Music at Oxford is delighted to announce their celebratory Spring/Summer 2023 season today, filled with birthday world premieres, ensemble anniversaries and new partnerships. Internationally renowned musicians such as the Tashi Lhunpo Monks, Quatuor Modigliani and The Marian Consort, alongside new works from Robert Saxton and Gregory Rose, take centre-stage in and around Oxford.

The announcement is accompanied by a special film release of last year’s sold-out performance by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir of the music of Arvo Pärt, as today marks both Estonia’s Independence Day and the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. The programme, entitled Da pacem Domine (Give us Peace, Lord) was first performed in May 2022 in the Estonian-Russian border city of Narva; the film will cost £10 per household and will be available for download until 23 March 2023.

H.E. Viljar Lubi, Ambassador of Estonia in the UK, shared the following statement:

Today, Estonia marks the 105th anniversary of its independence. To our greatest regret, this day also marks one year of Russia’s full-scale invasion to Ukraine and the war in Europe.

Freedom cannot be taken for granted! Estonia remembers well how our freedom was forcefully taken from us and the injustice caused by almost 50 years of Soviet occupation. But it was music, and especially singing, that helped Estonians to rebuild resilience and it finally helped to pave the way to the free Estonia today.

As the patron of the Arvo Pärt Festival in Oxford, I hope that music composed by the greatest Estonian ambassador alive has brought you enjoyment and peace at heart and that you will be delighted to revisit some of the events of the festival.