Johann Sebastian Bach
Sinfonia from the Cantata Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüte, BWV 174
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV 35
Johann Sebastian Bach
Sinfonia from the Cantata Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29
Johann Sebastian Bach
Sinfonia from the Cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht, BWV 52
Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068
Italian conductor Rinaldo Alessandrini will lead a programme dedicated to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. It includes the cantata Geist und Seele wird verwirret (Spirit and Soul Shall Be Confounded), composed in Leipzig, and featuring countertenor Martin Karu, whose rising career is gaining recognition both nationally and internationally. The programme also features symphonic or instrumental overtures from the cantatas Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüte, Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, and Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht. Additionally, the concert will include Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3.
MARTIN KARU countertenor
ERSO
conductor RINALDO ALESSANDRINI
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
This year’s programme of the Estonian Music Days includes a new work by Liisa Hirsch, along with the Estonian premiere of Riho Esko Maimets’ concerto for piccolo and harp. The brilliant violinist Hans Christian Aavik will perform Erkki–Sven Tüür’s Violin Concerto No. 2, titled Angel’s Share. According to the composer, the title reflects the shedding of unnecessary elements as one matures. The evening concludes with Symphony No. 2 by Lepo Sumera, one of Estonia’s most significant symphonists. The concert will be conducted by Olari Elts.
HANS CHRISTIAN AAVIK violin
HEILI ROSIN-LEIVATEGIJA flute
SARA D’AMICO harp
ERSO
conductor OLARI ELTS
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Maria Kõrvits
New work
Unsuk Chin
Violin Concerto No. 1
Franz Schubert
Overture in the Italian Style in C major, D. 591
Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 Italian
At the end of March, violinist Viviane Hagner returns to perform with ERSO. The centerpiece of the evening is the Violin Concerto No. 1 by Unsuk Chin—one of the most performed living composers today. Though classical in structure, the concerto is known for its exceptionally demanding solo part, offering both technical and interpretive challenges. The concert opens with a new work by Estonian composer Maria Kõrvits, commissioned especially by ERSO. The second half of the evening takes listeners on a journey through Italy. Under the baton of Olari Elts, the orchestra will perform Franz Schubert’s Overture in the Italian Style, inspired by Italian opera, followed by Felix Mendelssohn’s vibrant Symphony No. 4 Italian, a musical reflection of the composer’s travels through Italy.
VIVIANE HAGNER violin
ERSO
conductor OLARI ELTS
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Théodore Akimenko
Suite romantique (premiere)
Maurice Ravel
Piano Concerto in G major
Igor Stravinsky
The Firebird Suite
The concert centers on the legend of the magical Firebird, a creature that brings either great fortune or ruin to its captor. In the fairy tale that inspired Igor Stravinsky’s famous ballet, the Firebird is caught by Tsar Ivan, who releases her in exchange for a magical charm to aid him on his journey. Along the way, Ivan must face the evil sorcerer Kashchey and rescue a princess. The concert, conducted by Ukrainian maestro Kirill Karabits, also features a world premiere by his compatriot Théodore Akimenko. Pianist Simon Trpčeski joins ERSO to perform Maurice Ravel’s dazzling Piano Concerto.
SIMON TRPČESKI piano
ERSO
conductor KIRILL KARABITS
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Johannes Brahms
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
In March, violinist David Grimal will join ERSO as both soloist and conductor, meaning no separate conductor will be on stage for this performance. The programme features Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto, a work dedicated to his close friend and one of the 19th century’s most renowned violinists, Hungarian Joseph Joachim. This concerto is considered one of the four great German violin concertos. The second half of the evening will showcase Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8—the shortest and most Haydn-like of his symphonies, filled with unexpected musical wit and lighthearted charm.
DAVID GRIMAL violin
ERSO
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1
Dmitri Shostakovich
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 35
Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No. 6 in B-minor, Op. 54
In February, under the baton of Olari Elts, ERSO celebrates the 120th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s birth. For the first time, the orchestra will perform the composer’s Suite for Variety Orchestra No. 1. The concert also features pianist Marie-Ange Nguci as the soloist in Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1. A virtuoso with a distinctive musical voice, Nguci has already graced some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls despite her young age. The second half of the evening presents Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6, a striking emotional departure from the dramatic intensity of his Fifth Symphony. This work offers a more introspective and lyrical experience, revealing a different side of the composer’s genius.
MARIE-ANGE NGUCI piano
EAMT Symphony Orchestra
ERSO
conductor OLARI ELTS
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Jean Sibelius
Tone poem Pohjola’s Daughter, Op. 49
Rolf Wallin
Trumpet Concerto Fisher King
Jean Sibelius
Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22
In February, ERSO continues along the Kalevala path with two more works by Jean Sibelius, conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk. The symphonic poem The Maiden of the North tells the story of the white-bearded Väinämöinen, who sees the beautiful maiden weaving golden cloth on a rainbow and tries to win her through a series of impossible tasks. The Lemminkäinen Suite, on the other hand, brings to life four legends from the Kalevala, centered on the bold and impetuous hero Lemminkäinen. Also featured on the program is Fisher King, a trumpet concerto by Norwegian composer Rolf Wallin, performed by renowned soloist Håkan Hardenberger.
HÅKAN HARDENBERGER trumpet
ERSO
conductor DIMA SLOBODENIOUK
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Maurice Ravel
Suite Le Tombeau de Couperin
Igor Stravinsky
Violin Concerto in D major
Emmanuel Chabrier
Rhapsody España
Claude Debussy Choreographic Poem Jeux
In February, French conductor Pierre Bleuse returns to eRSO after his successful debut in 2024. Appropriately, the evening will feature a program rich in French music. It begins with Maurice Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, an orchestral adaptation of his piano suite, structured in the style of a Baroque dance suite. The program continues with Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D, performed by the expressive and accomplished Liya Petrova. Emmanuel Chabrier’s lively rhapsody España, his most beloved orchestral piece, will also be featured. The evening closes with Claude Debussy’s Jeux (The Games), a poetic and impressionistic ballet score that premiered in 1913.
LIYA PETROVA violin
ERSO
conductor PIERRE BLEUSE
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir
Oceans
Øyvind Torvund
Forest Morning
John Adams
Common Tones in Simple time
John Luther Adams
Dark Waves
Mason Bates
Liquid Interface
In the heart of winter, ERSO will bring the spirit of summer back to Tallinn’s unique indoor venue, Teras Beach, for a concert unlike any other. Instead of heading south, audiences will travel to Haabersti, where the former Teras mechanical and metalworking factory (active from 1956 to 1991) has been transformed into a tropical oasis. With year-round temperatures of 26°C and a floor covered in soft, warm sand, it’s the perfect escape from Estonia’s cold season. Forget your winter coats and boots—this is a symphonic experience in summer clothes. The concert will be led by ERSO’s Principal Conductor, Olari Elts.
ERSO
conductor OLARI ELTS
DJ Sander Mölder
ERSO TV broadcasts are produced in cooperation with Klassikaraadio and Helipilt Grupp OÜ.
ERSO thanks Tammo Sumera, Mait Visnapuu, Priit Perend, Eva-Liisa Heinmaa.
Arvo Pärt
Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
Jean Sibelius
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47
Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43
This December, ERSO prepares to embark on a concert tour of Southern Europe to mark the Orchestra’s 99th birthday. Before the tour, a celebratory concert will take place in Tallinn, opening with Arvo Pärt’s timeless Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten. The spotlight of the evening will be on the music of Jean Sibelius. Renowned Dutch violinist Simone Lamsma will perform the composer’s Violin Concerto—a cornerstone of the violin repertoire known for its emotional depth and technical brilliance. The program concludes with Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2, composed in the Italian town of Rapallo. The influence of southern Italian light and landscape is unmistakably woven into the fabric of this majestic symphonic work.
SIMONE LAMSMA violin
ERSO
conductor OLARI ELTS
Engelbert Humperdinck
Shakespeare Suites No. 1 and No. 2
Joseph Haydn
Piano Concerto in D major, Hob.XVIII:11
Joseph Haydn
Piano Concerto in D major, Hob.XVIII:2
Pyotr Tchaikovsky / Arkadi Leytush
Memories from Haapsalu
Bringing a bright note to dark November days, conductor Neeme Järvi presents a programme of radiant autumn classics. The programme includes Joseph Haydn’s piano concertos, performed by pianist Jaan Ots.
JAAN OTS piano
ERSO
conductor NEEME JÄRVI
Johannes Brahms
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 1 in D major
In November, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, led by its founder and principal conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius, will join ERSO for a special performance at the Estonia Concert Hall. The program will feature Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, a work whose origins trace back to the city of Kassel, where Mahler composed his first vocal cycle, Songs of a Wayfarer. The emotional landscape of that cycle flows seamlessly into his First Symphony, a connection the composer himself often acknowledged. Mahler’s symphony will be paired with Johannes Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1, performed by celebrated Lithuanian pianist Lukas Geniušas.
LUKAS GENIUŠAS piano
Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra
conductor GINTARAS RINKEVIČIUS
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(?)
Musikalische Würfelspiele, K.Anh.C.30.01
Lejaren Hiller
Illiac Suite
First Experiment
Third Experiment
Nina Shekhar
Honk If You Love Me
Discussion with AI-expert Taivo Lints.
Øyvind Torvund
Willibald Motor Landscape
In November, ERSO chamber ensembles return to Fotografiska, a venue that has become a firm favourite with audiences, for an exploration of music and artificial intelligence. Themed around questions like “Does AI appreciate art?” and “Is our future virtual, augmented—or simply real?”, the programme will feature music inspired by, derived from, or created in dialogue with AI. The selection is curated by ERSO clarinettist Taavi Orro. At the end of the evening, the audience will be invited to reflect on whether artificial intelligence can truly rival human creativity.
Egert Leinsaar (violin)
Marta Mutso (violin)
Jūlija Širokova (viola)
Theodor Sink (cello)
Taavi Orro (clarinet)
Kadri-Ann Sumera (piano)
Vambola Krigul (percussion)
Mart Soo (guitar)
Jean Sibelius
Tone poem The Wood Nymph, Op. 15
Jean Sibelius
Kullervo Symphony, Op. 7
The opening concert of ERSO’s new series Myths and Legends invites audiences into the powerful story of Kullervo, the tragic hero from Finnish folklore. This dramatic tale, brought to life through the music of Jean Sibelius, will be performed by the Estonian National Male Choir and soloists Andrew Foster-Williams and Tuuri Dede, under the baton of conductor Matthew Halls. The program also includes Sibelius’ orchestral ballad The Wood Nymph, based on Viktor Rydberg’s poem about a young man enticed by a mysterious forest spirit.
TUURI DEDE mezzo-soprano
ANDREW FOSTER-WILLIAMS baritone
Estonian National Male Choir
ERSO
Conductor MATTHEW HALLS
Evelin Seppar
New work
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44
ERSO will perform Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3, conducted by Olari Elts. The program also features a new orchestral work by Evelin Seppar, which will open the concert.
ERSO
Dirigent Olari Elts
Tubin “Suite on Estonian Motifs” ETW 13
Tamberg. Trumpet Concerto No. 1 Op. 42
Tubin. Symphony No. 2 (Legendary)
Eduard Tubin’s first major orchestral work is akin to a “medal warning” in sports. Utilizing composition techniques developed in his songs and piano music, the 25-year-old Tubin ventures into his beloved domain—orchestral music—and achieves a remarkable, p result on his first attempt. Over the following years, Tubin fulfills his “medal expectations”, with his Symphony No. 2 serving as the best evidence of his success.
Eino Tamberg’s Trumpet Concerto features the talented American jazz trumpeter Charlie Porter as soloist. The concerto stands out as one of the most brilliant instrumental concertos in Estonian music. Both Tubin and Tamberg also faced similar choices in their careers, with Tamberg also having tickets to “Triina”…
In collaboration with Eesti Kontserdiga
CHARLIE PORTER trumpet
ERSO
Conductor MIHHAIL GERTS
Hector Berlioz
Overture to the opera Benvenuto Cellini
Édouard Lalo
Cello Concerto in D minor
Ernest Chausson
Symphony in B-flat major, Op. 20
MARCEL JOHANNES KITS cello
ERSO
Conductor YAN PASCAL TORTELIER
This September, ERSO welcomes back conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier, whose program of French music received wide acclaim in March 2025. Once again, Tortelier will explore the rich world of 19th-century French composers, beginning with the overture to Benvenuto Cellini by Hector Berlioz, a pioneer of modern orchestration. Marcel Johannes Kits will perform a rare gem of the cello repertoire: the concerto by Édouard Lalo. The evening will conclude with one of the best-known works by the short-lived composer Ernest Chausson—his Symphony in B-flat major.
Emmy Schäfer Klein
Child’s Dream, Op. 8 No. 1
Johann Sebastian Bach / Alexander Siloti
Prelude, BWV 855a
Missy Mazzoli
A Map of Laughter
James Lee III
Humble Birth
Amy Beach
Harlequin, Op. 26 No. 6
Leokadiya Kashperova
Song without Words No.5
Florence Price
The Goblin and the Mosquito
Clara Schumann
Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22
Nadia Boulanger
Trois Pièces for cello and piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Rondo in D major, K. 382
ALEXANDRA DARIESCU piano
KRISTEL KIIK violin
INDREK LEIVATEGIJA cello
VILLU VIHERMÄE cello
MAAREN VIHERMÄE violin
MAIRIT-MITT BRONIKOWSKA viola
September’s chamber concert will be headlined by acclaimed Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu, who will also appear as soloist in the Orchestra’s season-opening concert the previous evening. The programme presents a diverse selection of solo and chamber music, ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach and Clara Schumann to James Lee III and Missy Mazzoli. Audiences will also have the rare opportunity to hear works by lesser-known composers such as Emmy Schäfer Klein and Leokadiya Kashperova. The ERSO Chamber Ensemble will be joined by a chamber arrangement of Wolfgang Amadus Mozart’s well-known Rondo in D major for piano and orchestra. Additional featured composers include Amy Beach, Florence Price, and Nadia Boulanger.
Arvo Pärt
Tabula rasa. Silentium
Arvo Pärt
Greater Antiphones (selected movements)
John Cage
In a Landscape
John Cage
Amores
Aphex Twin
#3 (SAW vol. II)
Aphex Twin
Ruglen Holon (Drukqs)
Aphex Twin
Nannou (Windowlicker)
Aphex Twin
QHThr (Drukqs)
Aphex Twin
Nanou 2 (Drukqs)
At the end of August, the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt—celebrating his 90th birthday—will meet the electronic soundscapes of Aphex Twin in the big hangar of the Põhjala Factory. Aphex Twin, a global icon in electronic music, has openly cited Pärt as an influence, and critics have often drawn intriguing parallels between their works. The Põhjala Angaar, one of Estonia’s most distinctive venues, offers over 1,100 square metres of space beneath soaring twin vaults—an ideal setting to experience the resonance of Pärt’s tintinnabuli style alongside Aphex Twin’s instrumental arrangements. The concert programme is curated by Vambola Krigul.
Egert Leinsaar, Annelize Vlasenko, Nina Kawaguchi, Mari-Katrina Suss, Miina Laanesaar, Triin Krigul, Helena Altmanis, Kristiina Välja, Andres Alexander Metspalu, Villu Vihermäe, Mati Lukk, Madis Jürgens, Liis Jürgens, Vambola Krigul, Adam Jeffrey, Lauri Metsvahi, Kärt Ruubel, DJ Glitch Korts
Thomas Adès
America: A Prophecy, Op. 19
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Choral symphony The Bells, Op. 35
Arvo Pärt
Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten
Lepo Sumera
Symphony No. 2
Similarly to the first ERSO concert of the season, which used the sound of bells as its recurring theme, the final concert of the season will take place in the same spirit, concluding the ‘Romance’ series. Conducted by Olari Elts, the concert begins with the apocalyptic work by British composer Thomas Adès – America: A Prophecy for a soprano and an orchestra. The concert continues on a prophetic note with the choral symphony The Bells by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed with the State Choir LATVIJA. The symphony uses poetry by Edgar Allen Poe and the melancholy nature of the piece has been seen as a prediction of the dark future of Russia.
The theme of the sound of bells continues in Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten. The composition has been described as a musical meditation on death. Estonian music is also represented by Lepo Sumera’s Symphony No. 2, dedicated to the former chief conductor of ERSO, Peeter Lilje.
EMMA BELL soprano
ELENA BRAZHNYK soprano
MATI TURI tenor
EGILS SILIŅŠ baritone
State Choir LATVIJA
ERSO
Conductor OLARI ELTS
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