Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 | 8:00 pm

Duke Chapel

For the twenty-four singers in the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, perhaps the finest professional choir in the world today, choral singing is a long and proud part of their Baltic heritage. Their powerful and expressive voices produce a sound that is both precise and passionate. Durham audiences will hear those voices resonate in the stained glass and stone of Duke Chapel, an ideal performance space for a choir of this size and quality.

The Estonians are dedicated to performing the music of their countryman Arvo P?rt, who invokes early music to compose arresting and contemplative work. Since Pärt writes expressly for the ensemble, it is no surprise that the Guardian says that the Estonians’ performances of his compositions are “perfectly judged . . . it is hard to imagine it sung by anyone else.” Their Durham program also includes two rare works for unaccompanied choir by Johannes Brahms, both overflowing with melodies sad and sweet.

Program