THAW March 18, 2016 at 7 pm, Estonia Concert Hall

THAW

March 18, 2016 at 7 pm, Estonia Concert Hall

Gavin Bryars. Piano concerto The Solway Canal (Estonian premiere)
Giovanni Bonato. The Old Lie for male choir and orchestra (premiere)
Helena Tulve. Sula (Thaw)

MIHKEL POLL (piano)
ANNALIISA PILLAK (mezzosoprano)
Estonian National Male Choir
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Conductor MIKK ÜLEOJA

The Estonian National Male Choir has a longstanding relationship with the English composer Gavin Bryars as well as with the Italian composer Giovanni Bonato. The performance on Friday, March 18th will be conducted by Mikk Üleoja, the principal conductor of the Estonian National Male Choir.

Bryars’ piano concerto is unique in its genre – alongside the soloist and the orchestra he brings a male choir to the stage as well. The work is based on the sonnets The Solway Canal and A Place of Many Waters by Edwin Morgan.The Solway Canal was to be a network of waterways built in the North of England, but the ambitious plan fell through due to the rapidly developing railway network.

The soloist is Mihkel Poll, winner of numerous international competitions, whose repertoire includes works from both classical and contemporary composers.

The new choral symphonyThe Old Lie by Italian composer Giovanni Bonato celebrated the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and addresses the theme of the cruelty and hypocrisy of the war. Bonato: “I am personally paying respects to all those who fought in this terrible war.” The symphony features texts by Hildegard von Bingen and poets from the beginning of the 20th century. The soloist is mezzosoprano Annaliisa Pillak.

The concert takes its name after Helena Tulve’s Thaw written for a symphony orchestra and didgeridoo. Thaw was awarded a Grand Prix at the International Rostrum of Composers in Paris in 2004.