February began with performing some baroque music with my good colleagues from the ensemble Floridante. The concert was part of the annual MustonenFest, a long-standing international music festival that explores music from different genres and centuries. The program is put together by the legendary violinist and founder of the 50-year-old early music ensemble Hortus Musicus,… Continue reading
The album “A Forgotten Day,” featuring author songs and poems by well-known poets, reflects on life in all its emotional shades, speaking of longing, hope, disappointment, pain, and joy, but above all, love. “Since the beginning of time, the theme of loneliness, the need for understanding and love has touched people. Today, this need is… Continue reading
Peeter Prints’ (1961) sheet music publication “Ballads, Preludes, Arias, Etudes, Blues” is likely familiar to all classical guitar students in Estonia from the beginning of the 1990s until now. The enduring interest in Prints’ music cannot be explained simply by the fact that there is a lack of printed music by Estonian authors for classical… Continue reading
By the early 1600s, the world was undergoing significant changes. Copernicus had placed the Sun at the center of the universe, Columbus had discovered America, the Church was going through the Reformation, and philosophers introduced new ideas about humanism and the individual’s role in society. As a result, rhetorics became an important part of school… Continue reading
It is not often that a theorbo player has the opportunity to premiere a contemporary piece of music that was originally composed for their instrument. However, in 2018, Estonian composer Ardo Ran Varres wrote the soundtrack for the movie “Self Made Cameraman,” directed by Hardi Volmer, and decided to incorporate the theorbo into certain sections… Continue reading
March 5th, 2015, at St Luke’s Tartu. A beautiful contemporary sacral building and good acoustics, too. Audience: about 30, which is normal. The concert was part of the ‘Contemporary Music Festival dedicated to Heino Eller.’ We performed with a bit of an unusual ensemble: Kadri Sepalaan – violin, Külli Kudu – accordion, arrangements, Kristo Käo… Continue reading
This summer I have to carry around three instruments because my solo program includes music for theorbo, classical and flamenco guitar. The first concert was on 27th of May at the tower of Tartu Jaani (St. John) church The first floor of tower accommodates 50 listeners and has a mystical atmosphere. And the floor is uneven,… Continue reading
Kristo Käo (guitar) & Leonora Palu (flute) at Nokia Concert hall on 27th of March, around 21:30. This is the annual Tallinn Music Week – the biggest showcase festival in Nordic and Baltic region: http://tallinnmusicweek.ee/artist_2014.php?nid=484 Here is what we will play: R.Eespere / Matbeth J.Reinvere / Water Dance L.Sumera / For BBB and his Friend
Once you have mastered enough chords to accompany most of the popular songs, you may want to add some melody. Essentially, this needs a bit different approach as you need to pluck bass, melody and chords at the same time. I’d suggest you start with exploring the common chord shapes also a bit higher on… Continue reading
This Christmas I had a wonderful chance to be a member of a symphony orchestra. Nothing special? Well, I played the renaissance lute against orchestra, organ, piano, percussion and 3 choirs (130 singers). It was Mart Siimer’s Christmas story ‘The 4th King’. Lute was included in 8 songs (of 13), being important in 4-5 pieces…. Continue reading