The State Academic Choir Latvija and its artistic director Māris Sirmais invite music lovers to the International Sacred Music Festival at the end of August and beginning of September - the most ambitious sacred music event of the year in Latvia.
The concert will be held in honour of the 90th anniversary of Estonian contemporary classical music composer Arvo Pärt. Sacred themes are deeply woven into Pärt’s work — evident both in his choice of liturgical texts and the philosophically profound content of his compositions. His creative output has significantly reshaped our understanding of the essence of music.
The program will feature works from Pärt’s tintinnabuli period, which began in 1976, characterized by a musical language reduced to its most essential and meaningful core. The concert will include compositions for mixed choir a cappella, organ pieces, and a work for male choir, organ, and percussion. In this latter piece, the State Choir "Latvija" will be joined by percussionist Reinis Tomiņš and organist Kristīne Adamaite.
The concert’s artistic director is Estonian conductor Risto Joost, who serves as chief conductor and artistic director of the Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu, conductor at the Estonian National Opera, and chief conductor of the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra.