Aavik & Mahler's Ninth
Aavik & Mahler's Ninth
Sat, 23 January 2027, 7:00 p.m.
Pärnu Concert Hall
Henri Christofer Aavik, conductor
Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 9 in D major (1909)
(chamber orchestra arrangement by Iain Farrington)
Part of the Masterworks concert series.
For the first time, Pärnu City Orchestra presents one of the early twentieth century's most significant masterpieces: Austrian composer Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 9. The master's final completed work, shaped by a life marked by personal tragedy, confronts the listener with profound existential themes—love, solitude, the fragility of life and society, the beauty of what has passed and the inexorable approach of death. Music that was largely misunderstood in its own time has since spoken powerfully to generations of listeners and, amid the uncertainties of today's world, may feel more relevant than ever.
*
For over three decades, Pärnu City Orchestra has enriched the cultural landscape of Pärnu as the only professional symphony orchestra in the Western Estonia region. This musical ensemble, which unites the community, has created a diverse cultural space and offers unique experiences to audiences in both Pärnu and across Estonia. The orchestra brings together talented musicians from Pärnu, forming a dynamic community known for its flexibility and stylistic versatility.
The orchestra is dedicated to promoting Estonian music as well as premiering and recording new works every year. Long-term collaborations with various concert organisations and internationally renowned musicians have made it a foremost ensemble in Estonia’s music scene.
The chief conductor of Pärnu City Orchestra is Henri Christofer Aavik, who received the 2022 Cultural Endowment of Estonia’s Annual Award in Music and is part of a younger generation of Estonian conductors. He has also gained attention as a laureate of the 5th Evgeny Svetlanov International Conducting Competition and the 8th International Jorma Panula Conducting Competition. Furthermore, he has conducted numerous renowned ensembles, including the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, the 18th Century Orchestra (Amsterdam), Sinfonia Rotterdam, Staatskapelle Weimar, Jena Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestra Senzaspine (Bologna).