PROGRAM

Artur Lemba (1885-1963) – Fantaasia Eesti rahvaviisidele / Fantasy on Estonian Folk Tunes 
esitab / performing Johan Randvere    

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) – Trio Es-duur op.post.148 D.897 “Notturno”
Adagio
esitavad / performing Mari Tampere-Bezrodny ja Peeter Paemurru, klaveril / accompanist Irina Zahharenkova 

Ferenc Liszt (1811-1886) – Genfi kellad tsüklist “Rännuaastad” / The Bells of Geneva from the cycle “Years of Pilgrimage”, Switzerland, S160/R10
esitab / performing Marko Martin 

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967) – Duo viiulile ja tšellole / for violin and cello op.7
III Maestoso e largemente, ma non troppo lento
esitavad / performing Kristina Kriit ja / and Andreas Lend   

Sergei Rahmaninov (1873-1943) – Prelüüd / Prelude D-duur nr.4 op.23
esitab / performing Ralf Taal   

Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897) – Gooti Süit / Suite Gothique op.25
IV Tokaata
esitab / performing akordioniduo Henri Zibo ja / and Mikk Langeproon   

George Enesco (1881-1955) – Legend
esitab / performing Neeme Ots, klaveril / accompanist Ralf Taal

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) – Klaveritrio / Piano trio nr.4 op.90
VI Lento Maestoso – Vivace
esitab / performing TRIO HEMEIS koosseisus Sigrid Kuulmann, Andreas Lend ja Irina Zahharenkova   

VAHEAEG / BREAK

Tõnu Kõrvits (s. 1969) – Thule visandid / Sketches of Thule
II Amen au Issal olgu
III Ilma sõnadeta
esitab / performing Virgo Veldi, orelil / organist Tiia Tenno  

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) – Gilda ja Rigoletto duett “Parla, siam soli” ooperist / from the opera “Rigoletto”
esitavad / performing Kristina Vähi ja / and Atlan Karp, klaveril / accompanist Piia Paemurru

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) / Leopold Auer (1845-1930) – “Pühendus” / “Dedication”
esitab / performing Sigrid Kuulmann, klaveril / accompanist Ralf Taal   

John Field (1782-1837) – Nokturn / Nocturne nr.4 A-duur
esitab / performing Irina Zahharenkova   

Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759) / Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) – “Passacaglia”
esitavad / performing Anna-Liisa Bezrodny ja / and Juri Zhislin  

Francesco Cilea (1866–1950) – “Lamento di Federico” / “Frederico kaebus” ooperist / from the opera “L’Arlesiana”
esitab / performing Oliver Kuusik, klaveril / accompanist Sofia Mazar

Marcelo Nisinman (b. 1970) – Hombre Tango
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) – Oblivion (arr. M. Nisinman)
esitavad / performing Marcelo Nisinman ja / and Baltic Neopolis Virtuosi kvartett / quartet 

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) – Adina ja Dulcamara duett “Quanto a’more” ooperist “Armujook” / from the opera “L’elisir d’amore”
esitavad / performing Olga Zaitseva ja / and Raiko Raalik, klaveril / accompanist Piia Paemurru 

PILLE LILL

has graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT) with two professions – music pedagogy (Prof. A. Vahter) and opera singing (assist. Prof. R. Gurjev). She continued her studies in the master’s program of the London Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Prof. J. Peters) and defended her master’s degree at the Helsinki Sibelius Academy (Prof. L. Linko-Malmio). In 2004-2011 she furthered her skills in the context of doctoral studies at EAMT (Prof. Jaakko Ryhänen) and in 2005-2006 in the lied class of the University of Karlsruhe (professors Mitsuko Shirai and Hartmuth Höll). In addition, she has taken part of several world-famous musicians’ master classes (Elisabeth Söderström, Irwin Gage, Emma Kirkby, Mauriz Sillem, Wilma Vernocchi etc.) P. Lill has performed as an opera, oratorio and chamber singer in many countries. She has sung the lead role in close to 30 operas and she has cooperated with several reputed conductors. She has done many recordings for the Estonian National Broadcasting and her voice is perpetuated on a number of CD-s. P. Lill has been rewarded with the Big Dipper award for Best Female Singer (1996), she has been a laureate for Georg Ots Prize (2002), she has been a grantee of the Wagner Society Scholarship (1998) and a 3rd class honoree of the Order of Bishop Platon (2005). She has also been awarded with the UNICEF Bluebird Award (2009), the Estonian Cultural Endowment Award (2014) and 4th class Order of the White Star (2016) and Esther of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia of Estonia. P. Lill was a vocal teacher in EAMT from 1997 to 2013 (assistant professor from 2003) and she has given master classes in many countries (Germany, Russia, Finland, Belarus, Latvia etc.) P. Lill was a board member of Estonian Composers’ Union from 2003-2009, she is a board member of the Estonian Chamber of Culture and the Finno-Estonian Culture Fund. She is also the founder and creative director of the Pille Lill Music Foundation from 2003.

KRISTINA VÄHI

has received accolades as a soloist in operas, operettas and musicals. She graduated the G. Ots Music School (teacher Mare Jõgeva) and the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, receiving both her BA and MA in operatic singing (teacher Riina Airenne, prof. Tamara Novitšenko). K. Vähi additionally studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and taken part in many master classes (Eva Märtson, Gerhard Kahry, Christina Deutekom, Rudolf Piernay, Ingrid Kremling, Judith Beckman, Matti Pelo, Monika Hauswalter). She won 1st Prize at the Klaudia Taev Competition for Young Opera Singers (1996). Between 2006-2013 K. Vähi worked as a soloist at the Estonian National Opera. She has also sung in performances of the Vanemuine Theatre, the EAMT Opera Studio and the Kuressaare Opera Days; she has been invited to perform at festivals and the musicals of Smithbridges Production and Vanemuine Theatre. Since 1997 she has been a soloist of the Operetta Scretta creative union. Her roles include: Adina (Donizetti „L’elisir d’amore“), Baroness (Lortzing „The Poacher“), Ännchen (Weber „The Marksman“), Oscar (Verdi „A Masked Ball“), Mozart roles Zerlina, First Dame and Despina („Don Giovanni“, „Magic Flute“, „Così fan tutte“); from Menotti operas Lucy, Monica and Miss Pinkerton („Telephone“, „Medium“, „The Old Maid and the Thief“); from Rossini operas Fanny and Clorinda („The Bill of Marriage“, „Cinderella“); Nedda (Leoncavallo „Clowns“), Ninetta (Prokofjev „The Love for Three Oranges“), Luise (Aints “Rehepapp”), Adele and Cagliari (Strauss „The Bat“, “Viennese Blood”), Lisa and Stasi (Kálmán „Countess Mariza“, “Silva”), Damon (Händel „Acis and Galatea“), Maria (Leigh „Man of La Mancha“), Soulgirl and Carlotta (Webber “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Phantom of the Opera”) etc. K. Vähi currently works as a freelance opera soloist.

OLGA ZAITSEVA

has graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with a bachelor’s degree in the singing class of associate prof. Pille Lill and prof. Jaakko Ryhäneni and she has attained her master’s degree from the Pedagogy of Interpretation, majoring in singing. She has furthered her skills in the master classes of Ingrid Kremling, Elizabeth Wilke and Yandwiga Rappé in Poland. Zaitseva has won I prize at the St. Petersburg contest “Song Has the Face of a Woman” (2008), spezial prize at the III and VII international contest “Opera, the Soul of Mountains” in Poland (2008 and 2012) and two special prizes at the 2nd National Vocal Contest dedicated to Vello Jürna (2012). In 2015, Olga Zaitseva was given a Crystal Shoe Award by the Estonian Theatre Union for being a “young person in theatre who has accomplished significant theatrical works” for the performances of Almirena, Donna, Mermaid – Georg Friedrich Händel’s “Rinaldo” – and Giannetta – Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “L’elisir d’amore” (both in the Estonian National Opera). Her repertoire of opera roles includes Donna, Mermaid (Händel’s „Rinaldo“), Giannetta (Donizetti’s „L’elisir d’amore“), II flower girl (Wagner’s „Parsifal“), Shepherd Girl (Ravel „The Child and the Spells“), Tebaldo (Verdi „Don Carlo“), Frasquita (Bizet „Carmen“), Sacerdotessa (Verdi „Aida“), Barbarina (Mozart „Le nozze di Figaro“). During a concert performance she has sung the role of Kupava (Rimski-Korsakov „The Snow Maiden“) and the soprano part of Fauré’s Requiem Op. 48. O. Zaitseva is working in the Estonian National Opera.

OLIVER KUUSIK

studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Associate Prof. Pille Lill and Prof. Virgilius Noreika. He received his Master’s de- gree in 2006 and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (London), where he studied with Maestro Rudolf Piernay. Since 2008 he is the soloist of the Estonian National Opera. His repertoire includes Nemorino (Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love), Don Ramiro (Rossini’s La Cenerentola), Nicias (Massenet’s Thaïs, PromFest), Christian (Tamberg’s Cyrano de Bergerac), Rinuccio (Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi), Ferrando (Mozart’s Così fan tutte), Don Ottavio (Mozart’s Don Giovanni in Manchester and London), Beppe and Arlecchino (Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci), Peter Quint and Prologue (Britten’s Turn of the Screw, Tallinn Birgitta Festival 2008), Freddy (Loewe’s My Fair Lady). In London: Fenton (Verdi’s Falstaff), Polidoro (Mozart’s La Finta Semplice), Der Weise (Hindemith’s Hin und Zurück), Torque- mada (Ravel L’heure Espagnol), Edwin (Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury at the International Gilber and Sullivani Festival, UK), Brighella (Jonathan Dove’s The Little Green Swallow, premiere in the UK). He has recorded Fleishman’s Rotchild’s Violin together with the Liverpool Royal Symphony Orchestra and sung Enjolras (Claude- Michel Schönberg’s Les Miserables, Cameron Macintosh Production) and a lot more. O. Kuusik is also appreciated as an oratorio and chamber music singer. He has performed over 25 different oratorios and chamber music pieces such as Händel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mozart’s Requiem etc. He has given concerts in Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Germany, France, Canada, U.S.A and England. In 2009 O. Kuusik was chosen as a laureate of the international competition of opera singers Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques (Cana- da). In 2008 he received the annual Estonian Theatre Award for his singing of Peter Quint and Prologue in Britten’s Turn of the Screw. O. Kuusik has won the 3rd Prize at the 5th Klaudia Taev International Competition for Young Opera Singers and the Kremling’s Special Prize for the best interpretation of German Song (the jury in- cluded Barbara Hendricks, Jevgeni Nesterenko etc). He has also won the 1st Prize at the Hendrik Krumm Competition in 2006, the 1st Prize at the Competition Young Singer (2002) and the PLMF award “Young Singer 2005.

ATLAN KARP

has studied in Georg Ots Tallinn Music School (teacher Tõnu Bachmann) and the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater (Prof. Ivo Kuusk) and obtained his Master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy in Finland (Prof. Jorma Hynninen and Pekka Kähkönen). He has furthered his skills in the Maria Theatre of St. Petersburg and participated in the masterclasses of G. Janowitz, T. Krause, L. Gergijeva, D. Hvorostovsky, J. Obrastsova, A. Amaretto and H. Hagegård. During 2007-2012 he was working in Vanemuine Theater as a leading opera soloist. A. Karp has been rewarded with the I prize in Tiit Kuusik International Competition (2000). His most important roles include: Scarpia (Puccini’s “Tosca”), Rigoletto (Verdi’s “Rigoletto”), Count di Luna (Verdi’s “Il trovatore”), Lescaut (Massenet’s “Manon”), Sharpless (Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly”), Figaro (Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro”), Kurwenal (Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde”), Leandro (Prokofiev’s “Love for three oranges”, NO Estonia), Vodnik (Dvořák’s “Rusalka”, Helsinki Alexander Theater), Don Alfonso (Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte”, Savonlinna Music Academy), Onegin (Tchaikovsky’s “Jevgeni Onegin”) and Masetto (Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”, Sibelius Academy), Klingsor (Wagner’s “Parsifal”), Orestes (Strauss’ “Elektra”) and George III (P. M. Davies’ “Eight Songs for a Mad King”, Pärnu Opera). A. Karp’s repertoire of grand pieces is very versatile (Brahms’ “Ein Deutsches Requiem”, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Rachmaninoff’s “The Bells”, Vaughan Williams’ “A Sea Symphony”, Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle” etc.), he has given numerous solo concerts and he has performed songs by Russian, French, German, Finnish and Estonian composers from classical pieces to contemporary ones.

PAVLO BALAKIN

who is one of the most outstanding opera basses, graduated from Donetsk Music Academy as a jazz saxophone major in 2006. In 2002-2008 he sang in the choir of the Ukrainian National Opera. In 2008 Pavlo started to study singing in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Prof. Mati Palm) as well as started to work as a choir member of the Estonian National Opera, where he continues as a soloist since 2013. In 2016 Pavlo Balakin made his debut in Italy singing Verdi’s “Attila” title role at Teatro Massimo di Palermo. His repertoire includes: the role of Méphistophélès (Gounod’ “Faust”), from Verdi’s operas Marquis d’Obigny (“La Traviata”), Count Ceprano (“Rigoletto”) and Count Horn (“Un ballo in maschera”) as well as Pontius Pilatus in J. S. Bach’s “St. John’s Passion” and bass parts in grand pieces – Beethoven Mass in C, Strauss “Deutsche Motette” and Rossini “Petite messe solennelle”. He has cooperated with such conductors as D. Oren, R. Frizza, O. M. Wellber, F. M. Carminati, E. Klas and others. P. Balakin is a laureate of the Annual Estonian Theatre Award 2013.

RAIKO RAALIK

started to learn singing in Tartu H. Eller Music School in the singing class of Taisto Noor. At this moment, he is studying in the Voice Department of Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre at the second course of the bachelor level under the guidance of Taavi Tampuu. In addition to his studies he is singing in the choir of Savonlinna opera festival for the second season. He is contributing as a soloist in Vanemuine Theatre in the children’s opera of Eino Tamberg “Guugelmuugelpunktkomm”. In 2017 R. Raalik was awarded with the Marje and Kulder Sink “Young Singer 2017” prize. 

ANNA-LIISA BEZRODNY

was born into a family of musicians in Moscow. Already at the age of two she began her violin studies with her parents, and at the age of nine she began her studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, in the class of her parents, Prof. Igor Bezrodny and Prof. Mari Tampere-Bezrodny. Her later years took her to London, resulting in winning the most prestigious award in Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Gold Medal (2006), previously won by masters such as baritone Bryn Terfel and cellist Jaqueline du Pre. Over the years Anna-Liisa Bezrodny has performed as a soloist with the London, Helsinki, Vilnius, Jena and Turku Philharmonic, Estonian National, Riga and Moscow Symphony Orchestra TV6 and several other symphony orchestras as well as Gewandhaus Bach Orchestra, Georgian, Keskipohjanmaa (Finnish), Zurich, Madrid, Tallinn and other chamber orchestras. Concerts have taken place in such world-famous concert venues as Moscow Conservatoire Great Hall, St. Petersbugh Philharmonic, Finlandia-talo, Royal Festival, Barbican, Wigmore and Cadogan Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Cologne Philharmonie etc. Cooperation has been done with several conductors (Sir Colin Davis, Leif Segerstam, Paavo Järvi, Sian Edwards, Eri Klas, Nikolay Alekseyev, Arvo Volmer, Juha Kangas, Paul Mägi, Tibor Boganyi, Robin O’Neil, Mihkel Kütson, etc.). A.-L. Bezrodny has successfully taken part of many international competitions obtaining several awards and prizes including Martin Musical Foundation Grand Prize (London, 2003), Musicians Benevolent Fund Ian Fleming prize (London, 2003), J. Heifetz International Competition’s 3rd prize (Vilnius, 2005), J. Brahms International Competition’s 2^nd prize (Pörtschach, Austria, 2005), Pro Musica prize (Helsinki, 2006). In 2010 her first solo CD was released in cooperation with Estonia’s one of the most renowned pianists Ivari Ilja. In 2013, ERP Records and A.-L. Bezrodny released a DVD featuring Haydn and Mozart Violin Concertos together, which also gained great critical acclaim. A.-L. Bezrodny currently plays on an Amati violin, kindly on loan from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

SIGRID KUULMANN

has finished Tallinn Music High School and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT, Prof. Tiiu Peäske). She has furthered her skills in London Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Düsseldorf Robert Schumann Hochschule in the violin class of maestro David Oistrahh’s student Prof. Rosa Fain. Her playing has been guided by, among others, professors Igor Bezrodny, Dmitri Sitkovetsky, Michaela Martin, Pavel Vernikov, Yfrah Neaman and Jüri Gerretz and her studies have been supported by Corporation of London, British Council Baltic States, Deutscher Akademischer Austauchdienst and Cultural Endowment of Estonia. S. Kuulmann-Martin is the laureate-prize winner of the H. Eller Violin Competition as well as many other competitions, she has performed as a soloist and a chamber musician in many European countries and in Scandinavia. She has received special recognition for playing Estonian composers’, especially E. Tubin’s works. She has been the first one to perform such pieces in Estonia as Lutoslawski Partita, Berio Sequenza VIII, Virkhaus Violin Concerto No. 2, Bizet-Waxman “Carmen-Fantasia” etc. Her repertoire includes most of the major violin concerts, sonatas and virtuoso pieces from baroque to contemporary. S. Kuulmann-Martin has done several recordings for Estonian Public Broadcasting (EPB), including Sibelius Violin Concert with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. In cooperation with ERR and Estonian Record Productions many CD-s have been completed, the last one in 2012 featuring Eduard Tubin’s violin music with pianist Marko Martin. S. Kuulmann-Martin is a scholar of The Association of Estonian Professional Musicians, Cultural Endowment of Estonia and PLMF since 2007. She is a PhD student of musical interpretation in EAMT (2014, Prof. Mari Tampere-Bezrodny) and she is also working there as a professor.

KRISTINA KRIIT

has obtained her master’s degree in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Prof. Mari Tampere-Bezrodny, 2004) and furthered her skills with Prof. Igor Bezrodny, Eduard Schmieder, Pavel Vernikov and Hermann Krebbers. In addition, she has studied in Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg (2001-2002, Prof. Hermann Krebbers). K. Kriit has taken part of several international competitions, from which the most important are Heino Eller Competition in Tallinn (special prize, 1996) and Henryk Wieniawski Competition in Poland (Lublin, 1997). K. Kriit is a valued contemporary musician and she has performed as a soloist and a chamber musician in almost every country of Europe and Scandinavia. She has twice been a scholar of the reputed Holland Music Sessions. In 2005 K. Kriit was one of the founders of Tallinn String Trio and in 2009 trio “Madrigal” with flute and piano. She is a professor and a PhD student in EAMT (Prof. Mari Tampere-Bezrodny) and a II concert master of the Symphony Orchestra of the Estonian National Opera.

YURI ZHISLIN

Described by The Strad as a “virtuoso with a truly Romantic temperament”, Yuri Zhislin enjoys an active and illustrious career as soloist and chamber musician on violin and viola. In 1991, Yuri entered the Royal College of Music in London, winning the title of the BBC Radio 2 Young Musician of the Year in 1993. The orchestras that Yuri performed with include the Oxford Philharmonic, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the Lithuanian State Symphony and the Santiago de Chile Symphony, to name a few. Zhislin made his recital debut at the New York Carnegie Weill Hall in 2014 and appeared at the major concert venues throughout Europe, the USA, South America, Australia and Japan. His discography includes a recital CD released in 2005 on the SOMM label, a violin/viola Duos CD for the Naxos label in 2009, and a string trio CD for the Nymbus Alliance label with Dmitry Sitkovetsky on violin and Luigi Piovano on cello. A keen chamber musician, Yuri has worked with such artists as Maria-Joao Pires, Maxim Vengerov, Barry Douglas and Natalie Clein among many others. Formed in 2004 by Yuri, Camerata Tchaikovsky (formerly the Russian Virtuosi of Europe) is an ensemble comprising outstanding string players based in Europe. They have recently completed tours to both South America and Russia and released a debut CD on Orchid Classics, which received great reviews and has been chosen “CD of the month” in April 2016 by the BBC Music Magazine. Yuri is a professor of violin and viola at the Royal College of Music in London and is in high demand as a visiting professor at the European Summer Academies.

MARCELO NISINMAN

is an internationally renowned bandoneon player, composer and arranger. M. Nisinman studied the bandoneon with Julio Pane and composition with Guillermo Graetzer in Buenos Aries and Detlev Muller-Siemens in Basel. His compositions are diverse and original with their origins in Buenos Aires, Nisinman also takes inspiration from other forms and techniques creating his own personal style that breaks the traditions and rules of the ‘Musica Porteña’ (Music from Buenos Aires). He has composed for a diverse range of groups from symphony orchestra, to string quartet. M. Nisinman is much in demand as a soloist playing with orchestras and at festivals around the world. He has performed with, Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, Britten Sinfonia, Gary Burton, Fernando Suarez Paz, Assad Brothers, and the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit. He has appeared as a soloist with the WDR Big Band under Vince Mendoza, the Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre National des Pays de La Loire conducted by John Axelrod and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Belgrad. His work, “Dark Blue Tango” was premiered in 2012 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina under Facundo Agudinwith Nisinman playing the bandoneon. M. Nisinman is frequently invited to work with ensembles and to festival as a composer/ performer. His invitations have included: Oxford Chamber Music Festival (in 2008), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), Zeitkunst Festival (Berlin and Paris), Sonoro Festival (Bucharest), Consonances (St Nazaire – France), artist in residence at the Boswil Festival (Switzerland), Vogler String Quartet (in Germany and Ireland), and with Martha Argerich and Friends at the 2013 Ravenna Music Festival. M. Nisinman has composed a number of vocal works including “Desvios”, with the text of Carlos Trafic (released on Acqua Records, 2009) and his New Version of Maria de Buenos Aires (Acqua Records 2010). In 2009 together with the clarinetist Chen Halevi he formed his own quartet Tango Factory, the group brings together four very different musicians to explore the tango, playing works by Nisinman, Porat, and arrangements by Nisinman of works by Piazzolla, Weill and others.

VIRGO VELDI

has graduated from the Georg Ots Tallinn Music School (GOTMS, Lect. Villu Veski, Prof. Olavi Kasemaa, 1988) and from the Tallinn Conservatory (Prof. Olavi Kasemaa, 1993). He obtained his master’s degree at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT, Prof. Olavi Kasemaa, 1997) and from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Prof. Pekka Savijoki, 2004). In 1990, he was awarded with the 3rd Prize at the Estonian Wind Players Competition in Tallinn and in 1996, he won the 1st Prize and Audience’s Special Prize at the “Con Brio”, a competition for young musicians in Estonia. He has worked as a saxophone teacher at the GOTMS and at the Sibelius High School in Helsinki. Since 2001 he is a teacher of the EAMT’s saxophone major (from 2012 an associate professor) and he has given numerous master classes in different European countries. V. Veldi has appeared as a saxophone soloist with Tallinn Music School String Orchestra, EAMT Symphony Orchestra, Estonian Radio Estrada Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Chamber Orchestra and he has taken part in Nyyd Ensemble’s projects. He has been invited to perform at several festivals (Tallinn Chamber Music Festival, Tallinn Winter Festival, Rapla Church Music Festival etc). V. Veldi has collaborated with such renowned conductors as Risto Joost, Lauri Sirp, Mikk Murdvee, Olari Elts, Vello Pähn, Jüri Alperten, Nikolai Alexeyev etc. and he has given numerous chambermusic concerts in Estonia and abroad. His ensemble partners have been Ralf Taal, Mati Mikalai, Kai Ratassepp, Piia Paemurru, Ivari Ilja, Tatjana Lepnurm, Ulla Krigul, Aare-Paul Lattik, Ines Maidre and many others. From 1999 to 2004 V. Veldi was a member and the artistic director of the saxophone quartet “SaxEst”.

NEEME OTS

began his studies at the age of six under the guidance of his father, dots. Aavo Ots and he has defended a bachelor’s degree at the Helsinki Sibelius Academy (Prof. Pertti Kulku, Touko Lundell, Simo Rantanen, 2011). The studies continued at the same place at the masters’ level (Prof. Simo Rantanen), where he furthered his skills in the context of an Erasmus program during 2012-2013 in Madrid (Conservatory Superior de Musica de Madrid, Prof. Enrique Rioja-Liz). N. Ots has taken part of the master courses of such distinguished trumpet pedagogues as Johann Gansch, Maurice André, Reinhold Friedrich, Neeme Birk, Manuel Blanco Gómez-Limon, Adan Delgado Illada, Bo Nilsson, Gabriele Cassone, Jury Bolshianov, Ernesto Chulia, Anthony Plog etc. He has been awarded with the Grand Prix at the International Trumpet Days “Tallinn 2014”, II Prize at the Julius Vaks Trumpet Players’ Contest and III Prize at the International Hillar Kareva Trumpet Competition. Chamber concerts have brought him together with several recognized interprets like Margarita Voites, Mati Palm, Arete Teemets, Irina Zahharenkova, Ralf Taal, Tiia Tenno, Andres Köster etc. N. Ots has been a soloist in front of Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Tallinn Music High School Symphony Orchestra, Polish Chamber Philharmonic and Narva City Orchestra and he has cooperated with such outstanding conductors as Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Kristjan Järvi, Leif Segerstam, Markus Lehtinen, Christoph Eschenbach, Fabio Luisi, George Pehlivanian etc. He has been a concert master of the trumpet group in several reputed youth orchestras like World Youth Wind Orchestra and German-Scandinavian, Baltic Youth and Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra. With the aforementioned orchestras, he has performed at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, Helsinki Finlandia Talo’s and Musiikkitalo’s grand hall, Berlin Philharmonic etc. N. Ots has repeatedly taken part of the work of the Spanish National Symphony Orchestra, Madrid Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and European Royal Ensemble. He has also been invited to perform as a soloist at the Estonian International Trumpet Days, Võru Brass Music Days, Tallinn Chamber Festival, Rapla Church Music Festival, Tallinn Winter Festival, Estonian Concert’s project “Young Talents” and Tallinn Music Week. In 2015, his first CD “Baroque Pictures” was released in cooperation with the organ player Tiia Tenno.

SOFIA MAZAR

is the co-founder and artistic director of JIOM (Jerusalem International Opera Master-Class), a vocal coach and a pianist. Dr. Sofia Mazar is one of the leading figures in the field of Italian and Russian Opera in Israel. She is an assistant professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she was granted the Europe Forum’s award for researching Italian Opera of Ottocento. Sofia is a member of the teacher’s staff of the Music & Dance Academy in Jerusalem since 1997, where she serves as a vocal coach. In addition, she serves as a vocal coach in the New Israeli Opera. Dr. Mazar has participated in the Israeli Festival, Haifa Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Sinfonietta Beer Sheva. She has also officiated many music festivals and masterclasses, and performed regularly in recitals in Italy, Israel, Russia, Belgium as well as Moscow International House of Music, Turin University, Brüssel Museum, Ramat Gan Theater etc.

IRINA ZAHHARENKOVA

started with piano lessons with her mother when she was four, studied at the Tallinn Georg Ots Music School (Prof Mare Ots, 1991-1995) and Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (piano: Prof Lilian Semper; harpsichord: Prof Maris Valk-Falk, 1995-2000) where she got her MA in 2003 (Prof L. Semper). Irina continued at the EAMT doctoral studies in 2003–2011. In 2010 she also got her MA from Helsinki Sibelius Academy in Finland (Prof Hui-Ying Liu-Tawaststjerna). Irina has complimented her studies in the master classes of S. Kovachevich, A. Hewitt, A. Schiff, V. Meržanov, H. Dreyfus, P. Hantaï, C. Stembridge, P. Vapavuori etc. Irina has won first prizes in major international piano competitions such as the M. Čiurlionise Competition (Lithuania, 2003), Prémio Jaén Competition (Spain, 2004), “Van Vlaanderen” Festival Piano Competition Brügges (Belgium, 2004), Competition in Epinal (France, 2004), “Praha Spring“ Harpsichord Competition (Czech Republic, 2005), Georges Enescu Piano Competition (Rumenia, 2005), Competition in Genf (Switzerland, 2005), Alessandro Casagrande Competition (Italy, 2006), Johann Sebastian Bach Competition (Leipzig, 2006), Villa-Lobos Competition (Brazil, 2006) and A. Rubinštein Piano Competition (Iisrael, 2008). Irina has performed in several international festivals in Italy, Germany, Finland, Norway and Estonia. She has also performed as a soloist with orchestras such as Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Orchestre National de Lorraine. As an extremely versatile musician, I. Zahharenkova frequently performs on the piano and harpsichord also in solo recitals and chamber music concerts. There have been released two CD’s with Irina interpretations: J. S. Bach “Goldberg Variations” BWV 988 (2010, Classical Recordings) and D. Scarlatti Sonatas (2012, Classical Records) and also DVD “Keyboard Juggleress” (Estonian Records Production 2009). Irina’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of musical styles from baroque to contemporary. Today she lives and teaches in Finland and at the EAMT. Irina has also persued organ, chemistry, as well as Estonian and Finnish philology.

MARKO MARTIN

started music studies at the age of 8 at Tallinn Music High School, already winning the 1st prize at the International Young Pianists’ Competition held in Czechoslovakia at the age of 15. He repeated the same achievement a year later in Ukraine. M. Martin is a laureate of the Esther Honens International Piano Competition (2000) and a prize winner of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition (1998). His pianism is characterized by the captivating harmony of energy and lyricism, especially in the creation of Liszt, Brahms and Schubert. He is also recognized as a performer of 20th century music. M. Martin has studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT, Prof. Peep Lassmann) and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Prof. Joan Havill). In addition, he has taken part of the master classes of several outstanding pianists (Leon Fleisher, Dmitri Baškirov, Murray Perahia, Paul Badura-Skoda etc). M. Martin has played as soloist with The Philharmonia Orchestra (London), Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and many other orchestras and he has performed in Barbican Hall and Wigmore Hall in London, Hamburg Musikhalle, the Leipzig Gewandhaus and the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto etc. M. Martin has continuously been invited to perform as a valued ensemble partner and a soloist at different festivals (Festival della Valle d’Itria in Italy, Tallinn Chamber Music Festival, Tallinna Winter Festival etc.). He has released two CD’s with Schubert’s and Liszt’s creation (1998, Abbas Records; 2002, Arktos). The last CD features Eduard Tubin’s violin music with the violinist Sigrid Kuulmann (2012, ERP). He has given concerts in Estonia, Latvia, Scandinavian countries, Germany, France, Italy and United Kingdom and he is a scholar of the Estonian Association of Professional Musicians and PLMF Music Trust. From 2002 M. Martin works as a professor at the EAMT and is a member of the board of the Estonian Association of Professional Musicians.

PIIA PAEMURRU 

concert activity has brought her together with several outstanding musicians like Eilene Hannan, Rhoda Achieng, Virgilijus Noreika, Jaakko Ryhänen, Margarita Voites, Mati Palm, Pille Lill, Nadia Kurem, Hanna-Liina Võsa, Oliver Kuusik, Aare Saal, Kädy Plaas, Marion Melnik, Priit Volmer, Angelika Mikk, René Soom, Teele Jõks, Helen Lokuta, Pirjo Püvi, Angelika Klas-Fagerlund, Mari Tampere-Bezrodny, Peeter Paemurru, Anna-Liisa Bezrodny, Andreas Lend, Vahur Vurm etc. She graduated from the Tallinn Conservatory (prof. Laine Mets, MA 1999) and in 1986 she began working at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre’s Vocal Department as a piano accompanist. P. Paemurru has often played as a piano soloist and as a part of different ensembles in the Baltics, Scandinavia, Germany and Russia. She has been rewarded with the Special Prize for the best piano accompanist at several singing competitions, including five times at the International K. Taev Singing Contest in Pärnu. In cooperation with the Swedish singer Ingegerd Björklund she has recorded two CD-s and a CD with Marje Sink’s Christmas songs has been released with soloists Pille Lill, Aare Saal and Oliver Kuusik (PLMF, 2006).

HEMEIS

At the 2017 Tallinn Winter Festival, a piano trio named Hemeīs was born, made up of three outstanding Estonian musicians. In the time of an independent Estonia, very few sustainably active chamber groups have been founded, which is why we at PLMF do all we can to make sure that trio Hemeīs remains in our music scene for years. The reaction to their first performances has been excellent. In 2018 they will have thier first tours abroad, including performances in Helsinki, at the Beethoven Festival in Warsaw and EuropFest in Bucharest.

BALTIC NEOPOLIS VIRTUOSI

gathers the artistic potential of the Baltic Sea Region. Its goal is to present the most valuable phenomena and tendencies in Polish music. In 2017 the project included 5 concert tours during which the ensemble performed a series of concerts in six countries of the Baltic area: Poland, Norway, Lithuania, Estonia, Germany and Sweden. BNV concerts promote the music of Polish composers, both the prominent and well-known as well as talented young artists alongside music from the Baltic Sea Region for bigger chamber ensembles ranging from quintets to chamber orchestra. The ensemble consists of international renown musicians sharing the passion of chamber music: members of Baltic Neopolis Orchestra and outstanding soloists such as Bartłomiej Nizioł, the winner of three Fryderyk Music Awards; Tomasz Tomaszewski, Deutsche Oper concertmaster; Maria Machowska – concertmaster of National Philharmonic in Warsaw; Andriy Vivytovych – principal violist of Covent Garden Opera Orchestra in London; Gareth Lubbe – professor at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen; Adam Klocek – winner of the Grammy Award in 2014; Andreas Lend – one of the most titled Estonian cellists and Marcelo Nisinman, one of today’s foremost bandoneon soloist.