Foto Anneli Ivaste
The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir is on a tour with the Flanders Symphony Orchestra and their chief conductor Kristiina Poska in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
From February 23rd to March 3rd, a total of 8 concerts is given: at the De Spil cultural center in Roeselare, the De Bijloke music center in Ghent, Le Nouveau Siècle concert hall in Lille, Bozar in Brussels, Musis Arnhem in the Netherlands, Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, and De Singel in Antwerp. Most of the concerts are sold out. The concert at Bozar in Brussels on February 26th was recorded by the Belgian classic radio station Klara and will also be broadcasted by the Estonian Classic Radio.
Kristiina Poska has chosen both Estonian music as well as world classics into the program. The Estonian pieces The Kreek’s Notebook („Kreegi vihik“, 2007) by Tõnu Kõrvits’s is based on Estonian sacred folk tunes collected by Cyrillus Kreek. The composer will also be present at the concerts in Belgium. From the world classics, Mozart’s Requiem (1791) will be performed, featuring soprano soloist Yena Choi from the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Estonian mezzo-soprano Kadi Jürgens based in Belgium, Belgian tenor Denzil Delaere, and German bass Christian Immler.
This large-scale cooperation with the Flanders Symphony Orchestra and Kristiina Poska takes place already for the second time. Due to the success and inspiration it has given to both musicians and audiences in 2022, it was decided to continue the collaboration. According to Kristiina Poska, the orchestra and the choir blend very well together, as both ensembles share a lot in terms of aesthetics – clarity, transparency, and a clear line that unites them both.
Since the 2019/2020 season, Kristiina Poska has been the chief conductor of the Flanders Symphony Orchestra based in Ghent, Belgium, and the principal guest conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. She has conducted many symphony and chamber orchestras, including the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, Munich Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouw, Lille National Orchestra, and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra. She also conducts opera performances across Europe, including at the Basel Theatre, Berlin State Opera, Royal Flemish Opera, and elsewhere.
Tour schedule:
February 23rd at 8 PM – De Spil Cultural Center, Roeselare, Belgium
February 24th at 8 PM – De Bijloke Music Center, Ghent, Belgium
February 25th at 4 PM – Le Nouveau Siècle, Lille, France
February 26th at 8 PM – Bozar, Brussels, Belgium
February 28th at 8 PM – Musis Arnhem, Arnhem, Netherlands
February 29th at 8 PM – Concertgebouw, Bruges, Belgium
March 1st at 8:15 PM – Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
March 3rd at 3 PM – De Singel (Lunch Concert), Antwerp, Belgium
The tour is organised by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra