Originally conceived to celebrate the composer’s 85th birthday in 2020, Music At Oxford are this year hosting the largest UK festival of his music to date, right here in Oxford, in collaboration with the Estonian Embassy in London, Arvo Pärt Centre and The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH). The festival will celebrate Arvo Pärt’s significant contribution and legacy through music, film and talks, embracing a variety of artists to explore his work and influence, including the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, O/Modernt and the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet among many others.
On Sunday 20th November, the Ultimate Picture Palace will show two documentary films, each with with post-screening Q&As, looking at the life and work of this great composer.
14:30 EVEN IF I LOSE EVERYTHING
Film screening followed by a Q&A with Anu Kivilo, the Director of the Arvo Pärt Centre and moderator Dr Luke Lewis
Dorian Supin’s third documentary film of Arvo Pärt steps closer to the composer, showing him in a domestic setting as a composer, husband, father and grandfather. The title ‘Even if I lose everything’ refers to an entry in Arvo Pärt’s musical notebooks, which the composer browses in the film, together with Immo Mihkelson.
The musings and recollections inspired by the notes in these journals, in parallel with domestic scenes, shed light on the composer’s life and creative philosophy, painting a personal, in-depth picture of Arvo Pärt. The film’s soundtrack includes excerpts from Pärt’s works.
In Estonia, more than 5,000 cinema-goers went to see screenings of the film Arvo Pärt – Even if I lose everything. That makes it that year’s most viewed documentary distributed in Estonia. The film was screened in more than 60 locations across Estonia, and was also shown on Estonian television and the online cinema of the Postimees newspaper.This documentary has also been warmly received at several film festivals. The film was screened at the German “Nordische Filmtage Lübeck”, and at “DocPoint”, a documentary film festival in Helsinki. Furthermore, Arvo Pärt – Even if I lose everything has been included in the programme of the largest festival of music films in Asia – the Jecheon International Music and Film Festival.
The film was produced by the Minor Film studio in collaboration with the Arvo Pärt Centre, Universal Edition and ECM Records.
Tickets available via on Music At Oxford’s website: BOOK HERE
17:30 THAT PÄRT FEELING: THE UNIVERSE OF ARVO PÄRT
Film screening followed by a Q&A with Paul Hegeman, the film’s director and moderator Dr Luke Lewis
Arvo Pärt, the most celebrated living composer of our time, is considered to be something of a recluse. However, at work he appears to be the total opposite, combining an incredible sensitivity with humour and energy. His intense collaboration with the Cello Octet Amsterdam forms the heart of this documentary which sheds a bright light on Pärt’s universe. A universe not only inhabited by classical musicians like Tõnu Kaljuste, Candida Thompson or Daniel Reuss, but also by choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, filmmakers including Alain Gomis and young techno musicians like Kara-Lis Coverdale. They are all searching for that Pärt feeling.
The soundtrack of the film features many of Arvo Pärt’s works, including Tabula rasa, Summa, Fratres, Solfeggio, Für Alina, Da pacem Domine, Kanon pokajanen, The Deer’s Cry, Trivium, Symphony No. 3, La Sindone, Sieben Magnificat – Antiphonen and My Heart’s in the Highlands.
Tickets available via on Music At Oxford’s website: BOOK HERE
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