{"id":8726,"date":"2026-10-14T15:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T15:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8726"},"modified":"2026-10-14T15:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T15:57:10","slug":"invitation-to-estonia-conductor-paavo-jarvi-connects-his-homeland-to-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8726","title":{"rendered":"Invitation to Estonia: Conductor Paavo J\u00e4rvi connects his homeland to world"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Paavo<\/picture>
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Paavo J\u00e4rvi \/ Courtesy of Vincero<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cKnowing that many people don\u2019t even know where Estonia is \u2014 that is an important task for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paavo J\u00e4rvi, 63, one of the world\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Despite conducting some of the world\u2019s leading orchestras, J\u00e4rvi has a special attachment to the Estonian Festival Orchestra (EFO), which he founded. Ahead of the ensemble\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Reaching him in Paris, where he was staying for performances with the Orchestre National de France, J\u00e4rvi said, \u201cAnyone who comes from a somewhat smaller culture and becomes international is, in a way, an ambassador for that culture. I\u2019m not just introducing Estonian music; through music, I\u2019m introducing an entire country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Estonian<\/picture>
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Estonian Festival Orchestra (EFO) \/ Courtesy of Vincero<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

J\u00e4rvi founded the EFO in 2011 with his father, legendary conductor Neeme J\u00e4rvi, now 89, when they launched the P\u00e4rnu Music Festival in the Estonian resort city of P\u00e4rnu. The ensemble, which serves as the festival\u2019s resident orchestra, is returning to Korea for the first time since its debut visit in 2022.<\/p>\n

The decision to include \u201cEstonian\u201d rather than the city\u2019s name in the orchestra\u2019s title was deliberate, J\u00e4rvi said, intended to make clear where the musicians come from and whom they represent. Having personally selected the players, he sees the orchestra\u2019s distinction in not only its musical excellence but also the bonds and communication among its members.<\/p>\n

\u201cA great orchestra does not simply play the notes correctly,\u201d he said. \u201cUltimately, what matters in music is not just the ability to play perfectly, but human communication.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven in some large countries, it can be difficult to think of interesting composers working today, but Estonia has many outstanding composers, including Arvo P\u00e4rt,\u201d J\u00e4rvi said.<\/p>\n

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. \u201cWe have to protect the pillars and foundations of culture, including music, language and literature,\u201d he said. \u201cThe moment we lose our culture, language, music or written history, we cease to exist as who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

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, J\u00e4rvi argued that its influence is far greater than commonly assumed. \u201cMusic has the power to connect many people who think alike,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

J\u00e4rvi left Soviet-occupied Estonia for the United States in 1980. Commenting on Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, he described the current period as \u201can unbelievably tragic time in history.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The EFO will open the first half of its Korean concerts with the Korean premiere of \u201cPassion-Illusion\u201d by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven T\u00fc\u00fcr. A close friend of J\u00e4rvi\u2019s, T\u00fc\u00fcr played in a rock band with him when they were students. \u201cI\u2019ve been performing T\u00fc\u00fcr\u2019s music for 30 years,\u201d J\u00e4rvi said.<\/p>\n

\"Clara-Jumi<\/picture>
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Clara-Jumi Kang \/ Courtesy of Vincero<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The orchestra will then perform Brahms\u2019 Violin Concerto with Korean violinist Clara-Jumi Kang. The second-half program will differ by date: Brahms\u2019 Symphony No. 1 on Oct. 18 and Sibelius\u2019 Symphony No. 5 on Oct. 20.<\/p>\n

J\u00e4rvi 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 \u201cthe future of classical music.\u201d<\/p>\n

He attributed the emergence of so many outstanding young performers in Korea to the Korean audience\u2019s love and respect for classical music.<\/p>\n

Asked why he established the festival in P\u00e4rnu, J\u00e4rvi said the town retained a sense of intimacy and tranquility that the world was rapidly losing.<\/p>\n

\u201cP\u00e4rnu is a place where people can fall in love with Estonia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Even those who have never heard of Estonia may find themselves curious about the country after attending the upcoming concerts. Through his music, J\u00e4rvi extends an invitation to discover his homeland.<\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Paavo J\u00e4rvi \/ Courtesy of Vincero \u201cKnowing that many people don\u2019t even know where Estonia is \u2014 that is an important task for us.\u201d Paavo J\u00e4rvi, 63, one of the world\u2019s busiest conductors, is passionate about introducing his homeland, Estonia, to the world. He is music director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and artistic director…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-korea","category-trending-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t