Erkki-Sven Tüür Passion-Illusion

Brahms Violin Concerto

Sibelius Symphony No. 5

About the Conductor

Paavo Järvi

Estonian Grammy Award-winning conductor Paavo Järvi is widely recognised as one of today’s leading conductors, enjoying close partnerships with many of the world’s finest orchestras. He currently serves as Music Director of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Artistic Director of The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and as both the founder and Artistic Director of the Estonian Festival Orchestra. Beginning with the 2028/29 season, he will become Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Each season concludes with two weeks of performances and conducting masterclasses at the Pärnu Music Festival in Estonia, which Paavo Järvi founded in 2011. The success of both the Festival and its resident ensemble – the Estonian Festival Orchestra – has led to a series of high-profile recordings and invitations to perform throughout the world.

As a dedicated supporter of Estonian culture, Paavo Järvi was awarded the Order of the White Star by the President of Estonia in 2013 and Commandeur de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. He has also received both the Sibelius Medal and Hindemith Prize.

About the Violinist

Clara-Jumi Kang

Regarded as one of the most outstanding violinists of her generation, Clara-Jumi Kang is celebrated for her exceptional musicality, technical mastery, and artistic depth. She has received numerous awards and accolades, including First Prize at the 2010 Indianapolis International Violin Competition, along with five additional special prizes.

In the 2025/26 season, Kang is Artist-in-Residence with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. As part of her residency, she performed concerti by Lalo, Shostakovich and Bernstein with Chief Conductor Ryan Bancroft.

Other highlights of the 2025/26 season include her subscription debut with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, tour with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and the Philharmonia Orchestra on their Korean tour. She also made her debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall for a duo recital as part of their celebrity series alongside regular partner Sunwook Kim. Elsewhere in the season she performed with the BBC Philharmonic, Iceland Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Houston Symphony, Hamburg Symphony at the Elbphilharmonie, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, amongst others.

Clara-Jumi Kang plays on the "Thunis" Stradivarius from 1702, on generous loan by KIA.

About the Orchestra

Estonian Festival Orchestra

The Estonian Festival Orchestra was founded by Paavo Järvi in 2011 as the resident orchestra of the Pärnu Music Festival. The long dreamed of ambition by Järvi to create a hand picked orchestra, bringing together the best of Estonian talent and leading musicians from around the world, has since led to international acclaim: “Definitely one of the world’s great orchestras” (The Arts Desk, UK), “With a truly breathtaking energy and virtuosity” (Diapason, France) where “there are no egos, but truly passionate people in making and listening to the best music” (El Pais, Spain) and where “year after year you can see and hear the artists evolve, open up, listen to each other” (Die Welt, Germany).

Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Estonian Festival Orchestra continues to garner international acclaim, perfoming each summer at the Pärnu Music Festival and regulary touring throughout Europe and Asia. In 2018 the orchestra made history as the first Estonian ensemble to be invited to the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London and 2025 marked another important landmark, when the orchestra made its USA debut at Carnegie Hall.