Avakontsert / Festival Klaaspärlimäng 2026

An essential highlight of Tartu’s summer cultural calendar, the music festival Glasperlenspiel once again brings together different styles, art forms, and approaches in a rich and high-level concert program, offering something appealing to every listener. The stage will feature top-class artists such as Martin Kuuskmann, one of the most sought-after bassoonists on the international scene, Austrian harpist Elisabeth Plank, and Lithuanian birbynė virtuoso Vytautas Kiminius, among others. Rising stars of the musical world are represented by the most recent winner of the TV competition Klassikatähed, the remarkable 16-year-old Ukrainian pianist Havryil Sydoryk. The tribute will be paid to Estonian writer Jaan Kaplinski on the occasion of his 85th anniversary, celebrating the linguistic and musical richness of Southeastern Estonia in collaboration with Collegium Musicale and a Seto song ensemble. As an extraordinary event, two of Johann Sebastian Bach’s organ works will receive their Estonian premieres, with their authorship having been confirmed only last year. A unique experience will also be offered by a concert marking a 25-year collaboration between Peeter Vähi and Martin Kuuskmann, where intriguing sound colors, visual elements, and the unique heritage of Tibetan monks are interwoven. This year, music will be captured on the canvas by top Estonian surrealist artist Navitrolla.

Thu, July 9th at 7 pm

OPENING CONCERT

Vytautas Kiminius (birbynė, conductor / Leedu), Martin Kuuskmann (bassoon),

Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta

In programme: Mozart, Vähi

The festival opens with an exceptional concert featuring world-class soloists and the Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta. Each artist presents a dazzling concerto written for their instrument: Martin Kuuskmann performs Mozart’s elegant Bassoon Concerto, while Vytautas Kiminius brings to the stage the world’s first concerto for birbynė, composed by Peeter Vähi. Estonian-born and two-time Grammy nominee Martin Kuuskmann is one of the leading bassoon virtuosos of today, performing regularly at major venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and collaborating with renowned orchestras including the New York and London Philharmonics, ENSO, and the Iceland and MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestras. Vytautas Kiminius is the foremost performer of the Lithuanian national instrument, the birbynė, and an increasingly sought-after conductor. He is a Grand Prix winner of the international “Renaissance” competition in Armenia, a first prize laureate of the “Menas ir švietimas XXI amžiuje” competition, and a three-time laureate of the Jonas Švedas Soloists’ Competition.

Fri, July 10th at 9 pm

MARIE ANTOINETTE & HARP

Elisabeth Plank (harp, Austria)

In programme: Marie Antoinette, Petrini, Krumpholtz, Dussek, de Genlis, Hinner

The iconic French queen Marie Antoinette was also a great patron of the arts and played a key role in shaping the musical tastes of the French aristocracy. Considering the harp one of her favorite instruments, she helped turn 18th-century Paris into a center of harp music. Works by the harp virtuosos of that era are brought to festival audiences by acclaimed Austrian harpist Elisabeth Plank, who has been described as “an exceptional performer, with complete mastery of her instrument, full of character and color in her playing.” She has performed at world-renowned venues such as the Vienna Musikverein, the Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Musikverein Graz, among others, and has collaborated with ensembles including Camerata Bohemica Prague, the Thuringian Symphony Orchestra, NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, Wiener KammerOrchester, and Barockensemble der Wiener Symphoniker. Elisabeth Plank has won numerous international competitions in Germany, Austria, Italy, and Japan, and in 2014 was awarded the “Young Celebrity Master” title at the Swiss Summer Academy HarpMasters. She is also the first harpist in history to be selected as an ambassador for the “New Austrian Sounds of Music” programme (2023–2024). Her acclaimed solo albums have been released by labels such as ARS Produktion, Gramola, GENUIN, and Alpha Classics.

Sat, July 11th at 7 pm

BELLS

Havryil Sydoryk (piano)

In programme: Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Eller, Lysenko, Dutilleux, Sydoryk

At just 16 years old, Ukrainian pianist Havryil Sydoryk, the winner of “Klassikatähed” (the Estonian Public Broadcasting competition for young performers), presents a full-length solo recital at the festival. His programme brings together masterpieces by his great idol Johann Sebastian Bach and other giants of music history, alongside works by Estonian and Ukrainian composers, as well as Sydoryk’s own compositions. Speaking about the piano, Sydoryk has said it allows him “to think orchestrally and offers limitless possibilities for realizing ideas and musical thoughts.” A remarkably talented young musician who studied several instruments in Ukraine, was forced to flee the war – first to France, where he studied at the Paris Municipal Conservatory, and later to Estonia in search of stronger musical education. He is currently studying at the Tallinn Music and Ballet School with teachers Age Juurikas (piano) and Reinut Tepp (harpsichord). Having learned Estonian in a short time, Sydoryk is also actively engaged in composition and violin studies, and has a strong interest in early music.

Sat, July 11th at 10 pm

PATH OF MANTRA

Martin Kuuskmann (bassoon, dung-chen, Estonia/USA), Peeter Vähi (keyboards, percussion)

In programme: traditional, Vähi, Cage

A late-evening concert with an exotic, oriental atmosphere celebrates the long and fruitful musical collaboration between Peeter Vähi and Martin Kuuskmann, which has resulted for example in the music for the film Karu süda and the album The Path of Mantra. The latter serves as the basis for this concert. However, unlike the recording, Vähi and Kuuskmann will appear on stage as a duo, while the parts of Tibetan monks will be added via pre-recorded audio and as visual projections based on Vähi’s photographs. The soundscape is enriched with intriguing timbres and a cosmic dimension by a large Tibetan ritual horn, the Planet Venus Gong, and a tube metallophone created by German instrument maker Jochen Fassbender, based on a pure overtone scale. Adding further intrigue, the programme is not fully fixed in advance – the final selection will be made by the musicians on site, depending on mood, audience, and other circumstances.

Sun, July 12th at 9 pm

SETO FANTASY

Seto folk ensemble Siidisõsarõ, chamber choir Collegium Musicale, conductor Endrik Üksvärav

In programme: Lill (premiere)

The Glasperlenspiel pays tribute with this concert to Estonian poet and thinker Jaan Kaplinski on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of his birth, and at the same time celebrates the linguistic and musical richness of the South Estonian dialect region. A new work by Märt-Matis Lill, specially commissioned for this occasion, is brought to life by a fascinating ensemble – the Seto folk ensemble together with the chamber choir Collegium Musicale. The folk ensemble Siidisõsarõ brings together singers with roots in Setomaa, preserving authentic Seto cultural heritage passed down orally through generations or recorded in earlier transcriptions and recordings. Their repertoire includes songs, dances, and games from historical Setomaa, helping to keep the region’s unique traditions alive. Known for its distinctive sound and high-level performances, Collegium Musicale presents music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary works, with a strong emphasis on collaboration with Estonian composers. Among its recent recordings, notable releases include Mass of Mary (ERP, 2022), named Album of the Year in the composition category at the Estonian Music Awards 2023, and Cyrillus Kreek. Sacred Folk Tunes (ERP, 2023). Collegium Musicale has been named Choir of the Year three times (2011, 2014, 2017) and is a recipient of the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s annual award (2018).

Mon, July 13th at 7 pm

MISSA VOTIVA

Chamber choir Moran Singers (Israel), Hortus Musicus Orchestra, conductor Andres Mustonen

In programme: Jan Dismis Zelenka, Tomas Louis de Victoria

The Israeli ensemble Moran Singers, together with Hortus Musicus and Andres Mustonen, brings the spotlight to the Bohemian composer Jan Dismas Zelenka, who is regarded as one of the most underrated yet outstanding figures of the Baroque era. A prolific creator of sacred and instrumental music, Zelenka wrote hundreds of works that were innovative and stylistically original, drawing attention for their complex counterpoint, bold harmonic language, virtuosity, and influences from Czech folk music. His Missa votiva, written for four soloists, choir, and string orchestra, is one of the most extensive works in Zelenka’s output. It includes choral scenes, arias, chorales, dramatic passages, and fugues, offering a truly powerful musical experience. Founded in 1998, Moran Singers performs both classical choral repertoire and works by Israeli composers, and has distinguished itself in numerous international competitions. The choir has participated in festivals across Europe and the United States and collaborates with various orchestras.

Tue, July 14th at 7 pm

HYPOCONDRIE

European Union Baroque Orchestra, Alfredo Bernandini (oboe, artistic director)

In programme: Lully, Corelli, Vivaldi, Telemann, Muffat, Zelenka

The Glasperlenspiel concludes on a youthful and vibrant note with the European Union Baroque Orchestra, led by Alfredo Bernardini, presenting emotionally rich and energetic Baroque music. EUBO is like no other orchestra: its modus operandi since its foundation in 1985 has been to audition and select new personnel annually. EUBO’s ephemeral existence makes its concerts special: live performances enjoying all the technical accomplishment of the best young baroque musicians in Europe, allied to an infectious undimmed sense of discovery and enjoyment. Members of EUBO come from all over the European Union to gain performing experience, working together under the inspirational leadership of Lars Ulrik Mortensen and some of the world’s finest baroque musicians. Ton Koopman, Margaret Faultless, Enrico Onofri, Rachel Podger, Riccardo Minasi, Paul Agnew, Gottfried von der Goltz and Stefano Montanari have all been guest directors in recent seasons. Over the years EUBO has recorded several CDs; the recording Pure Handel with soprano Maria Keohane was shortlisted for the 2014 Gramophone Awards.