Christmas music festival CHURCH HOLIDAYS IN ST. MARY'S LAND

This year, Corelli Music expands its well-known concert series Church Holydays in St. Mary's Land to a Christmas music festival, which offers wonderful musical experiences through the whole month of expecting Christmas until the very last days of the year. First Advent concerts will introduce organ, the king of musical instruments; the following Advent concerts bring holiday spirit to manors and music lounges. The year traditionally ends with brilliant large scale works which have fascinated audiences for years. With contemporary musicians, the festival brings the colours and atmosphere of distant ages to modern people – just as the masters of the era could have been heard the music in their lifetime in the churches and castles.

On the opening concerts of the festival, Peter Frisée brings Estonian audience a beautiful selection of organ music from the historic churches of Vienna, Austria. Manors and salons offer the excitement of different sounds with percussion ensemble PaukenfEst and oboist Riivo Kallasmaa. The program of the closing concerts Dixit Dominus welcomes the arrival of the year of Culture Capital Tallinn 2011. The festive Christmas works of baroque masters will be performed under the church arches by the luxorious set of musicians: the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Corelli Baroque Orchestra on period instruments, conducted by Daniel Reuss.

ADVENT TIME WITH ORGAN MUSIC

Sat, 27 November 2010 at 4 pm, St. Peter's Church, Tartu (Narva Rd. 104, Tartu)

Sun, 28 November 2010 at 8 pm, St. John's Church, Tallinn (Vabaduse Square 1, Tallinn)

Performer: Peter Frisée (organ, Austria)

Program: J. S. Bach, Lemmens, Schmidt, Widor

CHRISTMAS AT THE MANOR

Sat, 11 December 2010 at 6 pm, Anija manor (Anija, Harju county)

CHRISTMAS AT TOOMPEA

Sun, 12 December 2010 at 7 pm, Music Lounge in Toompea, Hall of Estonian Academy of Sciences (Kohtu 6, Tallinn)

Performers: PaukenfEst (percussion ensemble), Riivo Kallasmaa (oboe)

Program: Preludes and fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach, oboe concertos by Marcello and Albinoni, christmas music arrangements

DIXIT DOMINUS

Tue, 28 December 2010 at 7 pm, St. John's Church, Tartu (Jaani 5, Tartu)

Wed, 29 December 2010 at 7 pm, St. John's Church, Tallinn (Vabaduse Square 1, Tallinn)

Performers: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Corelli Baroque Orchestra, conductor Daniel Reuss

Program: Dixit Dominus by Händel, Christmas Concerto by Corelli, Singet dem Herrn by J. S. Bach