of the subject matter in the artist’s sculptural installations mixes with formal perfection and technical mastery, sharply uniting critical or revealing references and quotes in the already familiar aesthetics. It is also marked by the use of color, material, light and sound, always anew pointing to Brekte’s interest in deconstructing such traditional forms of art as painting, sculpture, and printmaking, and creating a distance from the way they are generally perceived. For this exhibition, the space that once served as a military warehouse, will be used both associatively and literally as a framework for the exhibits, which were made by studying episodes of cultural history. Kristians Brekte’s works turn the Arsenals Exhibition Hall into a contemporary narrative on human nature under the circumstances of real or imagined threat. Found photographs, vernacular objects, screenprints, sculptural objects, oil paintings, noise, and music embody the artist’s understanding of the essence of an arsenal and its significance today. Learn more about the exhibition at: www.lnmm.lv

February 13, Concert by Janoska Ensemble, Great Guild, Riga
The Janoska Ensemble was founded by the three brothers Ondrej, Frantisek and Roman together with their brother-in-law Julius Darvas. The ensemble members hail from Bratislava, and now live in Vienna. All four musicians were introduced to classical music as young children by their highly musical family. They went on to receive their first-rate musical education at renowned music institutions under the guidance of world-famous teachers such as: Boris Kuschnir, Pavel Vernikov, Peter Čerman, and Alois Posch. Ondrej and Roman play the violin, Frantisek plays the piano and Julius the double bass. The members of the Ensemble enjoy worldwide acclaim today, and are in great demand on account of their many performances, not only as soloists, but also together with their own ensemble, and as members of other distinguished formations. The members of the Janoska Ensemble are united not only by their talent and family ties, but first and foremost by the musical vision they share. On the strength of their virtuosity and improvisation, the musicians are able to perform a wide-ranging repertoire, extending from popular classics and their own compositions, to unique arrangements that cover genres such as gypsy, tango, and pop. In their motley program, they achieve a highly distinctive blend that conjures up the unmistakable Janoska Ensemble. The Ensemble members have received awards at numerous international competitions, and are considered outstanding musicians of the younger generation. With their wide-ranging repertoire and their exceptional arrangements, they appeal to music lovers of all genres. It is precisely this stylistic diversity and variance that make the Janoska Ensemble well worth listening to. Tickets can be bought online via www.bilesuserviss.lv

February 18, Saxophonia Festival 2017, Concert by Sinfonietta Riga and Alexandre Doisy, Great Guild, Riga
The Saxophonia Festival brings new color to the dingy winter with playful sounds of the saxophone.  Once every two years, the festival brings together the world’s best masters of saxophone performance.  French professor Alexandre Doisy will perform music by the Swiss composer Frank Martin, Latvian saxophonist Katrīna Kivliniece will perform Ģederts Ramans’ Saxophone Concerto, which once was performed by the legendary Alnis Zaķis, and Docent Arvīdas Kazlauskas, who was born in Vilnius, but teaches at the Latvian Academy of Music, will perform a premiere of an opus by Justė Janulytė.  At the conclusion of the evening, the audience will hear music by Rihards Zaļupe, a master of Latvian ambient music, who has composed a new score for the saxophone quartet, chamber orchestra, and electronica. More information on the concert program and tickets is available at www.saxophonia.lv


LITHUANIA

February 8, It’s So Wonderful Here, Concert by Katerina Tretyakova and Ricardo Estrada, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Vilnius
Named after Rachmaninov’s well-known romance, the program symbolizes Katerina Tretyakova’s, a renowned soprano of the Hamburg Opera Theatre, return to Vilnius, the city of her studies. Born in Murmansk (Russia), she came to Lithuania as a child. Later she graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, where she studied under Prof. Giedrė Kaukaitė. In 2006, Tretyakova continued her education in Mozarteum Salzburg, making her debut at the Salzburg Festival. The soprano is the winner of numerous competitions in Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Czech Republic and Romania. In 2013, she won the prestigious Francisco Viñas Competition in Barcelona. The same year, she was awarded first prize in the Grand Prix de l’Opera international competition in Bucharest, second prize at the Montserrat Caballé International Singing Competition in Zaragoza, and first prize at the Marcello Giordani International Vocal Competition in Catania. Making her headlong international career, she appears in Europe’s major concert halls, such as: Vienna’s Musikverein, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Hamburg’s Laeiszhalle and Dresden’s Frauenkirche to name but a few. In the wide vocal panorama of Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov’s romances, the soprano will be accompanied by pianist Ricardo Estrada from Barcelona. The pianist has appeared with such luminaries as Montserrat Caballé, Giacomo Aragall, Francesco Demuro, Norma Fantini, Gregory Kunde, Celso Albelo, George Petean, Roberto di Candia, Nadine Sierra, Levy Strauss Sekgapane, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Andrea Mastroni. More information is available at www.filharmonija.lt
Open till February 10, Winter Screens, French Film Festival, Vilnius cinema theatres

Festival Winter Screens starting on 26 January of this year, is the 12th film festival organized by the French Institute in Lithuania. The event, which will take place in eleven cities in Lithuania, will introduce the audience again to French films – engaging, cheeky, light and heavy at the same time, extraordinary, and unusual. This is a subtle art, nurturing an active and intellectual spectator, and at the same time – a sensitive and open dreamer in search of new emotions and excitement. The theme of the festival this time is Meetings. It reflects the continuous renewal of the event, attention to new names and faces on the big screen, an incentive to learn various approaches to the world. In the main program – a wide spectrum of relevant issues not only for a person as a member of society and family, but also as an individual and creator. Let’s meet at the festival Winter Screens, rich in coincidences and everyday curiosities, indescribable sadness, and crazy laughter, for the twelfth time. Let’s leave the cinema changed – inspired and enriched. Let’s celebrate cinema this winter! Information on the festival can be found at www.ziemosekranai.lt

February 13-20, Coffee Culture Week, Shopping and Leisure Centre Panorama, Vilnius
Coffee Culture Week is the only professionally organized event, designed for people seeking better quality of life, loving coffee, and interested in coffee culture. This event is also organized for professionals representing the coffee market: coffee roasters, distributors, suppliers, producers, and tasters. The event combines the annual Lithuanian coffee preparation festival, competition of drawing in the milk foam, and coffee festival. Free admission. Find out more at www.coffeeweek.lt

February 18, Concert Marking the 20th Anniversary of Kremerata Baltica and 70th Anniversary of Gidon Kremer, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Vilnius
Celebrating his 70th anniversary in 2017, Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica return to the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall to present an exceptional jubilee concert. As usual, the orchestra’s intriguing program includes unorthodox arrangements of well-known opuses; Anatolijus Šenderovas’ Cantus in memoriam Jascha Heifetz, will feature an audio-visual composition. Solo parts will be performed by Gidon Kremer, and Mieczysław Weinberg’s Symphony No. 4 – by world famous clarinet virtuoso Mate Bekavac. Formed by G. Kremer in 1997, the Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra is one of Europe’s finest international orchestras and is a recipient of a Grammy Award. Maestro Kremer selects outstanding young musicians from the Baltic States, immune to routine, which many professional orchestras in the world are prone to. The Orchestra’s ethos has been ruled from the beginning by ideals of artistic excellence and adventure. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017, Kremerata Baltica has performed in over 50 countries, appeared in more than 600 cities, and given over 1,000 concerts around the globe. The orchestra is a medium where Gidon Kremer can share the fruits of his rich experience as a soloist and chamber musician, with young colleagues from the Baltic States, and enhance the region’s cultural life. “Kremer and his new string orchestra, made up of extraordinary young musicians from the Baltic States, are special. They animate everything their bows touch,” wrote Los Angeles Times at the dawn of the orchestra’s creative career. This concert is organized in collaboration with Kremerata Baltica Management. More information is available at www.filharmonija.lt

February 19, Finals of the 5th Jascha Heifetz International Violin Competition, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Vilnius
The 20th century has presented music culture with many outstanding violinists
. Jascha Heifetz’ star is one of the luminaries in this constellation. Born in 1901 in Vilnius, dubbed the Jerusalem of Lithuania, he commenced his career at the age of six in Kaunas. Jeifetz earned European recognition in Berlin, and world acclaim in America, which became his adopted homeland in 1917. In 2001, when the virtuoso’s centenary was celebrated, the International Jascha Heifetz Competition for violinists was launched in Vilnius, Lithuania. February of 2017 will see its fifth edition. The Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall will host the Competition Finals. Fostering the timeless musical legacy of the violin virtuoso, the International Jascha Heifetz Competition for violinists is one of the four major music competitions in Lithuania (next to M.K. Čiurlionis, B. Dvarionas and S. Vainiūnas). It is held every four years, and is sponsored by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania, is its patron. The competition is organized by PI Natų Knygynas, and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, in collaboration with the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society. The International Jascha Heifetz Competition for Violinists is a member of the European Music Competition for Youth (EMCY) organization. More information is available at www.filharmonija.lt