SEASON OPENING CONCERT. THE FIRST — AAVIK & KUUSKMANN
33RD SEASON OPENING CONCERT. THE FIRST — AAVIK & KUUSKMANN
Friday, 23 October 2026 at 19:00, Pärnu Concert Hall
Martin Kuuskmann, bassoon
Henri Christofer Aavik, conductor
Programme:
Rasmus Puur – new work, world premiere
Lembit Beecher – Land of the Northern Frog for solo bassoon and strings (2025; Estonian premiere)
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 (1800)
The concert is part of the Masterpieces series.
The title of Pärnu City Orchestra’s 33rd season opening concert, The First, offers a small hint at the evening’s shared theme: the programme features the world premiere of Rasmus Puur’s new work written for Pärnu City Orchestra, the Estonian premiere of Estonian-American composer Lembit Beecher’s bassoon concerto completed last year, and perhaps the most significant first symphony in the entire history of music. The soloist is internationally acclaimed bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann, a multiple Grammy nominee.
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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).
Concerts take place at Pärnu Concert Hall, Aida 4, Pärnu 80011.