Samuel & Patricia Congello proudly present The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, at the North Iowa Community Auditorium on the NIACC campus at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 31^st, 2018. This presentation is part of the 2017-2018 Performing Arts and Leadership Series for the 20^th Anniversary Season. Orchestral selections for the program will include works by Mendelssohn and Dvorák.

The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (known in Estonian as Eesti Riiklik Sümfooniaorkester or ERSO) is the longest continually operating professional orchestra of its kind in the country. The orchestra’s history dates back to 1926 and, like that of many other world orchestras, is connected to the birth of national broadcasting. Since 2010 it has been led by principal conductor and artistic director Neeme Järvi, while Paavo Järvi has been its artistic advisor since 2002, and Olari Elts its principal guest conductor since 2007. The orchestra’s previous principal conductors were Olav Roots (1939–44), Paul Karp (1944–50), Roman Matsov (1950–63), Neeme Järvi (1963–79), Peeter Lilje (1980–90), Leo Krämer (1991–93), Arvo Volmer (1993–2001) and Nikolai Alexeev (2001–10).

The quality of ERSO’s recordings has been praised in renowned classical music magazines and been rewarded with a number of prizes, the biggest of which was a Grammy in 2004 for its Sibelius cantatas (released on Virgin Classics). ERSO was also nominated for a Grammy in 2010 for its recording of Frank Martin’s oratorio Golgotha with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Cappella Amsterdam and conductor Daniel Reuss (Harmonia Mundi). In addition to working closely with Virgin Classics (on works by Pärt, Tüür, Grieg and Sibelius, conducted by Paavo Järvi), the orchestra has recorded in the past for Alba Records (all of Tubin’s symphonies and the ballet Goblin, conducted by Arvo Volmer), BIS, Antes Edition, Ondine, Finlandia Records, Consonant Works, Melodiya and more. Recently a new record by ENSO and Neeme Järvi performing the orchestral works of the most significant Slovakian composer of the 20th century, Eugen Suchoň and another of Dmitri Shostakovich’s cantatas, conducted by Paavo Järvi were released.

ERSO has toured in Scandinavia, elsewhere in Europe, the United States and the former Soviet Union. It has taken part in many Estonian and international music festivals, including the “NYYD-Festival”, “Nargenfestival” in Tallinn, the Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm, Il Settembre dell’ Accademia in Verona, the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad and Europamusicale in Munich.

ERSO not only works with Estonian musicians, but also well-known foreign conductors and soloists. Its repertoire ranges from baroque music to premieres of contemporary works. The orchestra has performed symphonic pieces by virtually every Estonian composer, including Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Eduard Tubin, Eino Tamberg, Jaan Rääts, Lepo Sumera, Tõnu Kõrvits and Helena Tulve, often being the first to do so.

Arvo Volmer – Conductor

Estonian conductor Arvo Volmer is the Music Director of Orchestra Haydn of Bolzano and Trentino, Italy. He is widely acclaimed for his powerful and emotionally charged performances both in opera and concert. Particularly well-known are his interpretations of Wagner, Mahler and Sibelius, German, Nordic and Russian composers.

In 2004, Arvo Volmer became Artistic Director and Chief Conductor at Estonian National Opera as well as Music Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra – a position he held until the end of 2013. During this time, Volmer led the orchestra on tours to Los Angeles and New York’s Carnegie Hall and on projects such as the highly acclaimed five-year long Mahler Cycle and Sibelius and Schumann festivals.

Throughout his career Arvo Volmer has made an extensive number of recordings, including the complete symphonies of Jean Sibelius for ABC (recorded following a cycle with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra) and the symphonic works of Eduard Tubin. He has also recorded the complete works of Leevi Madetoja as well as Swedish and Estonian contemporary music.

Triin Ruubel – Featured Violin soloist

Triin Ruubel is an Estonian violinist who performs throughout Europe as a soloist and chamber musician. Born in Tallinn in 1988, she began her first violin lessons at the age of six and entered the Tallinn Music High School. She received her Artist Diploma at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock, under Professor Petru Munteanu.  Triin is a prizewinner of international competitions. She has won the Grand Prix in the “Remember Enescu” Competition in Romania (2007), both the First Prize and the Virtuoso Prize at the Kloster Schöntal Violin Competition in Germany (2009), Third Prize at the Ginette Neveu Competition in Avignon (2009), and the Audience Prize at the “Premio Rodolfo Lipizer” Competition in Italy (2010).

To learn more about The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra visit their website at www.erso.ee or watch a video at www.niacc.edu/palvideos.

For tickets to the presentation, call the NIACC Box Office at 1-888-466-4222, extension 4188. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.niacc.edu/boxoffice.

Be sure to stop by our concessions table for a light snack and a glass of beer, wine or soda before the show or during intermission. Proceeds support NIACC activities groups across campus.

The Broadway sponsor for the 2017-2018 Performing Arts and Leadership Series is Pritchard Family Auto Stores.

Platinum sponsors include Samuel & Patricia Congello, First Citizens National Bank, Elizabeth Muse Norris Foundation, Globe Gazette, Mason City Clinic, Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa, and Principal Financial Group.

Gold sponsors include Neurosurgery of North Iowa Drs. Beck and Bhangoo, First State Bank Belmond, Dean Genth & Dr. Gary Swenson, Henkel Construction Company, Historic Park Inn, MBT Bank and the Hanson Family Foundation, Dr. Bryan and Alicia Navarette, Northwoods State Bank, North Iowa Eye Clinic P.C., Petro Blend, Stratford Foundation, Sukup Manufacturing Co., Arts Midwest Touring Fund, Holiday Inn Express, KGLO, KIMT, and North Iowa Broadcasting.

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