II: MACMILLAN AND PÄRT. All Souls Day concert • The Maestro series

6 p.m. – pre-concert event

James MacMillan
Two motets from the collection Strathclyde Motets
O Radiant Dawn
Factus Est Repente

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, conductor James MacMillan

Märt-Matis Lill speaks with James Macmillan

7 p.m. – symphony concert

Arvo Pärt

La Sindone

Benjamin Britten

Sinfonia da Requiem, Op 20

James MacMillan

Symphony No. 5 Le grand Inconnu

ANDREA LAUREN BROWN soprano, KIM PORTER alto, DANILA FRANTOU tenor, ALVAR TIISLER bass,

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Vox Clamantis, ERSO, conductor JAMES MACMILLAN

In November, Scottish composer and conductor James MacMillan will come to Estonia. Last year, he ranked 10th on the list of most performed living composers on Bachtrack. The concert programme was put together with the season of All Souls in mind. In addition to his own fifth symphony, MacMillan has selected works by Arvo Pärt and Benjamin Britten for the ERSO concert programme.

MacMillan’s sound is influenced by his Scottish heritage, his Catholicism, his social sensitivity, and his close connection with Celtic folk music. Similar to Pärt, religion plays an important role in MacMillan’s work. In his fifth symphony, subtitled Le grand Inconnu, his music attempts to explore the mystery of the Holy Spirit. In the choral part of the work, Macmillan has used sacral texts in English, Latin, Ancient Greek, and Hebrew, which will be presented at this concert by Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Vox Clamantis.