ECM 2026: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Tõnu Kaljuste conductor 

Arvo Pärt Magnificat 
Arvo Pärt Which Was the Son of ... 
Arvo Pärt The Deer’s Cry  
Arvo Pärt Dopo la vittoria  
Arvo Pärt Kanon pokajanen excerpts: Kontakion, Ikos, Prayer After the Canon 
Veljo Tormis The Bishop and the Pagan (Piispa ja pakana)  
Luciano Berio Cries of London  
Evelin Seppar Iris  
Philip Glass Father Death Blues (from Hydrogen Jukebox)  

Experience one of the world’s leading choirs in a powerful and atmospheric evening of choral music led by conductor Tõnu Kaljuste. At its heart is the music of Arvo Pärt, whose beautifully pure and deeply spiritual style has made him one of the most performed composers today. The choir performs the serene Magnificat and the powerful Kanon poka-janen, a reflective and deeply spiritual work built from Pärt’s signature minimalist style.

The concert also includes music from Veljo Tormis which  blends Latin Gregorian chants with Finnish folk songs while Luciano Berio’s Cries of London, a tour-de-force work for eight voices, brings to life the calls of street vendors from historic London.

Other highlights include Father Death Blues from Philip Glass’s 1990 chamber opera Hydrogen Jukebox with poetry by Allen Ginsberg, offering a calm, meditative reflection on mortality, while Iris by Evelin Seppar is a short a cappella piece inspired by nature and colour. Together, these works create a deeply moving musical journey of reflection and 
spirituality. 

Presented by NCH

The National Concert Hall’s ECM 2026 series, celebrating the pioneering German label, is part of Ireland’s Cultural Programme for the 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Un-ion, supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.