In collaboration with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cotton Factory, EMW presents a unique performance by Collegium Musicale and members of the HPO inside the historic Cotton Factory.
This concert highlights two generations of Estonian composers pushing the boundaries of choral repertoire. The first generation, Arvo Pärt (1935 – ), was the most performed living composer in the world from 2011 to 2018. Like a funnel, the 2002-composed Salve Regina work swirls inward becoming ever-more “concentrated and grave until it reaches the deepest point.” (Pärt, 2012) Rising star Estonian-Canadian pianist Erik Kreem joins for a performance of Erkki-Sven Tüür’s (1959 -) Reekviem (1994). Tüür whose roots are in progressive rock is considered among the most original and influential of his generation. The Reekviem choral mass “raises a Gregorian chant out of mediaeval ooze and sets it loose in postmodern orbit with frightening beauty.” Tüür’s 2022 acapella composition For Ukraine is written as an homage to the people of the war-torn country.
The concert is accompanied by the Odesa Photo Days festival’s exhibit Ukrainian Frontline Photography, bringing about troubling parallels between the Baltic history under Soviet occupation and the devastating potential of current Russian ambition. Hamilton’s historic Cotton Factory promises to provide a striking backdrop for these emotionally heavy works and the photo exhibition.
Collegium Musicale
Renowned Estonian choir Collegium Musicale captivates audiences with their high-calibre performances and powerful sound. The group’s repertoire extends from renaissance to contemporary music, including oratorios and operas. A very special place in their repertoire belongs to Estonian contemporary composers including Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis and Erkki-Sven Tüür. Collegium Musicale’s mission is to offer a dynamic range of musical emotions and be ambassadors of Estonian music throughout the world. During its 11 year history, the choir has enjoyed many international collaborations, frequent concert tours and performances at the top tier festivals. The choir is in high demand, giving approximately 40 concerts a year. Collegium Musicale has been recognized with numerous awards including Choir of the Year in Estonia, a distinction the group has received three times. Conductor Endrik Üksvärav is well known in his own right, debuting as a conductor of the Estonian Song Festival in 2019, conducting a choir of some 20,000 singers and to an audience of over 60,000.
Conductor Endrik Üksvärav (b. 1980) has received degrees from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in conducting (BA and MA) and has studied the trumpet and French horn. In 2012 he began his studies in early music singing at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague (the Netherlands). He participated as the tenor soloist in Arvo Pärt and Robert Wilson’s “Adam’s Lament”. In addition to Estonia, Üksvärav is also active as conductor and singer in various countries in Europe, foremost in the Netherlands. In 2018, the King of the Netherlands decorated Endrik Üksvärav with a medal of the Order of Orange Nassau “for special merits for society”. 2019 July marked Endrik Üksvärav’s debut as a conductor of the Estonian Song Festival, conducting a choir of some 20,000 singers and to an audience of over 60,000.
Major Funding for this project is provided by the Estonian Foundation of Canada.
Estonian Music Week is a project by Estonian Museum Canada / VEMU.
Support: Estonian Integration Foundation, Estonian Embassy in Ottawa, Estonian Ministry of Culture
Partners: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, The Cotton Factory