Festival KLAVER. Olga Kern (klaver, USA). Neeme Järvi ja Eesti Riiklik Sümfooniaorkester

Festival PIANO   

23-27 October, Estonia Concert Hall 

Artistic director Age Juurikas   

The PIANO festival is a biennial event taking place since 1998 and offers a wide range of piano repertoire performed by outstanding pianists. The festival's mission is to introduce Estonian audiences to outstanding international piano stars and to preserve, enhance and develop the piano recital format with its a nearly 200-year history. Ever since piano virtuoso and composer Ferenc Liszt's famous recitals, this form of concert has enchanted audiences with its intimacy and virtuosity.

The PIANO festival also plays a significant role in engaging Estonian musicians and the younger generation. The festival provides a valuable stage performance opportunity for young pianists still in their student years. Also, the well-received pre-concert discussion groups from previous years are back, offering a great introduction to the concert evening. Pre-concert discussions will center on the festival's themes with musicians, scientists, and journalists.

The 2024 festival will highlight female pianists.

While the pay gap and gender quotas are hot topics in modern society, Clara Schumann, the mother of eight children, was one of the most famous pianists of the 19th century. Today, the world's most celebrated pianists include many women, starting with Martha Argerich and continuing with Olga Kern, who is also the headliner of this year's festival. Among the Estonian pianists, this year's festival will feature the wide-ranging pianist and composer Kirke Karja.

Festival gala concerts have traditionally sparked much excitement. The Salon Gala Concert "Girls allowed" will feature our female pianists performing the finest works by renowned female composers.

Elena Bashkirova, an Israeli pianist celebrated also as a chamber musician, will present a solo recital in Tallinn. Dina Yoffe, a Latvian pianist of great skill now residing in Estonia, is already a seasoned master.