Invitation to Estonia: Conductor Paavo Järvi connects his homeland to world

“Knowing that many people don’t even know where Estonia is — that is an important task for us.”

Paavo Järvi, 63, one of the world’s busiest conductors, is passionate about introducing his homeland, Estonia, to the world. He is music director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Beginning with the 2028-29 season, he will also serve as principal conductor and artistic adviser of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Despite conducting some of the world’s leading orchestras, Järvi has a special attachment to the Estonian Festival Orchestra (EFO), which he founded. Ahead of the ensemble’s concerts at Art Center Incheon on Oct. 18 and Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 20, he spoke to the Hankook Ilbo in a recent video interview.

Reaching him in Paris, where he was staying for performances with the Orchestre National de France, Järvi said, “Anyone who comes from a somewhat smaller culture and becomes international is, in a way, an ambassador for that culture. I’m not just introducing Estonian music; through music, I’m introducing an entire country.”

Järvi founded the EFO in 2011 with his father, legendary conductor Neeme Järvi, now 89, when they launched the Pärnu Music Festival in the Estonian resort city of Pärnu. The ensemble, which serves as the festival’s resident orchestra, is returning to Korea for the first time since its debut visit in 2022.

The decision to include “Estonian” rather than the city’s name in the orchestra’s title was deliberate, Järvi said, intended to make clear where the musicians come from and whom they represent. Having personally selected the players, he sees the orchestra’s distinction in not only its musical excellence but also the bonds and communication among its members.

“A great orchestra does not simply play the notes correctly,” he said. “Ultimately, what matters in music is not just the ability to play perfectly, but human communication.”

Estonia, the northernmost of the three Baltic states, has a population of around 1.3 million. Despite its small size, the country has made a distinct mark on the international music scene.

“Even in some large countries, it can be difficult to think of interesting composers working today, but Estonia has many outstanding composers, including Arvo Pärt,” Järvi said.

For him, culture is more than entertainment; it is a foundation of national survival. Recalling the Russification policies imposed during the Soviet era, which sought to weaken the Estonian language and indigenous culture, he stressed the importance of preserving a nation’s cultural heritage. “We have to protect the pillars and foundations of culture, including music, language and literature,” he said. “The moment we lose our culture, language, music or written history, we cease to exist as who we are.”

His views on music and power are closely connected to this belief. Although music is sometimes regarded as a form of soft power too weak to change the world, Järvi argued that its influence is far greater than commonly assumed. “Music has the power to connect many people who think alike,” he said.

Järvi left Soviet-occupied Estonia for the United States in 1980. Commenting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he described the current period as “an unbelievably tragic time in history.”

“The world is in such turmoil that art gives us hope that it can make this era a little more bearable and show the goodness and humanity in people,” he added.

The EFO will open the first half of its Korean concerts with the Korean premiere of “Passion-Illusion” by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür. A close friend of Järvi’s, Tüür played in a rock band with him when they were students. “I’ve been performing Tüür’s music for 30 years,” Järvi said.

The orchestra will then perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto with Korean violinist Clara-Jumi Kang. The second-half program will differ by date: Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 on Oct. 18 and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 on Oct. 20.

Järvi praised Korean audiences as among the best in the world, saying their enthusiasm inspires musicians onstage. He has performed on multiple occasions with young Korean musicians, including pianists Yunchan Lim and Cho Seong-Jin, whom he described as “the future of classical music.”

He attributed the emergence of so many outstanding young performers in Korea to the Korean audience’s love and respect for classical music.

Asked why he established the festival in Pärnu, Järvi said the town retained a sense of intimacy and tranquility that the world was rapidly losing.

“Pärnu is a place where people can fall in love with Estonia,” he said.

Even those who have never heard of Estonia may find themselves curious about the country after attending the upcoming concerts. Through his music, Järvi extends an invitation to discover his homeland.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.