Ode to Joy, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

ODE TO JOY, BEETHOVEN’S 9TH SYMPHONY

First presentation in Estonia!

on September 26

At 18:30

Narva Cultural Center Rugodiv

This concert combines Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, one of his most important, extensive and special works, with Liszt’s breakneck pianism. It is one of the most complex and extensive pieces of piano literature, which is rarely played in the world.

The concert will also talk about the story of the birth of Beethoven’s last symphony and Liszt’s special journey in setting this piece to the piano.

Ralf Taal graduated from the Tallinn Music High School with a piano major under the guidance of Maigi Pakri and Peep Lassmann of the Estonian Music and Theater Academy. He has won the republican pianists’ competition, the “Con Brio” competition-festival of young performers and the pianists’ competition dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Edvard Grieg’s birth.

He has given solo and chamber concerts both in Estonia and abroad and has successfully participated in international competitions. Ralf Taal has been a scholarship holder of Eesti Kontsert and received the annual award of the Estonian Cultural Capital Endowment Fund for Sound Arts.

He has collaborated with such conductors as Eri Klas, Paavo Järvi, Olari Elts, Arvo Volmer, Tõnu Kaljuste and others. Ralf Taal has been a valued ensemble partner for many vocal and instrumental soloists, incl. Ain Anger, Helen Lokuta, Monika-Evelin Liiv, Andrus Haav and others.

In 2014, he released a solo album with Chopin’s piano music “Magic of Sound”.

Kai Taal graduated from Tallinn Music High School majoring in piano (teacher R. Vanaselja and L. Orgse) and music theory (teacher T. Siitan), as well as from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, majoring in piano (teacher L. Väinmaa).

He has worked as a Lied pianist and concert master of choirs and has received the award for best piano accompanist at the II Tiit Kuusik singing competition.

Kai Taal has contributed as a music journalist to the newspapers “Sirp”, “Eesti Päevaleht”, “Postimees”; for the magazines “Musika” and “Teater.Musika.Kino”.

He has worked at Tallinn Music High School and currently works as a MUBA piano and ensemble teacher at Tallinn Music and Ballet School and as a piano teacher at Rocca al Mare Music School.

Since 2021, he has been doing concerts with Ralf Taali, where music and words are intertwined, performances have been performed in chamber halls and schools.

Tickets: https://ticketbest.eu/performances/784